Rainbow Stew Live at Anaheim Stadium

Rainbow Stew
Live album by Merle Haggard
Released	July 1981
Recorded	October 1980
Venue	Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
Genre	Country
Length	34:12
Label	MCA
Producer	Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard chronology
Back to the Barrooms (1980) Rainbow Stew (1981) Songs for the Mama That Tried (1981)

Rainbow Stew Live at Anaheim Stadium is a live album by American country music artist Merle Haggard with backing by The Strangers. It was recorded in October 1980 and released in July 1981 on MCA Records.

Background

Haggard moved from MCA to Epic Records in 1981. However, he still owed MCA two albums, and this collection, along with the gospel album Songs for the Mama That Tried, fulfilled his contractual obligations. This LP is notable for showcasing the talents of Haggard's backing band the Strangers, in particular the jazzy solos of guitarist and long-time band member Roy Nichols. The band is augmented by former Texas Playboys Eldon Shamblin, Tiny Moore and Gordon Terry and a horn section to fill out the sound.

In The Running Kind, Haggard biographer David Cantwell observes, "In the studio, these recent drinking numbers had broken a sweat trying to maintain control, but live they didn't even try to keep their cool, especially on fiddle breakdowns that run hot, then burst into flame."^[1]

The track "Dealin' with the Devil" was previously recorded by Eddy Raven on his 1980 album Eyes.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

Allmusic critic Steven Thomas Erlewine calls the album "a wonderful, swinging album that brings a new spin not only to classics like 'I'm a Lonesome Fugitive' and 'Sing Me Back Home' but also to Hag's newer songs 'Misery and Gin,' 'I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink,' and the title track."^[2]

Track listing

1. "Misery and Gin" (Johnny Durrill, Tommy Garrett) – 3:25
2. "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" (Merle Haggard) – 3:24
3. "Back to the Barrooms" (Haggard, Dave Kirby) – 2:24
4. "Our Paths May Never Cross" (Haggard) – 4:01
5. "Running Kind" (Haggard)/"I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (Liz Anderson, Casey Anderson) – 3:35
6. "Rainbow Stew" (Haggard) – 2:43
7. "Blue Yodel No. 9 (Standin' on the Corner)" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 2:53
8. "Dealing with the Devil" (Eddy Raven, Sanger D. Shafer) – 3:45
9. "Fiddle Breakdown" – 3:48
10. "Sing Me Back Home" (Haggard) – 4:04

Personnel

• Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

The Strangers:

• Roy Nichols – lead guitar
• Norman Hamlet – steel guitar, dobro
• Tiny Moore – mandolin, fiddle
• Gordon Terry - fiddle
• Ronnie Reno – guitar
• Mark Yeary – piano
• Dennis Hromek– bass
• Biff Adam – drums
• Don Markham – saxophone

with

• Bonnie Owens– backing vocals

and

• Willie Nelson – guitar, vocals
• Johnny Paycheck - vocals

References