We’ll be honoring the songwriting prowess of Harlan Howard this week on Deeper Roots. A country songwriter and performer whose career spanned six decades and wrote some of the classic songs of the Golden Age, turning formula into phrasing and stories of true life as he saw it. After a few minor successes, his song Pick Me Up on Your Way Down became a No. 2 hit for Charlie Walker in 1958 and Heartaches by the Number for Ray Price the following year,his name appeared at the forefront of songwriting talent of the time. His songs were performed by everyone from Merle Haggard to The Kingston Trio and Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. This week’s show will feature songs written by Harlan Howard and we’ll get to hear him perform many of his own. He coined the oft-quoted phrase “Three chords and the truth”. Tune in for the festivities.