On his 79th birthday music lost a true legend, Merle Haggard or simply known as The Hag. I have listened to his music for as long as I can remember. As I write this I am listening to “That’s The Way Love Goes” – he won a Grammy for that song. Another of my favorites is “Pancho and Lefty” with Willie. The video is great besides. At one time I produced a show called “Sunday Country Classics”, and I wrote that Merle was born in Bakersfield California. His family lived in a converted box car. I could go on, but I found this bio that highlights both the bad times (did you know it was the California governor Ronald Reagan that officially pardoned Merle) & the good times.
As George Jones sang “Whose Going to Fill Their Shoes?” there will only one Hag. His music and legacy lives on!!