It’s not that Merle Haggard isn’t a joy when you speak with him. The wit, intelligence and frankness with which he has crafted some of his most loved songs are all in the forefront as he speaks, but there’s something else there too. Perhaps it’s an unspoken surprise that even though he grew up dirt-poor and battled with the law, people revere him, as evinced by the many accolades paid to him by everyone from Toby Keith to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alison Krauss and the Grateful Dead.
“There isn’t any one,” said Haggard when asked if one musical tribute stands out to him. “They are all humbling.”
| Onstage |
| Merle Haggard |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Monday |
| Where: Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| Details: $79.50; sold out at press time; tickets may be available from online retailers |
Haggard’s blend of folks, blues, country and jazz was not only inspired in great part by the late Johnny Cash, but also inspired a legion of artists, including Krauss. Yet it was just sheer boredom that inspired a 12-year-old Haggard to learn to play a guitar he had been given. That boredom also led him into rebellion, including running away to Texas at age 14 and his first of many brushes with the law.
A stint at San Quentin, which was actually extended after he was recaptured after an escape, allowed him to see Cash perform. That served as something of a catalyst for Haggard, who recorded “Okie from Muskogee” soon after his prison release and then went on to international stardom.
And the songwriting muse still visits Haggard, as evinced by his latest album, “I Am What I Am.” Though the album was put out by Vanguard Records, Haggard doesn’t hide his distain for some of the major labels that put young artists through “grooming school” before they are “created.” As his album title indicates, Haggard is no poser, especially when it comes to his music.
He laughs about some past opinions by major labels and recounts a record executive telling him that the song “Kern River” would never make any money. That, of course, was false and went on to become one of Haggard’s most beloved hits.
As far as newer artists, Haggard doesn’t pay much attention to them or the shifts in country music and other genres.
“Joe Nichols and a couple kids out there are trying to make their own music [apart from labels’ formulas],” he said. “I sure hope they can do it.”
