Posted on 04/06/2016 10:42:04 AM PDT by BuckeyeTexan
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Country music legend, and Oildale native, Merle Haggard has passed away on his birthday. He was 79-years-old.
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Lol. Yeah, Merle was a bit of an ass anyway and when he drank was a total ass. He drank a lot back then.
Heh. You been had, son.
Man, he could write like nobody’s business!
I doubt that there ever will be REAL country music again because the lifestyle from which it grew is long gone. How can someone under fifty possibly comprehend how it used to be? You have to have seen the chain gang working on the dirt road that led to the nearest two lane blacktop while you walked behind a plow listening to the Bluebirds sing. You have to know what it means to take a ten minute break under a shade tree to drink water from a Mason jar while the salty sweat makes your eyes feel burned out. You have to remember when a serviceman in uniform could stick up a thumb and tires would squeal as people competed to see who could have the privilege of offering him a ride. You have to have known the kind of people who, although rail thin and looking hungry, would rather go another day without a meal than accept a handout. You have to be able to listen to one of the greatest of all country songs, “I’m Busted” and know what it really means. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8kRsoAZjpM
I have another short one. About 1975 my aunt Marie was tending bar at this total dump in Weedpatch Ca. Wish I could remember the name of it. Lol. Anyway for a dump they did a helluva biz. Was there on a Sunday night shooting pool with my cousin. Only about 6 people in the whole bar and Merle walked in and sat at the bar. Since my aunt knew him and everyone saw him every once in awhile no one ever paid him any attention. He talked to my aunt a bit and then she gave someone quarters for the juke box. They punched some numbers and sat down. About 5 minutes later Silver Wings started playing. Merle looked at my aunt, playfully called her a witch, shook his head and got up and walked out. Lol
I have lots of memories of running into Merle around town. Lol
Yes! That’s where it sprang from. In Bakersfield at that time a lot of the people were migrants from Oklahoma and Arkansas. They came here without a dime and lived in labor camps. The one Steinbeck wrote about was right here outside Bakersfield. I have family that lived in it.
This was mainly an agricultural town but boy did everyone hustle the fields for free food. I remember. And they shared and they canned stuff and prepared for the harder times.
I was young but remember a lot of it. You have to actually experience that lifestyle to know it.
Saw 72 year old Gene Watson in concert a couple of weeks ago. He can still bring it!
I couldn’t stand the Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky” crap and that was back around 1992 and also assisted in the decline, imho. Mind you, I watched a lot of TNN back in the 1980s and 1990s and it’s kind of sad to look back at that time and know that stuff like that and a lot of other things about American life was just that much better back then. Loved watching the Jim Owens (Lorrianne Crook’s husband) produced shows on that channel and even once went to Nashville to see a live taping of “Music City Tonight” with Marty Stuart as guest.
No doubt Gene Watson is one of the greatest Country singers of all time. I helped put on a show featuring Gene back in 1987. A real gentleman too. But I'm an even bigger Haggard fan. RIP.
He was most certainly a good singer and songwriter. Too bad he turned out to be such a lefty.
RIP.
Sounds just like him and even looks quite bit like him...Thanks...
And Waylon too.
Merle, Waylon, George Jones (Possim) and Hank Jr are my favorites.
You new a legend, that’s for sure.
I hope it is not the last time.
#20 Merle Haggard may have seen a recent country music award show and that is what killed him.
Oh, it's out there. You just won't find it on the FM dial.
I agree!
And Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and Roy Clark. :-)
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