This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.
Old No. 1 is the highly influential 1975 debut album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark. The cover of the original LP featured a painting by Susanna Clark and liner notes by Jerry Jeff Walker. It was reissued on CD by Sugar Hill. Both Old No. 1 and Texas Cookin' were re-issued on CD on the Camden label in 2001.
Decent country LP that wasn't exactly groundbreaking for its time when it dropped in the '70s considering the historical context, though it's a solid enough listen. Waffled on this one a bit, but Texas features prominently and that's where I'm from so I will give it an additional star.
This country album is a good listen. It's not groundbreaking, but excellent musicians, nice lyrics and decent songs. Just a bit little middle of the road and never urgent or surprising.
A real forgotten classic of lyricism and country. A nicely crafted album that is concise and complex while also being something that is enjoyable and having a few songs that have endless replay value. LA Freeway is a fantastic song and this album is always a good listen. 8.0/10
I'm not a Country fan, but I appreciate the excellent lyricism on this album. I also think the original list would have benefit from a couple of extra Country albums, so this is a good suggestion.
Wow just a great fuckin album top to botton. Guy is my guy
Excellent… this list has plenty of room for some of the classic greats of country and Guy Clark seems to qualify. Seemed vaguely familiar at times and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn I’ve listened to this somewhere in my past. Terrific!
Superbly written album. Desperados is a brilliant song
Good stuff. Found myself tapping my toes and interested in the story telling.
I can get down with this good country
Solid old timey country, with all the usual associated pluses and minuses that implies. More of the pluses and less of the minuses, actually. Love the cover art. Can't wrap my head around that voice coming from that ungrizzled person. Anyway, if you enjoy a good simile, this is the album for you!
This is some pretty good, pretty simple country. Not too heavy on the folk, but bearable when it does dip its toes in. 4/5.
Just solid outlaw Country here. Good writing, well performed and great, understated use of backing vocals. A lot of the lyrics are maybe a little on the nose - typical of this idiom there is not much subtlety. But I can be there for perfectly straightforward for an LP.
Good stuff. It’s funny, I absolutely hate modern country like Toby Keith and all that other bullshit, but stuff like this I love. Thanks for adding this to the list!
Oh, Guy Clark, very nice. Classic country of the outlaw variety. Earthy, easygoing, excellent songwriting. So much to enjoy here. Heck of a backing band there, by the way. When you've got Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earl and Sammi Smith singing backup for you, you're doing something right. Fave Songs: L.A. Freeway, Rita Ballou, Desperados Waiting for a Train, A Nickel for the Fiddler, Like a Coat from the Cold, Let Him Roll
I feel like I’m in an old Hill Country bbq joint. This one has as much right to be on the main list as anything by Gram.
Cool Texas country from a time long gone by.
Old macdonald had guy clark, he was number one
Rating: 6/10
Typical old school country music. Good singing voice, easy listening music
3 Got nothing to say about this album
Outlaw Country, Progressive country. Ni fu ni fa.
Ngl I barely remember this past thinking that it was some pretty good country music and that the Wikipedia page sounded self written.
Witty country
Old country is still a million times better than modern pop schlock country.
I like me a bit of country and I enjoyed hearing the originals of some songs done by more well known artists. But by the end I was countried out I’m afraid.
July 20, 2025 HL: "L.A. Freeway", "She Ain't Going Nowhere", "Desperadoes Waiting For a Train" Solid
Country right? Country for REAL. It makes things a bit tough for me to enjoy, but I'll assume that it is some kind of classic that was missing in the original list and save my 1-star for worse things.
This was fine
Not bad but so samey in my mind to so many 70s American singers.
I'm not a country fan, but it was nice enough.
Uninteresting country.
The user albums list rocks, because on one hand, I want to write this off as one of the most bland and generic Country albums I've ever heard in my life, but on the other hand, there's somebody out there who went through 3 years of a list with humongous Country over-representation, said "nah actually, you missed one", then submitted this. Anyways, this was one of the most bland and generic Country albums i've ever heard in my life.
I was sick of all the country albums on the original list, sorry this one didn’t have a chance.