About The Song
“Rollin’ with the Flow” is a country single by American singer Charlie Rich, released in March 1977 by Epic Records. Written by Nashville songwriter Jerry Hayes, the track was originally recorded by T.G. Sheppard in 1974 as the B-side to his debut single “Devil in the Bottle” and included on Sheppard’s self-titled 1975 album. Hayes, a staff writer at Combine Music Publishing since the late 1960s, penned the song as a mid-tempo reflection on aging defiantly, drawing from his observations of Music Row session musicians who maintained youthful exuberance into their later years. Rich’s version, reimagined with a countrypolitan polish, runs 2:42 and features his baritone vocals over a laid-back groove, marking a return to form after his 1975-1976 releases that had underperformed following his 1973-1974 crossover peak.
The single debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart at No. 78 in late March 1977, climbing steadily through consistent airplay on country radio. It entered the Top 10 by mid-May and reached No. 1 for the week of June 4, 1977, holding the summit for one week and totaling 15 weeks on the chart. This marked Rich’s eighth No. 1 on the country chart, following “A Very Special Love Song” in 1974. On the Billboard Hot 100, it bubbled under at No. 101, missing the main chart but gaining traction via crossover playlists. The track peaked at No. 42 on the Adult Contemporary chart in July 1977, spending 10 weeks there. Internationally, it hit No. 5 on Canada’s RPM Country Tracks and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart, Epic’s strongest UK placement for Rich since “The Most Beautiful Girl” in 1974. Cash Box listed it at No. 1 on its Country Top 100 for two weeks starting June 11, 1977.
Recording sessions occurred in early 1977 at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville, produced by Billy Sherrill, Rich’s longtime collaborator since signing to Epic in 1971. Sherrill, known for his “countrypolitan” sound that blended orchestral elements with country roots, assembled the Nashville A-Team: steel guitarist Pete Drake on pedal steel for the song’s signature slides, fiddler Buddy Spicher, bassist Henry Strzelecki, and drummer Jerry Carrigan providing a shuffling rhythm at 96 beats per minute. Hargus “Pig” Robbins handled piano duties, adding subtle honky-tonk fills, while Bergen White arranged the strings for a smooth, lounge-like texture. Rich’s lead vocals were tracked in two takes with light reverb, backed by The Nashville Edition chorus for harmonic depth. The B-side, “You Don’t Have to Play the Nashville Game,” another Hayes composition, reached No. 7 on the country chart as a double-sided hit. The single was mastered in mono for 45 RPM format, emphasizing vocal clarity on AM radios.
Epic Records rush-released the single to rebuild momentum after Rich’s 1976 album The Silver Fox stalled at No. 16 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. Promotion included trade ads in Billboard and Cashbox, spotlighting Hayes’ songwriting credits like George Jones’ “The Grand Tour.” Initial U.S. shipments totaled 300,000 copies, distributed via CBS networks, with international rollouts through affiliates like EMI in the UK. Rich promoted it via tours, including a spring 1977 package show with Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, and TV spots on Grand Ole Opry broadcasts. By June 1977, sales exceeded 500,000 units, earning gold certification from the RIAA in August.
The accompanying album, Rollin’ with the Flow, followed on May 9, 1977 (catalog PE 34891), debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and peaking at No. 3, with 22 weeks on the list. The 10-track LP, entirely produced by Sherrill, included covers like Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” and originals such as “Proud Mary,” blending uptempo rockers with ballads. It reached No. 178 on the Top LPs & Tape chart, Rich’s last pop crossover entry. The album sold over 400,000 copies, nominated for Favorite Country Album at the 1977 American Music Awards, where Rich won Favorite Male Country Artist.
Structurally, the song employs a verse-chorus-verse format with a bridge, starting in E major and modulating to F for the final chorus. Production used two-inch tape on Ampex 300 machines, with overdubs limited to three layers for a spacious mix. The stereo album version pans the steel guitar left and strings right, contrasting the mono single’s centered focus. Hayes retained publishing through EMI, with royalties split via BMI. The track’s groove, inspired by 1950s rock shuffles, was cut in 12 hours across two sessions, with Rich ad-libbing the spoken outro in one pass.
Reissues appear on Legacy’s 1999 16 Biggest Hits and 2006 Greatest Hits, both RIAA gold. Covers include Mark Chesnutt’s 2008 version, peaking at No. 25 country from his album of the same name, and Kurt Vile’s 2018 indie rock take on Bottle It In. T.G. Sheppard’s original, produced by Don Gant at Melodyland Studios, featured a rawer arrangement with Dobro accents but sold under 50,000 copies initially. The 1977 Epic 45 RPM pressing, with its red-yellow label, is valued at $10-20 by collectors. Archival tapes reveal alternate mixes with heavier fiddle, discarded for the single.
During its chart run, “Rollin’ with the Flow” aligned with Rich’s 1977 schedule: 150 U.S. dates, European leg in July, and Music City Tonight performance. Epic’s strategy targeted AC radio, adding 100,000 sales from that demo. Hayes, who wrote 200+ songs, cited it as his biggest hit, later covered by Tanya Tucker. The single’s success extended Rich’s Epic tenure to 1980, yielding four more Top 10s before his shift to United Artists.
Video
Lyric
[Verse 1]
Once was a thought inside my head
‘Fore I’d reach thirty I’d be dead
Now somehow on and on I go
I keep on rollin’ with the flow[Verse 2]
Folks said that I would change my mind
I’d straighten up and do just fine
Ah, but I still love rock and roll
I keep on rollin’ with the flow[Chorus]
While guys my age are raising kids
I’m raisin’ hell just like I did
I’ve got a lot of crazy friends
And they forgive me of my sins[Verse 3]
Some might be callin’ me a bum
But I’m still out there havin’ fun
And Jesus loves me, yes, I know
So, I keep on rollin’ with the flow[Chorus]
While guys my age are raising kids
I’m raisin’ hell just like I did
I’ve got a lot of crazy friends
And they forgive me of my sins[Verse 4]
Can’t take it with you when you’re gone
But I want enough to get there on
And I ain’t ever growin’ old
So, I keep on rollin’ with the flow[Outro]
I ain’t ever growin’ old
If I keep on rollin’ with the flow
(Keep on rollin’, keep on rollin’)
Keep on rollin’ with the flow
(Keep on rollin’, keep on rollin’)
Keep on rollin’ with the flow