Silver Wings

Roy McKinney · Post by **Roy McKinney** » 8 Oct 2005 4:58 am

Does anyone know who wrote this song originally and who received the credit for writing it. Was it the same person.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 8 Oct 2005 5:08 am

I'm assuming this is a trick question and that there's a conflicting claim? I've always known it to be penned by Merle Haggard (and an online check confirms this).

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 8 Oct 2005 5:31 am

Written by Merle Haggard, first included in the 1969 album "A Portrait Of Merle Haggard".

Interesting detail: "Silver Wings" was never released as a single, also it did not chart for Merle. The Hagers recorded the song in 1970 and took it to a mild chart success (#59 peak), also in 1970.

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf [This message was edited by Walter Stettner on 08 October 2005 at 06:31 AM.]

Tommy Minniear · Post by **Tommy Minniear** » 8 Oct 2005 6:05 am

Walter, That is an amazing "detail" that you have added to this thread! It's been too long ago for me to remember if it was ever released as a single by Hag here in the U.S., but I remember it got a lot of airplay. Then again, disc jockeys had a lot more freedom to play what they wanted years ago. Everything I ever read or heard indicated Merle Haggard was the writer of this classic. I've never seen this song fail to fill a dance floor.

Tommy Minniear

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 8 Oct 2005 9:15 am

Walter,

That music data base of yours continues to amaze me. It must be the best one on the planet.

Sorry we couldn't make St. Louis this year, Walter. Laurie and I missed visiting with you. It is in our firm plans for 2006.

------------------
Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 8 Oct 2005 2:11 pm

Roy and Laurie,

I sure missed both of you in St. Louis, but I am sure we'll meet again in 2006!

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

David Turner · Post by **David Turner** » 9 Oct 2005 1:24 am

Does anyone know who wrote this song originally and who received the credit for writing it. Was it the same person.

Composer: Leonard Sipes

Credit: Merle Haggard

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 9 Oct 2005 1:46 am

Did Marty Robbins ever cut Silver Wings?

Thanks;

Sherman

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 9 Oct 2005 6:21 am

David,

Just curious where that information comes from. Every source I checked mentions Merle as the writer of Silver Wings. Leonard Sipes was the real name of Tommy Collins, checked him too, Silver Wings is nowhere credited to him.

Back in the old days, writers used to sell songs to artists, so their name would show up in the writer field, too, but both are (were) prolific writers, so why should this have happened here?

Anybody around here who can ask Merle?

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf [This message was edited by Walter Stettner on 09 October 2005 at 07:25 AM.]

Jimmy Youngblood · Post by **Jimmy Youngblood** » 9 Oct 2005 1:30 pm

Sherman,

Marty Robbins was (still is) one of my favorites.

"Silver Wings" would have been a good one for Marty. Don't know if he ever recorded it.

"Today I Started Loving You Again" also would have been a natural for Marty.

I guess he was was too busy making his own great records.

Merle used to do a great Marty back in his early days. Don't know if he still does him on his shows.

Maybe Norm Hamlet can jump in here and let us know. Hope your doing well Norm.

Merle can only do a fraction of his great songs now. Not enough time!

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 11 Oct 2005 4:17 pm

I have Merles cd that has him as the writer of Silver wings . But it seems that we have already established that huh ? G.P.