Merle Travis Brings Guitar Mastery to 1970s Television with “Cannonball Rag” and “Who’s Sorry Now”
During a memorable television appearance in the 1970s, legendary country guitarist Merle Travis delivered a captivating performance of two classic pieces: Cannonball Rag and Who’s Sorry Now. The performance, later included in the DVD collection Sixteen Tons, highlights why Travis remains one of the most influential guitarists in American music history.
“Cannonball Rag,” one of Travis’s signature instrumentals, is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the fingerstyle technique that later became known as the “Travis picking” style. With his thumb driving a steady bass line while his fingers weave the melody above it, Travis transformed a single guitar into a rhythmic and melodic powerhouse. The piece has inspired generations of guitarists across country, folk, and rock music.
In contrast, “Who’s Sorry Now,” a well-known standard originally popularized decades earlier, allowed Travis to showcase his ability to blend traditional songcraft with his distinctive guitar approach. The performance demonstrates his effortless ability to shift between intricate instrumental passages and warm vocal delivery.
By the 1970s, Merle Travis was already recognized as a pioneering figure in country and folk guitar. His influence extended far beyond his own recordings, shaping the playing styles of countless musicians who followed. Performances like this television appearance helped bring his innovative technique to a broader audience and cemented his reputation as one of the true masters of the instrument.
Today, Travis’s renditions of “Cannonball Rag” and “Who’s Sorry Now” remain treasured examples of classic American fingerstyle guitar—performances that continue to inspire guitarists decades after they were first broadcast.