Merle Haggard has passed

[Bridget_Burke]

@scabpicker

Well, he kind of had a complex position on the whole culture war of the time, and often presented different angles of what he thought about the song when asked. I figured he was a wise enough person to see it both as a parody and a serious song at the same time.

Didn’t Merle explain once that he’d never smoked marijuana–in Muskogee…

[scabpicker]

@Bridget_Burke

Didn’t Merle explain once that he’d never smoked marijuana–in Muskogee…

Hehehehe, I don’t know. But it does sound like something he would say. Here’s a sampling of what he’s said about it over the years. Some of it is contradictory, but our memories change by recalling them.

[samclem]

I started listening to country music in 1958. I love old country music.

You might enjoy a youtube of Merle imitating some country singers. I did. It helps if you knew the original performers.

Imitating Marty Robbins , Hank Snow, Buck Owens and Johnny Cash.,

Again, if you know the originals, he’s amazingly spot on.

[Peanuthead]

@samclem

I started listening to country music in 1958. I love old country music.

You might enjoy a youtube of Merle imitating some country singers. I did. It helps if you knew the original performers.

Imitating Marty Robbins , Hank Snow, Buck Owens and Johnny Cash.,

Again, if you know the originals, he’s amazingly spot on.

What a great clip! Thanks!

[aceplace57]

Merle went through a period in the late 60’s and early 70’s playing the fiddle. I saw a few video clips. He was pretty darn good. I think he even released records playing the fiddle. I’m not sure if he still played recently.

He’s mostly known for the guitar and singing.

[Bridget_Burke]

I think Merle took up the fiddle about the time he made A Tribute To The Best Damn Fiddle Player In The World: Or, My Salute To Bob Wills. He got a bunch of former Texas Playboys together; Wills was going to participate but a massive stroke intervened. In 1970, it was one of the first Wills tributes. About this time, Ray Benson was getting Asleep at the Wheel together back East. They moved to California & eventually realized that Texas was their home. Merle appeared on at least one of the Wheel’s later Wills tribute albums.

I’m currently readingMeeting Jimmie Rodgers: How Americas Original Roots Music Hero Changed the Pop Sounds of a Century.

“I guess I was being a sort of professor in some ways while trying to spread the news about that music,” says Merle Haggard, looking back at the time of the recording of his extraordinarily influential, sonically eclectic Rodgers salute album Same Train, A Different Time, a project very much of that moment. “I had an unconscious urge to make sure that people heard it and knew it, because Jimmie Rodgers was just the biggest thing that was totally American that had ever happened.” Merle, as few would dispute, has been the single most ardent advocate of Jimmie Rodgers’ music over the decades since that double LP’s release on May 1, 1969. With its sounds and framing narratives belonging to that “different” time, the album has been a common place of first encounter with Rodgers’ music for performers and listeners ever since.

Yeah, all the death notices mention “Okie From Muskogee.” But, even beyond his pioneering the Bakersfield Sound, I’ll remember Merle for his loving promotion of country’s previous pioneers.

[WordMan]

@Bridget_Burke

Yeah, all the death notices mention “Okie From Muskogee.” But, even beyond his pioneering the Bakersfield Sound, I’ll remember Merle for his loving promotion of country’s previous pioneers.

True. One of my favorite vintage guitar shops is Retrofret in Brooklyn. They get stuff in you wouldn’t believe in terms of cool rarity, celebrity-owned, etc.

A couple of years ago, they handled the main guitar of Lefty Frizzell, a hugely influential honky tonk player who toured with Hank Williams at the start of his career.

Merle Haggard was 14 when he got up on stage and used this guitar for his first live performance. That performance was due to Lefty’s generosity and had to have been pivotal in forming Merle’s devotion to earlier players like Lefty.

Here is the archived listing for the guitar and a full, rich story - Retrofret knows its documentation: Bigsby/Gibson Custom SJ-200 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar previously owned by Lefty Frizzell (1949) | RetroFret **

I heard from them that Merle was the buyer of the guitar, for over $200,000. Wonderful that Merle got to have it at the end of his life - what a magical circle to close. I am sure it, and some of Merle’s other famous guitars, will end up in a museum or a very well-publicized auction.

**ETA: I am not even remotely geeking out about this guitar properly. It has a neck replaced by Paul Bigsby, proto-Fender solidbody guitar maker and Bigsby vibrato inventor. It is a '49 Gibson J-200 - huge from a desirability standpoint on its own. It is Lefty’s guitar and was used by Hank Williams regularly. This guitar just rings all the bells from a cool importance standpoint. I got to hold it and strum it, but was so delicate with it that I didn’t really take it out for a spin. (one time, though, I did play a guitar Roseanne Cash was selling there - a 30’s big body Martin, an archtop converted to a flattop. Oh my god that guitar had a strum engine built into it - you would strum and it would carry you along like surfing a wave.

[wguy123]

@scabpicker

Hehehehe, I don’t know. But it does sound like something he would say. Here’s a sampling of what he’s said about it over the years. Some of it is contradictory, but our memories change by recalling them.

Very interesting read. Thanks for posting.

[syncrolecyne]

@wguy123

I also saw him when he was touring with Dylan several years ago. I knew his music and was very impressed with his performance. Sad to hear this.

I had the same reaction when I happened to see him at a Dylan show. I had this vague image of him as another 'ornery old picker, but I was really surprised by how jazzy his vocal delivery was, and how wonderful his guitar playing was. He became one of my favorite live acts.

I grew up hating country, but over time, he, Willie Nelson, George Jones, and Waylon Jennings have become among my favorite musicians. I still can’t stand most “country” music made since 1980.

[notfrommensa]

Last month he was scheduled to perform at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, MS. I was down there that weekend but did not have tickets. That show was canceled due to Haggard’s health.

Can’t believe he was scheduling shows if his health was so bad.

RIP Merle

[Cub_Mistress]

I had never been a Merle fan until I saw him live at the Ryman Auditorium, even though I grew up with his music. It was a fantastic show and totally converted me!

To the Hag: Thank you for the music.