SONGWRITERS SERIES

Here are some of the best Haggard retrospectives, along with a recent album that demonstrates his continued excellence.

Here are some of the best Haggard retrospectives, along with a recent album that demonstrates his continued excellence.

1."20 Greatest Hits" Capitol. If you are new to Haggard and want to sample his work, this CD contains most of the early classics, including "Mama Tried" and "Sing Me Back Home."

2."40 No. 1 Hits" Capitol. This is for the more committed Haggard fan, a two-disc set that focuses on the early Capitol hits but also reaches into his later Epic and MCA catalogs for such jewels as "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink."

3."Down Every Road" Capitol. This boxed set is for the Haggard loyalist. There are 100 songs spread over four discs, and just about every one is memorable in some way. Haggard is arguably the most influential country singer of his generation, modernizing Lefty Frizzell's way of stretching words or phrases to add a distinctive character.

4."Haggard Like Never Before" Hag. In this 2003 CD, he's playful (the title tune), provocative ("That's the News"), heartbroken ("I Dreamed You Didn't Love Me"), and still finds time for a marvelous version of Woody Guthrie's "Philadelphia Lawyer."