RIP Merle Haggard

[Bud Green]

R.I.P. Merle...

Merle had a house on the river, not too far away from me...(20 miles or so)
It was in a community of about 8 homes and only reachable by car by driving on gravel roads thru the woods...He had a small dock in the river that was set up for a single engine Cessna on pontoons to dock up to it...


About 10 years ago, a friend of mine was drifting back down river, in the dark, after a long day of fishing.
On the warm, starlit night, as he drifted, he started hearing some guitar picking and some slurred singing... As he drifted by Merles house, he saw Merle sitting alone on his porch, picking and singing, drunk as a skunk!

 

[Betterhaff]

...He had a small dock in the river...

Although this song has been posted earlier I believe at the end of this clip is the river you're talking about. Anyway I've always had a soft spot for church changes.

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

 

[armedoldhippy]

Man, what a legend....and died on his birthdate.

I'll forgive him for his lyrics:

".....We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee
We don’t take our trips on LSD
We don’t burn our draft cards down on Main Street
We like living right and being free...."


View Image

watched a video interview with him back last year. he said that the song was sarcasm, he obviously DID smoke weed, LOL! how could anyone hang around with riff-raff like Willie Nelson & NOT get high?

 

[armedoldhippy]

Although this song has been posted earlier I believe at the end of this clip is the river you're talking about. Anyway I've always had a soft spot for church changes.

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

thanks for posting that youtube video, Better. i got sidetracked for over an hour watching & listening to the music...

 

[Al Botross]

I think in '72-'73, my dad had me in toe and i saw Mr Haggard do a warm up set at Gilleys in Dallas.

RIP Merle

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

One of country greats! Too bad the "new" country is mostly all crap.
Rest in peace Merle, thanks for everything.

My travelling song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N7vLaAM8Ok

Funny, Merle felt the same way...

Just ask him about the current state of country music. He sings the praises of Sturgill Simpson, the 37-year-old singer-songwriter who sounds like vintage Waylon Jennings. Haggard thinks highly enough of Simpson to have him open Sunday's show at Bluestem Center for the Arts.

"As far as I'm concerned, he's the only one out there. The rest of them sound like a bunch of (crap) to me. He comes out and does a great show," Haggard says.

"The rest of them" is everything else in contemporary country music, the opinionated icon says.


http://www.inforum.com/variety/3830...r-merle-haggard-todays-country-music-its-crap

 

[Hermanthegerman]

Today I bought the last Don Henley CD, and there is a duett with Merle also.

 

[Lochinvar]

He's drinkin' that free bubble-up and eatin' that rainbow stew. Are the good times really over for good? RIP you ol' 'Hag'.

 

[LostTribe]

Go Easy Lefty Go Easy.....

R.I.P.

That sucks just ruined my evening.

 

[Hank Hemp]

Y'all know he didn't write that tongue in cheek song. Some longhair did. Who could possibly think that anybody think that someone who hung out with Willie wasn't a reeferman. Armed I guess I should have read your post first, hey. The hey is so loe will think I'm from the great white north.

 

[paper thorn]

Just thinking about ole Merle today. Noticed someone posted a pic of Merle and Willie from the Pancho and Lefty album.

Of course I always used to think of that as a Willie Nelson song.

Truth is it was written by another great Texas songwriter named Townes Van Zandt.

He's gone from this earth too, here's a link to him doing Pancho and Lefty and another song of his just for fun.

Pancho and Lefty TVZ

Waiting 'round to Die

 

[armedoldhippy]

even ol' Merle waffled a bit on the "Muskogee" song. i have read that he said "no, i didn't smoke back then" and "sure, it was a joke". the other day i saw an interview with him where he said "no, i didn't smoke back then, but you learn some things as you grow up..." i'd say hanging around with Willie didn't hurt his education any, either. anyone on here gone to youtube yet & watched him & Willie recording the song "it's all going to pot" yet?

 

[Betterhaff]

As soon as it was released.

 

[KindSiever]

Memories of Merle.... Bong Riiip!

 

[RustyShcklfrd]

....and thats life for the folks in the tulare dust.

 

[St. Phatty]

Can't help but wonder ... when Merle was partying with friends, did he ever get nauseous and say, "Folks, Merle has to Hurl" ?

There's not many folks who can turn vomiting into an act of poetry.

 

[Hank Hemp]

Saw old Merle a couple of times and he was always good, good and drunk. That's Kountry for you.