The Bakersfield Sound didn’t just rewrite country music—it helped rewrite California itself, giving the state a honky-tonk heartbeat far from Nashville’s polish. As explored in Alta’s deep dives into Merle Haggard and Buck Owens’ rebel genius, the history of the Telecaster-sharp Bakersfield tone, and the artists who carried its grit into modern country rock, this is a story shaped by dust, defiance, and dazzling musicianship. Wander deeper with our curated Spotify playlist.•
1. “A Dear John Letter”
Charles “Fuzzy” Owen and Bonnie Owens, 1953
2. “Love’s Gonna Live Here”
Buck Owens and His Buckaroos, 1964
3. “It’s Such a Pretty World Today”
Wynn Stewart, 1967
4. “Mama Tried”
Merle Haggard and the Strangers, 1968
5. “It Hurts to Know the Feeling’s Gone”
Billy Mize, 1976
Ed Leibowitz wrote about how performance venues were surviving during the pandemic for Alta Journal 15.
