For those of you not in the know, on July 22, 2022, Omnivore Recordings will release The Complete Capitol Albums by American country duo The Hagers.

Jim and John Hager recorded three albums for Capitol Records: The Hagers and Two Hagers Are Better Than One in 1970, and Motherhood, Apple Pie & The Flag the following year.

The identical twins also logged a staggering 135 appearances on Hee Haw between 1969 and 1985, and were a concert draw until Jim’s death in 2008 – with his brother passing a mere eight months later in 2009.

While all critically acclaimed, and being dubbed “the next big thing” in country music, the albums did not chart as well as expected. But, those who knew country and Buck Owens know they were something special.

The Complete Capitol Albums collects these sought-after albums, coupling them together on CD for the first time, and debuting them digitally as well.

Mastered from the original analog master tape sources by Grammy®-winner Michael Graves, the collection was produced for release by Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski and Grammy®-nominee Randy Poe – author of Buck ‘Em!: The Autobiography Of Buck Owens. In addition to photos of The Hagers, packaging contains liner notes from Poe, as well.

The Hagers:
1. Loneliness Without You
2. I’m Her Fun
3. Tracks (Running Through The City)
4. Your Tender Loving Care
5. I Don’t Wanna Make It
6. Gotta Get To Oklahoma (’Cause California’s Gettin’ To Me)
7. With Lonely
8. I’m Not Going Back To Jackson
9. Give It Time
10. Goin’ Home To Your Mother

Two Hagers Are Better Than One:
11. Silver Wings
12. The Whole World Holding Hands
13. I’m Jesse James
14. Flowers Need Sun, Too
15. Loony Caboose
16. That’s My Love
17. Second Fiddle
18. The Last Time
19. I’m Miles Away
20. Gamblin’ Man

Motherhood, Apple Pie & The Flag:
21. Motherhood, Apple Pie And The Flag
22. White Line Fever
23. Silver Threads And Golden Needles
24. Four Strong Winds
25. Ft. Worth Texas
26. Freight Train Fever
27. Break My Mind
28. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
29. California On My Mind
30. Back Out On The Road Again

Their three 1970–71 Capitol albums now available on CD and Digital for the first time, we open on their self-titled The Hagers album, which contained their first three charting singles and their B-sides too.

All coming together nicely to make up this late 1969/early 1970 Capitol album, what emerged were the chart placers Gotta Get To Oklahoma (’Cause California’s Gettin’ To Me) (#41), Loneliness Without You (#74), and Goin’ Home To Your Mother (#50).

Other stand outs for me personally here are the truly uplifting, free wheeling ’70s psych-rock jaunt of Tracks (Running Through The City), the smooth, yet gently funky grooves of I’m Not Going Back To Jackson, and the fun and bouncy Give It Time.

Next up is Two Hagers Are Better Than One, which was released in late 1970 and contained the charting singles Silver Wings (#59) (and which was written by Merle Haggard) as well as I’m Miles Away (#47).

Here amongst the other songs that stand out for me are joyously uplifting melodies within The Whole World Holding Hands, the catchy dance floor twirl of Loony Caboose and then the boisterously fervent I’m Jesse James.

And as much as that would be that in so far as nationally-charting singles were concerned, the third album here is Motherhood, Apple Pie And The Flag. Containing the one failed single - White Line Fever in mid-1971 - the album was the unwitting victim to a musical tide-changing world.

But, digging deeper into the album and tracks such as the gorgeously free flowing title track Motherhood, Apple Pie And The Flag, the beautifully harmonious, scenically-imbibed Four Strong Winds, and both the aptly-named Freight Train Fever and album closer Back Out On The Road Again are all highlights of an album that deserved much more media and listener attention.

Funnily enough, the story, of course, does not end there, as The Hagers continuing recording with other labels throughout the 1970’s whilst also touring, with great success, their country show.

They also made successful acting appearances, including roles in the movie Twin Detectives for ABC-TV in 1976, and in 1987, they co-presented Country Kitchen on TNN.

Their uniqueness as identical twins led to many television appearances, as well as work on commercials, and they are the only twins to achieve major success in country music.

In the ’90s, they even became noted for hosting their major annual fishing competition at Lakewood, Wisconsin, which they organized to benefit charities.

From the liners: The real reason The Hagers were never able to score a major hit on Capitol Records is impossible to say. Maybe record buyers and radio didn’t take the brothers seriously because of their frequent comedic portrayals on Hee Haw.

Perhaps there was some strange stigma attached to the fact that they were twins. Maybe it was their pre-Willie long hair that turned off a late 1960s/early 1970s country audience.

Whatever the actual reason The Hagers failed to sell records in droves, it certainly wasn’t because of a lack of talent. The songs were strong; the production was solid; and the vocals were spot-on.

This collection of their Capitol albums is aural proof that the duo knew what they were doing in the studio and confirms that Three Hagers LPs Are Better Than One.

Official Trailer