Recorded after the release of “Wagonmaster,” the interview delves into the background of the song “Committed to Parkview.” Porter says that Johnny Cash wrote the song for him in 1981 and handed it to Marty Stuart to pass on to him, but it was lost until a couple of years ago. Denying any issues with alcohol or drugs, Porter states that he had simply worn himself out after a year of 200 gigs on the road. He said he was glad that his doctor committed him for a six-week stay, but that he wouldn’t ever want to go back again.

When asked about the future of country music, Porter said he hoped that it would revert to a more traditional direction, so as to remain accessible. “Keep it simple,” he emphasized. The Wagonmaster wouldn’t steer us wrong.

I think Jim hit the nail on the head about Porter’s arrangements, they always compliment Porter’s delivery (todays producers could learn some things from these cuts).

I find the Wagonmasters conbination of non-pedal steel with Buck Trent’s pedal steel licks on his Shot Jackson built string bending Banjo to be a truely unique sound that has never been duplicated(and reason enough to warrant the invention of Youtube).

Buck Trent’s playing was years ahead of (and a reported huge influence on) Clarence White’s wildly praised guitar string bending and benders.

Unlike so much country music of that time, the arrangements are not overdone. The guitar and pedal steel are both alternate voices, wordlessly echoing Porter’s vocals. Their licks are utterly distinctive — memorable from the Porter and Dolly partnership — perfect and definitive.

I had never heard any of these cuts before. Many of them are masterpieces. Thank you also for Dolly’s version. She’s the reason I’m here.