“Things Change,” But Country Singer Bobby Bare’s Still in Top Form

The Nashville crooner’s new album is a winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmgDQD7SI3E

Bobby Bare
Things Change
Hypermedia

Courtesy of Webster Public Relations

What a career: Nashville’s Bobby Bare enjoyed his first chart success in late ’50s with the witty talking blues “The All American Boy,” was a standout crooner in the ’60s with hits like “500 Miles Away from Home,” which anticipated the countrypolitan sound, and rode the crest of the outlaw movement in the ’70s, playing drunk and crazy to perfection. Today, in his early 80s, he’s still making great records, as Things Change demonstrates. Though his voice has inevitably grown rougher and deeper with time, Bare is still a smart, wonderfully expressive singer who brings subtle and surprising shades to the simplest lyrics. Writing or co-writing most of the songs—including “Trophy Girl,” the final work of the great Guy Clark—on this easygoing blend of down home country and laid-back pop, he ponders the passing of time and enduring human foibles with the unflappable grace of a weathered philosopher who’s seen at all. For added commercial appeal, current superstar Chris Stapleton joins Bare for a solid remake of his 1963 smash “Detroit City,” but every track on Things Change is a winner. Don’t ever retire, Bobby.

WE'LL BE BLUNT:

We need to start raising significantly more in donations from our online community of readers, especially from those who read Mother Jones regularly but have never decided to pitch in because you figured others always will. We also need long-time and new donors, everyone, to keep showing up for us.

In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we explain, as matter-of-factly as we can, what exactly our finances look like, how brutal it is to sustain quality journalism right now, what makes Mother Jones different than most of the news out there, and why support from readers is the only thing that keeps us going. Despite the challenges, we're optimistic we can increase the share of online readers who decide to donate—starting with hitting an ambitious $300,000 goal in just three weeks to make sure we can finish our fiscal year break-even in the coming months.

Please learn more about how Mother Jones works and our 47-year history of doing nonprofit journalism that you don't find elsewhere—and help us do it with a donation if you can. We've already cut expenses and hitting our online goal is critical right now.

payment methods

WE'LL BE BLUNT

We need to start raising significantly more in donations from our online community of readers, especially from those who read Mother Jones regularly but have never decided to pitch in because you figured others always will. We also need long-time and new donors, everyone, to keep showing up for us.

In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we explain, as matter-of-factly as we can, what exactly our finances look like, how brutal it is to sustain quality journalism right now, what makes Mother Jones different than most of the news out there, and why support from readers is the only thing that keeps us going. Despite the challenges, we're optimistic we can increase the share of online readers who decide to donate—starting with hitting an ambitious $300,000 goal in just three weeks to make sure we can finish our fiscal year break-even in the coming months.

Please learn more about how Mother Jones works and our 47-year history of doing nonprofit journalism that you don't elsewhere—and help us do it with a donation if you can. We've already cut expenses and hitting our online goal is critical right now.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate