LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, United States (Reuters) – Country musician Merle Haggard, who emerged from prison to become the poetic voice of the working man with hits such as “Okie From Muskogee,” died on Wednesday (April 06), his 79th birthday, said manager Frank Mull.
The country legend had canceled all his concerts for the month of April due to illness.
Haggard’s repertoire included songs with traditional country music themes such as drinking and heartache but he also infused them with more insight and tenderness than most honky-tonkers. He also broadened the genre by writing about poverty, loneliness and social issues.
Haggard once said he preferred playing guitar to singing but it was his voice that made him stand out.
His sound drew from traditional country but also touched on folk, pop, jazz, blues and rock and his songs were covered by the likes of the Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Haggard’s fame skyrocketed in 1970 with “Okie From Muskogee,” an anti-hippie song (“we don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee, we don’t take our trips on LSD”) that came to be embraced by conservatives. Haggard said in interviews the song started out as a joke and a character study and that it did not necessarily reflect his views.
Haggard had six children from his five marriages, including two with his last wife, Theresa. His son Ben performed with him as lead guitarist.
