Porter Wagoner – “Committed To Parkview”

Wouldn’t it be great to see Porter Wagoner’s name on the singles chart again? This song could do for Porter’s legacy what “Hurt” did for Johnny Cash’s if Wagoner shared Cash’s outlaw reputation, the song was originally recorded by an industrial rock band and it was cut from an album produced by a heavy metal non-conformist instead of a country-bluegrass icon. Country fans will have to settle for a hauntingly strong recording that may not impact at radio but should prove to a new generation that Porter Wagoner is more than a Rhinestoned Opry regular.

“Committed to Parkview,” written by Cash for Wagoner 25 years ago, is a remarkably incisive song by itself that is rendered all the more powerful by Wagoner’s and Cash’s mutual experiences in the mental facility. I’m not usually a fan of artists who try to channel Johnny Cash, as, thanks largely to the success of American Recordings, he is much too easy a target for artists that otherwise are mostly ignorant of traditional country music. However, no one can impeach Porter Wagoner’s credentials, and, while this song is not representative of the rest of the material on Wagonmaster, it is a smart release that gives Porter his best chance at securing his legacy with the genre’s younger listeners.

Listen: Porter Wagoner – “Committed to Parkview”

Watch: Porter Wagoner – “Committed to Parkview”

Read the Album Review: Porter Wagoner – Wagonmaster