Merle Haggard

[hollywood]

Damn. 79.

[Sneakeater]

OMG.

 

A titan.

[Lex]

OMG.

 

A titan.

 

Indeed. Lets play him home.

 

 

 

 

 

And of course Sing me Back Home. I've been riffing on this title for 10 years every time a great performer passes.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDDyyDjWM_0

[Sneakeater]

Thing is, with someone like Merle, you can only scratch the surface.

 

Here's a couple more.

 

Lex and I could go on all day.

 

 

[Sneakeater]

Can't leave out these.

 

 

[Lex]

I could listen to these all afternoon. What a career.

 

One of the things a great songwriter does is produce work that can be successfully recorded by others. The songs are broad enough to transcend their composer. I first heard Sing Me Back Home in the 1970s when the Burrito Brothers did it. Gram Parsons' vocal would have made Haggard proud.

 

[Evelyn]

One of those artists you want to see in person before they die. We had tickets to see him perform here in Las Vegas in December during the rodeo. The pneumonia started the week before, so the show was cancelled. Same thing happened to me when I wanted to see Ray Charles. Bought the tickets, and he died about 2 weeks before the show.

[Sneakeater]

You could spend a whole afternoon just on versions of "Sing Me Back Home." Parsons's is my favorite, too, but here are some more.

 

 

[Sneakeater]

 

[Sneakeater]

 

[Sneakeater]

And my own personal second favorite cover version:

 

[Sneakeater]

One of those artists you want to see in person before they die. We had tickets to see him perform here in Las Vegas in December during the rodeo. The pneumonia started the week before, so the show was cancelled. Same thing happened to me when I wanted to see Ray Charles. Bought the tickets, and he died about 2 weeks before the show.

 

Evelyn, if I ever give a concert, PLEASE don't buy tickets.

[Evelyn]

[Really Nice!]

 

One of those artists you want to see in person before they die. We had tickets to see him perform here in Las Vegas in December during the rodeo. The pneumonia started the week before, so the show was cancelled. Same thing happened to me when I wanted to see Ray Charles. Bought the tickets, and he died about 2 weeks before the show.

 

Evelyn, if I ever give a concert, PLEASE don't buy tickets.

And just to cover all the bases, don't come to Chicago.

 

A similar thing happed to me regarding Harry Chapin. He was in town for a concert and tickets were still available the day before. I figured I'd see him the next time he's in town. Didn't happen.

[Evelyn]

Hey, I saw Diana Ross a few months ago--she survived the 'Curse of Evelyn' .