RIP Merle Haggard – IOTW Report

RIP Merle Haggard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFHJ41ktt3Q

38 Comments on RIP Merle Haggard

  1. what a great man and influence on many

    his music is indelible

    he was influenced by johnny cash while serving time at san quentin, he turned his life around and brought us great songs about america

    god bless the hag

  2. Wauco: My favorite Haggard tune! I saw him in the late 70s. He was great and this band, THE STRANGERS, was always filled with top-notch musicians. He was a real person, not phony like the current country stars. R.I.P. Merle.

  3. We use to see him at Silverthorn occasionally. Running around it cut off blue jeans. Mainly headed towards his boat. I alway laughed thinking that most the Bay Area crowd that was up for vacation on Shasta had no idea who he was. Poncho and Lefty was a masterpiece.

  4. Hmmm… The porch Melre sat on in the video Mama Tried is the same getup that Blake Shelton used in Boys ‘Round Here video. Freaking zero originality these days it would appear.

  5. I was fortunate and lucky enough to see the Hag live last year twice with my wife. One show, He was on fire and sounded awesome. The second show, he debuted Unfair Weather Friend from his new album Django & Jimmie. That song went to number 1 on the charts.

    I listen to Merle almost every single day. My first album of his was Back to The Barrooms… around 1980. I listen to Django and Jimmie every day for the past 6 months in the car.

    Mere was known as the “Working Mans Poet”. Not only was he an awesome vocalist, but also multi instrument musician and one of the greatest song writers in country music history.

    He was a great story teller. His life is certainly the likes of a true American Classic. He was the epitome of American grit and redemption. He was a founding member of the crew that created and mastered “The Bakersfield Sound”. Rich in history and a real musical treasure.

    It’s funny, I never met the man face to face, yet I heard his voice in my ears so often, more than some of my own family members.

    I will miss you Merle… and thank you for the gift of your music. It brought tears to my eyes, a smile to my face, pride in my country, great memories of drinking beers in the schoolyard with you on the radio and an insight into the life of many fellow Americans I would have never understood if not for your music. God Bless…

  6. There was a parody song about Merle Haggard back in the early 70’s of which I remember the chorus, You’re a honky I know but Merle you got soul so don’t change that flat tire Merle. I can’t even remember who sang that. Out of the country group The Highwaymen (great music) only Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson are left. Merle’s joined Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings in the celestial cow pokie music choir now. RIP Merle, as much as I didn’t like Okie Muskogee back in 1969 when I was 16 I find myself liking it now. I must’ve grown up because sometimes I think I’m turning into my Dad who loved all the old country music and now I do too.

  7. Hey Unruly, when I was young and pretty, and extremely Blue Collar, Disco was all the rage. I got a listen to Merle and was hooked. Turns out all my buds were hooked too. This actually hits kind of hard coupled with the Shasta connection. I know George Jones and Merle spent a lot time fishing Shasta. Damn tuff summer time bite. I’m sure they’re fishing together right now.

  8. I hear ya Brad. His Kern River song always hits me hard. One of my friend’s sister drowned in the Kern River.
    I remember going to Shasta when I was a kid too. Loved it.

    Merle had a good, honest, voice that a man could trust. Lot of background to it too.

  9. Unruly, If you were living in California when Reagan pardoned him, you new Reagan was bad ass. Never seen him there but rumor has it George Jones was like a resident at Silverthorn.

  10. Brad, I don’t recall if I was aware of the news of that pardon at the time. I do remember reading Merle’s biography when I was 18 or 19 and stuck in Biscailuz Center for a month or two (John Wayne creed stuff). That same prison library had biographies on Hank senior, Willie Nelson, and a few others that helped me bide my time.

    I always liked Reagan — same birthday as my dad.

  11. Unruly, our country grows weaker as these people move on. It wouldn’t be such a big deal except I have kids and Grand Kids. The Hag was a patriot. I have a ton of his vinyl and a couple CD’s . He and Marshal Tucker share equal playing time in my truck. Oh yea, and Chris Ladaux.

  12. Yes, Brad, I sometimes wonder if there are still a million men left who are brave enough to stand up and fight the bastards who are busy raping America. I’m busy doing what I can for my offspring while I’m still here. They are all getting a copy of Only By Blood And Suffering: Regaining Lost Freedom, when the mail gets here. All proceeds from that book go to Jennette Finicum, the printer is not taking a cut.

    Merle and Marshall Tucker go everywhere I go when I’m driving. Have almost 2,000 of my favorites on an SD card plugged into a $5 yard sale stereo that sounds great.

  13. Yes Unruly, I spend a lot of time with mine and friends learning how to run an AR like a sewing machine. We shoot with a couple young MARSOC guys and they’ve adopted my wife. Pretty funny actually. She runs an AR as good as they do. They put their pistols up when I pull mine out. No matter, it’s a good time and the attendance grows each week. Shit, I got my liberal neighbors training with us now.

  14. Brad, you’re way ahead of me on the weapons. When I get some things paid off I’m looking at getting a 1911 and an AR. I need some cache weapons and ammo. In the meantime, I have enough to keep my household safe. Don’t have back-ups though, and that bothers me.

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