Carryin’ On delivers on Dale Watson’s longstanding dream to make a country record the way they did in the ’60s, using the last remaining session players from that gilded era. The band here was assembled by legendary steel guitarist Lloyd Green, who brought onboard classic talent like steel player Pete Wade and pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins, as well as tasteful younger musicians like bassist Dennis Crouch and fiddler Glen Duncan. Watson asked the musicians to play as they did back when they were cutting new records by Loretta Lynn and Ray Price, and indeed Carryin’ On exhibits the unmistakable restraint and elegant expertise of classic productions by Owen Bradley or Chet Atkins. For the occasion, Watson brought his strongest collection of material in years, most of which was written and road-tested over the course of his neverending tour schedule. Appropriately for an album by a man nearing 50 and working with guys even older, much of Carryin’ On deals with themes of aging. Signature barroom weepers like “Your Love I’m Gonna Miss” and “How To Break Your Own Heart” take on newfound maturity in this sophisticated setting.