Bakersfield

Bakersfield is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Vince Gill and steel guitar player Paul Franklin. It was released on July 30, 2013, via MCA Nashville. The album is a collaborative tribute of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens songs. It reached number 4 on Top Country Albums. Content Vince Gill and his fellow The Time Jumpers band member Paul Franklin re-recorded songs by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard as a tribute, pulling five songs from each artist, all from 1961 -1974. Critical reception Bakersfield has received positive reviews from music critics. Metacritic assigns an average score out of 100 from reviews and ratings from mainstream critics. The album received a metascore of 80, based on 5 reviews. Billy Dukes at Taste of Country rated the album 4 out of 5 stars. He states, "Gill and Franklin work like a polished vocal duo, only the pedal steel is Franklin’s voice," and goes on to say, "the album’s production is notable for being crystal clear. Each instrument stands out without stepping out." He finishes by saying, "You’ll struggle to find two more professional, humble musicians in Nashville, and those qualities — along with a top notch band and great songs — make for a very satisfying listen."