There have been times when Merle has traded on that "legend" status and released some real dreck... and by that, I mean "new recordings of his legendary hits" that sound like:

"Let's go into a studio we can afford and cut new versions of my songs with really piss-poor production and sappy girl singers in the background so we can sell it as a limited-edition at Wal-Mart."

I have met Hag, however, and he is genuinely the real deal as a person and performer. There might not be ANYONE, Willie Nelson aside, who still embodies what it means to be a traveling, working honky-tonk singer than Merle. I watched him and his band set up at Tramps in NYC and come out on that crowded, dark stage and simply kick ass. Then I got to talk to Merle, Bonnie Owens and all the rest, and they are as grateful for their work and their fans today as ever.

God bless Merle Haggard... and everyone else who is the same off-mic as on. I hope he lives to see another generation of disaffected citizens in this nation stand up for what they believe in and affect real change. He will have been one significant catalyst to many of them.

Regards,

BBS