RIP Merle

First Glenn Frey then Merle Haggard, the beginning of this year has seen the passing of musicians the likes of which will not be seen again.

It's style over substance now, new "country music" artists never lived it like the old ones did.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5PObMULd4[/ame]

Good song, have you ever been there!?! :D

GF
 
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6c6eUeoa9Q[/ame]

Merle entertained us all right up til the end.

I have a good Merle story. My oldest son was about 2 at the time. His favorite song was "Working Man Blues". When you got in the car, that's what was played on the radio. We wore out at least a couple of cassette tapes of it.

One night, Merle was going to be at the Opry. My wife somehow got us second row seats. She asked an usher if he;d deliver a note backstage to Merle. The usher said "Sure!". She'd told Merle that this was our son's favorite song, and he'd sure like to see him perform it live.
When Merle walked out on stage, he slowly looked back and forth across the crowd, nodded his head, and began the song "Working Man Blues"!

My baby boy sat motionless through the entire song. When it was over, Merle walked off the stage. My son finally blinked, turned to us, and calmly stated "Working Man's Gone!".

If he didn't perform that song because of the note, it was quite the coincidence. That made me think very highly of him, althought I've although I've always really liked him.
 
soFlaNative said:
I read about some squirrely guy,
Who claims, he just don't believe in fightin'.
An' I wonder just how long,
The rest of us can count on bein' free.
They love our milk an' honey,
But they preach about some other way of livin'.
When they're runnin' down my country, hoss,
They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.

R.I.P.
Click to expand...

"... But even in the midst of a call to arms this blatant, Haggard is smart enough to see the dissenting viewpoint: 'An' I don't mind 'em switchin' sides/An' standin' up for things they believe in.' Just don't go, as he warns, runnin' down his country, man."

Quoted from the Rolling Stone obit linked above.
 
the ringo kid said:
I think he was in either: North and South? or The Blue and the Gray. If it wasnt he? then there was a singer who was in one of them as a Confederate officer.
Click to expand...

Sorry Ringo! That dog won't hunt!
Also - who was the lady that was once married to Merle and another well known dude?
The lady?
The dude?
 
Walkin' Jack said:
A lady named Bonnie was married to Buck Owens for a time but later Married Merle.

Some years ago there was a cable show on the Nashville Network hosted by Ralph Emory. Merle and Bonnie appeared on that program once.
Click to expand...

Correct, of course.
I get Bonnie Owens confused with Leona Williams.
Both brunette singer ladies and both were married to Merle.
 
Some years back Marlboro would occasionally put on a concert and the Summit in Houston with 4 great acts each to do about 45 minutes. and the opener was always good too. The Price of admission was $12.50 and tickets were strictly kept out of the hands of scalpers.

For this particular concert Juice Newton opened the show with a few of her tunes Angel of the Morning etc . The first act was Louise Mandrell. She is just like her sister Barbara only a brunette instead of a blond. Sing great. Play all the instruments in the band. Had every body tappin' their toes.

Next was TG Shepard. Good singer and great songs. Next was Ronnie Milsap and real entertainer. Lots of humor to go along with his music.

But then....then we finally get to it. Merle Haggard and his band. The average age of the band I guess to be about 50 to 55. I thought I'd died and gone to country music heaven. When his 45 minutes was up people had already started to leave. Not me I want to hear ever note.

Some of the band had started to pack up instruments and Merle walked up to the mike. Looked out over the microphone at the audience as he took off his hat and wiped the sweat off his forehead. I waited for it... After a minute or so he said "Y'all want to hear some more country music?"

ABSOLUTELY!!

"Well I feel like playin' some more. Y'all can stick around if you like." And we did...for another hour! The man was amazing. When we left there my head was swimmin' with the best music ever. One of the best live performances I ever did see.
 
Mighty Merle.

I grew up in Bakersfield. I used to buy clothes at a store frequented by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. You'd see them there and around town.

There are a lot of myths / urban legends about Merle Haggard, some of them repeated on Fox News this morning.

He was a very talented musician and songwriter.

Regards.

Bob
 
He has been my favorite for years. He was real country music, not like this ******** bubblegum, so called country, **** on the radio today. I read in an interview once where he said he didn't care much for a lot of today's country music records because there were no mistakes in it as they are edited out by electronics. He said real music has mistakes in it. I remember that every time before I perform in public, makes me feel better. Been playing and singing his songs with my guitar for years, usually accompanied by crown royal. The later it gets the better I sound. We will be having a wake for Merle tomorrow night. We will be pickin' and singing and crying in our beer 'til late.
 
"How bout some Merle trivia-
He was not known as an actor, but,
He was once in TV Mini- series.
Which one?"

Hag appeared on The Walton's TV series.

This is an appropriate song Hag did with Don Henley not long ago.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJCwuvqnJI&nohtml5=False[/ame]
 
Last edited:
macbullet said:
"How bout some Merle trivia-
He was not known as an actor, but,
He was once in TV Mini- series.
Which one?"

Hag appeared on The Walton's TV series.

Close, but no Cigar!
The Waltons ain't no mini- series!
This one should be easy for a CO guy!
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
macbullet said:
"How bout some Merle trivia-
He was not known as an actor, but,
He was once in TV Mini- series.
Which one?"

Hag appeared on The Walton's TV series.

This is an appropriate song Hag did with Don Henley not long ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJCwuvqnJI&nohtml5=False
Click to expand...

Multiple likes to you for this'n!! It is a great song and I'd never heard it before. I suspect that the lyrics were written by Henley but it is just the kind of music that is Merle's forte. I played it over several time. The words have a lot of power and truth in them...I can't get enough. :)
 
THE PILGRIM said:
Sorry Ringo! That dog won't hunt!
Also - who was the lady that was once married to Merle and another well known dude?
The lady?
The dude?
Click to expand...

Randy Travis? I KNOW he was in something, just cant remember? The rest ive no clue Kapitan. :-))

Never mind, i see it was already answered but I had not seen th answer till after posting.
 
Last edited:
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