And 'Poor Side of Town' is just one of the many reasons why.' He's a great artist, an essential, timeless cat, and I believe with all my heart that he deserves to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That encounter was the one, and only time I have ever been in the same room as Johnny Rivers. 'When Johnny came to guest on my television show, I requested that he do 'Poor Side of Town.' He obliged, and it sounded wonderful. I've always loved to sing it just so I can play the famous guitar lick that is so much a part of the song.' Johnny Rivers has so many great songs to his credit, but his and Lou Adler's composition of 'Poor Side of Town' is the one that has followed me around year after year. 'I was a guitar goner the first time I heard his recording of 'Secret Agent Man.' I still think it's one of the baddest records of all time. His red Gibson guitar, stylish clothes, modern hair, California vibe, sneer, and especially his radio songs made him among the coolest of cats in my eyes.' His music paid no attention to categorical boundaries, and bands from almost every genre played his songs. His songs seemed to just float along on the breeze and make themselves at home wherever they landed. 'In the 1960s, Johnny Rivers was especially popular in the Magnolia State.

When you cross the state line the sign reads, 'Welcome to Mississippi, the Birthplace of American Music.' It's a place where every denomination of music is welcomed, and I fell right in line with that way of thinking.' Gospel music, country music, rhythm and blues, soul, and rock and roll seemed to meet me wherever I'd go. The ultimate thrill was getting to actually take my Fender guitar somewhere and playing it for the people. Those hot Mississippi summers of the 1960s were defined by the songs on the radio, adding records to my stack, watching my favorite musical television shows and the pure joy of becoming a guitar player.'

'One of the smiles the 'Songs I Sing in the Dark' series has brought is, some of the songs have taken me back in a heartfelt way to my earliest days as a musician, to a time when I was falling head over heels in love with music. Tuesday, August 31, 2021 – Marty Stuart shares his new cover of Johnny Rivers' 'Poor Side Of Town' the sixth track off 'Songs I Sing In The Dark,' a collection of songs recorded acoustically at his former home outside of Nashville.

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