Laying it down. If there is one rabbit hole you can always find me going down, it's watching handfuls of videos from Carter Vintage Guitars and looking up how pricey the guitars each musician is holding costs. It's beautiful to see the work that Carter Vintage Guitars does restoring some stunning classic guitars, and it's almost poetic to see them picked up off the shelf and played during the studio sessions they put on. While Carter Vintage Guitars has a library full of incredible musicians sitting down to sing their own songs or cover the classics during their studio sessions, one that I have found myself going back to over and over again is Marcus King's cover of Merle Haggard's "Workin' Man Blues." Released in August this year, King is set up playing a beautiful 1959 Custom Telecaster through a Dumble Tweedle-Dee Deluxe 1x12 combo amplifier. This powerful setup, combined with Marcus King's soulful lyrical delivery, is a match made in heaven. Merle Haggard released "Workin' Man Blues" in May 1969 as the second single from his record A Portrait of Merle Haggard. The blue-collar anthem was instantly a hit, skyrocketing to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. After all these years, "Workin' Man Blues" is now a signature song from Haggard's catalog and is well-loved by fans and other musicians. It's been covered by greats like Jerry Lee Lewis, Lone Justice, Jon Wayne, and more throughout the years. King delivers the lyrics that highlight a man who is working his tail off to provide for his family but would rather have it that way instead of having everything he needs handed to him. While he finds the days long and nights filled with activities from his kids, he'd rather complain with a beer in his hand singing the "Workin' Man Blues" than be handed anything. “It’s a big job gettin’ by with nine kids and a wifeEven I’ve been workin’ man, dang near all my life but I’ll keep workin’As long as my two hands are fit to useI’ll drink my beer in a tavernAnd sing a little bit of these working man blues I keep my nose on the grindstone, I work hard every dayI might get a little tired on the weekend, after I draw my payThen I'll go back workin', come Monday morning I'm right back with the crewI'll drink a little beer that eveningSing a little bit of these working man blues” King's delivery is spot on. He puts his twist on the track, expanding the range of the song to show off his incredible range, and he breaks down the song to shred the Telecaster some, which you already know is good. Watching King's fingers quickly move up and down the neck of the vintage guitar shows his skill from years and years of honing his craft. King hardly even looks at his fingers during his guitar solo, and you can tell from watching him that he is feeling every note as he closes his eyes and gets to work. The boy can pick... there is no denying that. It's hypnotizing to watch. If you're a fan of "Workin' Man Blues," this is a must-watch cover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=128bbPKKivM If you're itching for more after watching King play that guitar, fire this one up next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVaaioWQ0o0