Nashville's WSM has just confirmed that Merle Haggard passed away this morning, ironically the morning of his 79th birthday, from double pneumonia. He had recently postponed several concerts, including one at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, to battle this pneumonia -- but just could not get over it.
Merle Haggard was an amazing figure in country music -- and just plain American music. His story is inspirational in itself. He was in the audience in prison for one of Johnny Cash's prison album shows (think "Folsom Prison" live) and was inspired to pick up his guitar and write and perform his songs. His career after prison took off, with songs about the common man, faith, and patriotism. "Mama Tried" is an anthem of misguided adolescence.
This was the time of Vietnam, and of hippies and flag-burning. His song, "Okie From Muskogee," became a patriotic anthem that confronted the hippie culture and reminded many people what the flag stood for. The live version is amazing and a great time capsule.
But his music was more than a that. It was about the common man. He wrote songs that hit a chord with average, working people everywhere. "Working Man" was great, and later so was "Are The Good Times Really Over for Good?"
He was not really a Nashville country artist. He was from California and most often represented what was called "The Bakersfield Sound," along with Buck Owens and later Dwight Yoakum.
I love all of the classics mentioned above, but if you really want a window into the character of Merle Haggard, find and download a special album that he did in 1971 called, "Land of Many Churches." He traveled around the country to participate in four church services (two actual churches, plus the Nashville Rescue Mission chapel, and San Quentin prison chapel) and recorded them for the album, including choirs and pastor introductions. It is a gem of an album that he intended both as a tribute to the music that made him and as a time capsule. It was both.
Anyway, we have lost an amazing artist and real human being. We were all the richer for it. And heaven is the richer today.
If you have never heard his music, I urge you to take a little time to check it out. You will not regret it.
Merle Haggard was an amazing figure in country music -- and just plain American music. His story is inspirational in itself. He was in the audience in prison for one of Johnny Cash's prison album shows (think "Folsom Prison" live) and was inspired to pick up his guitar and write and perform his songs. His career after prison took off, with songs about the common man, faith, and patriotism. "Mama Tried" is an anthem of misguided adolescence.
This was the time of Vietnam, and of hippies and flag-burning. His song, "Okie From Muskogee," became a patriotic anthem that confronted the hippie culture and reminded many people what the flag stood for. The live version is amazing and a great time capsule.
But his music was more than a that. It was about the common man. He wrote songs that hit a chord with average, working people everywhere. "Working Man" was great, and later so was "Are The Good Times Really Over for Good?"
He was not really a Nashville country artist. He was from California and most often represented what was called "The Bakersfield Sound," along with Buck Owens and later Dwight Yoakum.
I love all of the classics mentioned above, but if you really want a window into the character of Merle Haggard, find and download a special album that he did in 1971 called, "Land of Many Churches." He traveled around the country to participate in four church services (two actual churches, plus the Nashville Rescue Mission chapel, and San Quentin prison chapel) and recorded them for the album, including choirs and pastor introductions. It is a gem of an album that he intended both as a tribute to the music that made him and as a time capsule. It was both.
Anyway, we have lost an amazing artist and real human being. We were all the richer for it. And heaven is the richer today.
If you have never heard his music, I urge you to take a little time to check it out. You will not regret it.
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