Author Topic: RIP Merle (Read 327 times)

cozmik_cowboy · « **on:** April 06, 2016, 11:18:20 AM »

Merle Haggard passed away today from complications of pneumonia; he was 79.

One of the greats.

Peter

edwardofhuncote · « **Reply #1 on:** April 06, 2016, 11:35:07 AM »

Just heard that too Coz... sad.

5a_quilt_top · « **Reply #2 on:** April 06, 2016, 11:47:34 AM »

Another great one gone this year...

But, in an attempt to put a more positive spin on it, he can now jam with two of the individuals responsible for one of my all-time favorite novelty songs:

I'll Change Your Flat Tire Merle

lbpesq · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2016, 11:50:51 AM »

How sad. Loved Merle. Even his corny joke he did most shows, when he told the audience
he would like to introduce the members of the band - then he'd introduce them to each other Fred, meet Frank. Bobby, meet Ralph, etc. while they shook hands with each other. And he was a big proponent of cannabis.

May the Four Winds Blow You Safely Home

Bill, tgo

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2016, 12:13:33 PM »

In '08 Bill Maher had Merle on to do & talk about the song he wrote supporting Hillary for Pres (didn't expect that one, eh?)

After that Bill brings up Okie from Muskogee, saying even at 14 he thought We don't smoke marajuana in Muskogee was a bad idea, and asked Hag All these years in the music business, surely you've seen...
Merle gets this little grin & says Well, let's just say I never did spend a whole lot of time in Muskogee.

Peter

sonicus · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2016, 02:58:04 PM »

Merle was more then just a musician . Just like Jerry Garcia an important aspect of humanity and culture of an era of American music and mentation and direction with all aspects of intension and invention he was the real deal , yes Sir ! I send my love and respect with great sadness of his loss . When Jerry left it took a long time to get over it and Merle is kind of like that too . As real as it gets .

Wolf

smokin_dave · « **Reply #6 on:** April 06, 2016, 03:44:03 PM »

Although I have learned a few of his songs from being hired in a number of bands in the past recently I have been playing this song in a current band I'm playing in at the moment....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQfd0evuDs

and I really love playing this song.

RIP Merle and thank you.

hankster · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2016, 05:32:23 PM »

In my second year of college in 1975, I got a roommate I just needed to get rid of. My strategy? I bought a Merle Haggard album from a delete bin for a quarter and started playing it over and over in our shared room. After a few weeks, it worked - he moved out. By then, I was hooked, and Merle joined Ian Tyson and Gram Parsons in my pantheon of country music idols. I spent a few years on the road with a country rock band, and we loved a lot of country artists, but none ever compared to Merle, then or now. This is a hard hit - he was the best there ever was.