Post by TomLine on Oct 28, 2018 6:54:59 GMT -5
TRIBUTE TO MERLE HAGGARD
by Tom Lineaweaver
by Tom Lineaweaver
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band the Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the twang of Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound, new vocal harmony styles in which the words are minimal, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville sound recordings of the same era.
Haggard's childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. He managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career, gaining popularity with his songs about the working class that occasionally contained themes contrary to the prevailing anti-Vietnam War sentiment of much popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, he had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.
He received many honors and awards for his music, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), a BMI Icon Award (2006), and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Country Music Hall of Fame (1994) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997). He died on April 6, 2016 — his 79th birthday — at his ranch in Shasta County, California, having recently suffered from double pneumonia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_Haggard
Haggard's childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. He managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career, gaining popularity with his songs about the working class that occasionally contained themes contrary to the prevailing anti-Vietnam War sentiment of much popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, he had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.
He received many honors and awards for his music, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), a BMI Icon Award (2006), and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Country Music Hall of Fame (1994) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997). He died on April 6, 2016 — his 79th birthday — at his ranch in Shasta County, California, having recently suffered from double pneumonia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_Haggard
Merle Haggard was one of my favorites, in fact I sang one of his songs on radio and on stage.
There are so many good Merle Haggard songs it's hard to pick just a few.
Let's get started...
This was Merle's first hit....
This is his first top 10 hit...
This is the first song that went to #1....
He is probably most known for this...
The 1960s was a very turbulent decade in the United States. The assassination of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. There was the Viet Nam war, and the unrest because it which included a major riot at Kent State. Country artists like Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn did patriotic songs in support of the Country. Merle Haggard did this one...
Any list of songs about "mama" has to include several Merle Haggard songs...
Country Music was supportive of the working man. Merle did this...
Now to the song I sang on radio and stage...
Country music has it's share of drinking songs. Merle did a few...
Merle also did a few trucking songs...
This one became a theme song of a TV show, "Movin' On."
Breaking up is hard to do, and there are many Country songs about it. This is a beautiful song by Merle...
Now, some of my favorites that aren't above...
We finish this tribute with this...
This is his first top 10 hit...
This is the first song that went to #1....
He is probably most known for this...
The 1960s was a very turbulent decade in the United States. The assassination of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. There was the Viet Nam war, and the unrest because it which included a major riot at Kent State. Country artists like Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn did patriotic songs in support of the Country. Merle Haggard did this one...
Any list of songs about "mama" has to include several Merle Haggard songs...
Country Music was supportive of the working man. Merle did this...
Now to the song I sang on radio and stage...
Country music has it's share of drinking songs. Merle did a few...
Merle also did a few trucking songs...
This one became a theme song of a TV show, "Movin' On."
Breaking up is hard to do, and there are many Country songs about it. This is a beautiful song by Merle...
Now, some of my favorites that aren't above...
We finish this tribute with this...
If you enjoyed this tribute to Merle Haggard, please go out and buy the songs, and call your local Country station and tell them you want to hear Merle Haggard.
