Rip Merle Haggard

[dalai farma]

The legend has passed at 79. Today was his birthday. Smoke one for Merle today.....

 

[geologic]

Bummer--
"Haggard died on April 6, 2016, his 79th birthday"...

 

[geologic]

http://www.deaddisc.com/GDFD_Play_Merle_Haggard.htm

 

[chickenman]

Oh no sad news.....

 

[chickenman]

rip

 

[geologic]

"I spent about two and a half years in The Briar Patch and about a year and a half before that bouncin round various 150 year old museum-piece north Georgia county jails waitin for trial, appeals, an the like before bein sent to Jackson [yea we're goin ta Jackson, an that's a natural fact/yea we're goin ta Jackson, ain't never commin back--sorry Johnny an June...]. Jackson's where the lectric chair is. They didn't use it while I was there (praise gopod) but people I talked to told me it was *really* strange in the ol cellblocks when they did. They even dim the lights like some old Ronald Regan movie--they actually have their own generator so Georgia Power won't get its electrods/hands/conscience dirty. One day I took an armload of law books to death row. (The murderer who ran the law liberary was the friend of a murderer I was locked in a cell with back up in one of them little county jails--connections, connections...). I intentionally avoided looking at the guy's name on paperwork an the permits for me to get there and back--I just used the cell number. I gave him his books an got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I told the librarian not to ever ask me to do that again and then I went home--back to the tank..." [from elswhere around here]...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
...When I was walkin' down that hallway,
Jerry was singing "Sing Me Back Home" in my mind;
I glimpsed in every cell out of the corner of my eyes thinking
about next Sunday when that Choir From Off The Street
was walking those same steps,
and one of these guys would be the one who stops 'em--
and asks 'em to sing that Song My Mama Sung...

 

[geologic]

[my wife just sent me this]

Here's one of Merle's last recordings, from about a decade or so ago.
It should have been a huge hit,
but the Bush Crime Family funded Clear Channel Radio,
which dominates country music station ownership, wouldn't touch it.

 

[chickenman]

From Ben... Merles son...
The photo shows Ben holding his father's hand, and the emotion behind the simple gesture is clear.

A week ago dad told us he was gonna pass on his birthday, and he wasn't wrong. A hour ago he took his last breath surrounded by family and friends. He loved everything about life and he loved that everyone of you gave him a chance with his music. He wasn't just a country singer.. He was the best country singer that ever lived.

 

[ShroomKing]

Merle Haggard played the soundtrack to my outlaw......he will be missed.

The light blessed him on his birthday, today. What did you wish for Merle?

As an Okie from Muskogee you said you didn't smoke Marijuana......but I bet you did a few times ole pal.

Peace

 

[CelticEBE]

Outlaw Country is in mourning for sure. I was a bit bummed out when I heard about it earlier today. :-(

 

[germinator]

This rip is for Merle.

 

[Papa Indica]

He wasn't just a country singer.. He was the best country singer that ever lived.

I've never been real big on country music but, I have heard my fair share in my life and I could probably agree with that statement. At least I wouldn't argue it.
RIP Merle

 

[Huckster79]

No there will never be a red headed stranger
A man in black and Folsom prison blues
The Oakee From Muskogee
Or hello darlin
Lord who's gunna fill their shoes?

Who's gunna fill their shoes
Who's gunna stand that tall?
Who's gunna play the opry?
And the Wabash Cannonball?
Who's gunna give their heart and soul to get to you and me?

Lord who's gunna fill their shoes?

 

[chickenman]

Merle Haggard, reflecting on "Okie From Muskogee"

"I was dumb as a rock, you know, I thought that the government told us the truth, and I thought that marijuana made you walk around with your mouth open. So when you write a song from that limited understanding, and have it become a hit, I was really in a whirlwind of change in America, and in my own way of thinking. 'Okie from Muskogee' came off the wall, written in about ten minutes, and it came off the back side of my brain..., and my heart. Because I was disturbed about young America."

"See, I was easing into my thirties, at that time, so I was pretty much out of here as far as the young people were concerned, and they were young kids that I was irritated with, and they were doing things that I thought were un-American. Well, it wasn't un-American, they were smarter than me! Kids are always smarter than the old folks....they see through our bigotry, and our hypocrisy. And I had a great lesson in life to learn, that they were already aware of. I believe history has proven them right. The Vietnam War was a hoax, the reason we went to war was a lie...maybe communism was a threat, but that wasn't why we were there."

Merle Haggard interview by Deke Dickerson, 2007