Merle Haggard is a country giant and I go and see him whenever he's in turn. Which is quite a bit. I remwmbwe standing on an upside down garbage can at Tramps on West 23rd street and screaming my lungs out for the Okie.
I am not a blanket country fan, Willie Nelspn bores me and the one time I saw George Jones live (despite my essentially worshipping the man), Kris Kristofferson blew him away.
But Haggard? Haggard made one of my fave albums of all times, The Peer Sessions, and a hanful of classic country standards and he was at Fulsom Prison when Cash played there… as an inmate!!
So, yeah.
On 2008 he was operated for lung cancer and was in remission so the news that he had to cancel a date and was rushed to hospital is worrying indeed.
Cmon Merle, get well soon and come back to town. We miss you.