Welcome to The Back Forty where we highlight artists who might walk the line outside of the country chart with their music.
With over 50 years of making country music under his belt, Bobby Bare has accumulated a treasure trove of great stories and classic hits. After signing with RCA Records in the early 1960s, Bare teamed with legendary producer and guitar player Chet Atkins to release "Shame on Me," but it was his second single that proved to shine the spotlight on him. The iconic "Detriot City" kicked off a string of hits which included the likes of "500 Miles Away from Home" and "Four Strong Winds."
In the 1970s, Bare shone his light on the writings of Shel Silverstein by recording "Marie Laveau" and the touching "Daddy What If" which Bare recorded with his son Bobby Bare Jr. Bare's love of hanging around songwriters like Silverstein turned into a successful TNN television series Bobby Bare and Friends in which he interviewed the writers behind some of country's biggest hits.
Bare's latest project is a dream come to fruition for the singer-songwriter. Darker Than Light, which was recorded at the historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, features folk music straight out of the American songbook such as Woody Guthrie’s "Going Down the Road" and "Tom Dooley" as well as a few new tunes penned by Bare himself like "I Was a Young Man Once."
Relive some great memories with Bobby Bare as he reflects on his career and shares a story about Willie Nelson booking a fake tour in his visit with Kix. Plus, Bare talks about making his new album and more in this episode of The Back Forty.
Bobby Bare's Darker Than the Light is available now. For more info about Bare and the album, visit the project's official website.