Emerging country artist Layla Tucker recently shared a video for her striking cover of Merle Haggard‘s classic ballad, “Misery and Gin.”

Produced by country music veteran Keith Thomas, “Misery and Gin” showcases the 22-year-old singer-songwriter’s exquisite vocal ability and remarkable interpretation skills.

As the daughter of legendary country music icon Tanya Tucker and renowned songwriter Jerry Lasseter, Layla’s connection to Haggard is a deeply personal one. The country music giant was a close family friend who inspired Layla to work hard.

The accompanying music video, directed by Casey Pierce and shot at The Underdog bar in Nashville, beautifully captures the song’s essential loneliness as the camera encircles Layla at the same table, singing the song night after night.

“It’s shocking how many people I’ve met throughout the years who don’t know who Merle Haggard is,” said Layla, who is CMT Music’s NEXT UP NOW Artist of the Month for March. “It’s been a really cool experience getting to record this song, like so many others, his music changed my life.”

“I didn’t have any friends because we just moved out there, so all I really had was my dog, my record player and my guitar,” she remembers. “I could hook my phone up and I would sit in my room next to my window with my ear up to the speaker. That’s where I fell in love with country music again because it was kind of my only friend at the time. One of the first songs that really changed how I felt about country music was one of Merle’s.”

(Photo: Jeremy Thomas)

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