Det kom triste nyheter fra USA 6.april 2016: Merle Haggard var gått bort, 79 år gammel. Haggard døde på bursdagen sin, og vi var tidlig ute med å gratulere han med dagen på våre Facebooksider.
Lite viste vi om at det skulle bli legendens siste bursdag..
Haggard fikk en stund før dødsfallet konstatert dobbeltsidig lungebetennelse, og han hadde kansellerte de fleste av sine konserter. I et intervju med radiostasjonen Sirius XM sa Haggard at han var «nesten død» da han ble innlagt på sykehus i to uker.
6. April 2016 mistet vi altså nok en Country-legende. R.I.P…
Merle Ronald Haggard ble født 6. april 1937 i Oildale, California. Merle’s far gikk bort etter en hjerneblødning i 1945, og hans mor jobbet som regnskapsfører for å forsørge familien. Når Merle var 12 år gammel fikk han en brukt gitar av sin bror Lowell.
Gitaren var ikke nok til å holde Merle unna trøbbel og han hadde en langt opprør i sine yngre år med stjeling og pøbelstreker. Problemene med lovens lange arm fulgte selvsagt, og det gjorde at han måtte tilbringe tid i fengsel. Ikke det at han oppførte seg noe bedre i fengsel, han fikk til og med sparken fra fengsels-jobbene han hadde.
Etter at en medfange ble henrettet snudde livet til Merle. Som innsatt så han Johnny Cash spille på San Quentin fengselet i 1959 og dette ble inspirasjonen til å bli med i fengsel-bandet. Haggard ble løslatt fra fengsel i 1960.
Etter fengselsoppholdet reiste Merle tilbake til Bakersfield, Colifornia og jobbet for sin bror med å grave grøfter. Han begynte å spille gitar i et lokalt country-band, og i 1962 bestemte han seg for å bli musiker. Haggard ble venner med Lewis Talley og Fuzzy Owens, eierne av Tally Records, og gjorde sine første innspillinger. Hans første utgivelse kom i 1963. Den solgte bare 200 eksemplarer, men hans andre utgivelse, «Sing Me a Sad Song» ble en hit og kom inn på Topp 20 på Billboard’s Countrylister. Han inngikk da platekontrakt med Capitol Records etter utgivelsen av “(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers.”
På den tiden blomstret karrièren og debutalbumet «The Strangers» kom ut i september 1965. Skikkelig swing på karrièren ble det da singelen «I’m a Lonesome Fugitive» kom ut i 1966. Låta gikk helt til topps på countrylistene og ble Haggard’s første #1 hit. Bare noen måneder senere kom neste #1 hit, «Branded Man» og slik fortsatte det. Totalt har Merle Haggard hatt 38 #1 hits! Det står det respekt av..
Haggard hadde mer en 100 låter inne på countrylistene i løpet av karrièren, fordelt på nærmere 70 album. Han spilte for president Nixon i 1973 og senere også for Reagan. Han har spilt inn over 600 sanger, og skrevet rundt 250 selv.
I løpet av karrièren har Haggard vunnet Entertainer of the Year, Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, Crystal Milestone Award og utallige andre priser.
Sammen med Buck Owens og bandet The Strangers bidro Haggard til å skape Bakersfield sound som kjennes igjen med sin unike twang av Fender Telecaster og blanding med den tradisjonelle steelgitar lyden.
Ben Haggard, Merle sin sønn, fortalte i dag på sin Facebookside at faren hans hadde fortalt familie og venner for en uke siden at han ville reise på sin egen fødselsdag, og slik ble det.
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«When we lost George Jones, I said, ‘Years ago someone asked Coach Bum Phillips if Earl Campbell was in a class by himself. Bum replied, ‘Well if he ain’t, it sure don’t take long to check roll.’ The same applies for the great Merle Haggard. I will miss my friend.»
-Larry Gatlin
«Now in the presence of the One his sweet Mama told him about. We will miss you, but you won’t be missing us!»
-Ricky Skaggs
«We’ve lost a unique voice and writer of great country songs. God Bless you Merle…I just wish you’d ‘made it through December’ a few more times.»
-Ray Stevens
«Merle Haggard has been a huge influence in my life, to my music and my career. Thank you very much Hag and God bless you.»
-Sammy Kershaw
«I don’t think it’s a hyperbole to say Merle Haggard was a national treasure. He was. Haggard is as American as apple pie and baseball. He was the poet laureate of country music. Try to find one songwriter in Nashville who didn’t idolize Hag. You can’t. It’s impossible.»
-Pam Tillis
«I was fortunate enough to get to play several shows with Merle and he always had great advice to give me. We have lost an icon and a legend.»
-Aaron Tippin
«After meeting and being around Country legends such as Merle Haggard, it increased my respect and my desire of getting to know him, which I accomplished. His loss will be deeply mourned by everyone in Country music as well as by those of other music genres. May he rest in peace.»
-Doug Gray on behalf of The Marshall Tucker Band
«I am dumbfounded by this news. Merle Haggard was probably my greatest musical influence and my hero. I never shook his hand, but the music he made shook my soul to the core. It hurts to think about no more Haggard but honestly, we all know, that he made enough music to last us a lifetime. I just hope his passing might call attention to some of the stuff that made country music a mainstay. Maybe this generation will go back and listen to what shaped and molded the genre. I guess it’s okay to veer off in a different direction but the end product needs to have the same impact. The question is, how does today’s country music stack up when compared to one of the masters like Merle Haggard? Give it some thought. You don’t need my help with that one. I feel confident, you’ll figure it out. Thanks, Merle, for all the great songs and all the great music. It’ll never be the same.»
-Darryl Worley
«Merle Haggard was a ‘must see’ artist, a cornerstone of country. Eloquent as a poet and singer, he was completely authentic…imitated but never equaled. Timeless music at its best. Restless Heart and all other bands owe him a great debt.»
-Dave Innis on behalf of Restless Heart
One of these days when my time has come
You can take me back to where I’m from
Put me on a westbound train
And ship me off in the pourin’ rain
Don’t cry for me when I’m gone
Just put a quarter in the jukebox and sing me back home and
Tip your hats and raise your glasses of cold cold beer
They say country’s fading
But just keep waving that flag around here
And I know it’ll keep on coming back
As long as people pledge allegiance
Where folks still pledge allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the Hag
-Eric Church
We’ve lost one of the greatest writers and singers of all time. His heart was as tender as his love ballads. I loved him like a brother. Rest easy, Merle.
-Dolly Parton
We’ve lost another hero. Now he doesn’t have to be in pain anymore. I know he’s not suffering anymore. I just can’t imagine a world without Merle. It’s so hard to accept, but I’ll continue honoring him on stage just as I do during every show. We played a lot of gigs together through the years, but some of my fondest memories were hanging out in a natural setting, like the time we sat there by the river in his backyard and ate bologna sandwiches. Merle was a simple man with incredible talent like no other. And now he’s up there singing with George [Jones] and all the angels. Love you, Merle.
-Tanya Tucker
Merle Haggard was an original. Not just a singer, not just a songwriter, not just another famous performer. He was your common everyday working man. I remember when I was 15 years old on tour with Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. They both were wondering which one of the two was going to make it. Well, they both made it. Today, ole Merle joined Waylon, George, and daddy to sing in the Heavenly choir.
-Hank Williams, Jr.
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Rest In Sweet Peace «Mighty Merle»
