Big Country Blues

Shirl Milete recorded Big Country Blues at Bradleys Barn in Mount Juliet Tennessee in 1969 with Jim Malloy and Lamar Fike producing and Don Tweedy arranging. The track appeared on Miletes self-titled Poppy album and was written by Townes Van Zandt. Released by Poppy in 1969, Big Country Blues placed Milete within the same late-1960s songwriter circuit that linked Nashville country sessions with Texas folk writing. The album paired Milete originals with songs by Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, and Merle Travis. Big Country Blues later became a collector-favored album cut and was revived on country-soul and roots reissue compilations. Its presence on the 2024 Blue Plate Special Vol2 compilation reinforced the tracks appeal among listeners tracing the overlap of country, soul, and folk songwriting.