One Common Man’s Tip of the Hat to the Late Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard died on his 79th birthday. Since he meant so much to a lot of people, there are (and should be) a plethora of tributes to the man.

From his hardscrabble upbringing to his wayward early adulthood and eventual stardom, the experiences of a man from Oildale, California are well-documented.

To encapsulate how an artist actually makes an impact on a person after so many years of being exposed to that creativity is taking a journey to an emotional place. One would scan across the spectrum of good and bad memories plus situations where the words and music collide in an electrical fashion.

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Being unafraid to perform vocally in public, I will tell you that I was genuinely offended by someone taunting my karaoke song choice of the classic “My Favorite Memory.” A few years later, upon hearing him play the song in concert with his ex-wife singing backup, a different memory formed as she tried to guide the audience as to which of the events in the song she would claim as legitimate. Bonnie Owens coyly denied her involvement of the love-making in the hallway or winter spent at Lake Shasta, however she was all about the London vacation.

Merle had collected number one hits before I was born. He sustained his success well into my formative years with the first real recollections of his brilliance circa 1980. An 8-track tape entitled “Kickin’ Country” from K-tel Records that contained a mix of drinking songs and outlaw country singers exposed yours truly to the beloved “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink.” One other scene I don’t directly recall, but my parents tell me that I was turned off by the lyric in “Ramblin’ Fever” that references rotting away like an old high-line pole.

Just think of all the songs in music that reference the name Merle which conveniently rhymes with girl or the Haggard and Jones tag line meaning you were listening to 1970’s/80’s country.

Right about now, Haggard and Jones might be kicking off a package show in the great beyond. Until then excuse me while I have a nip of some Rainbow Stew with my silver spoon underneath that sky of blue.

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