Celebrating Merle Haggard 9 Years Later

I love heading to This Day in Country Music online for a look at what happen on any random day. This week it turns out one of my favorite country legends made the list. It turns out that Merle Haggard has an anniversary of something special this week. In 2010 Merle was honored and accepted the prestigious award for lifetime achievement and "outstanding contribution to American culture" from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

If you are familiar with Merle we may have to take away your country music card. Merle is one of the originals. He was a singer, songwriter, guitarist and fiddler. Who was married five times and the father of 6 children. He pasted away in 2016 at the age of 79. If you saw the PBS Ken Burns Country Music Special then you saw one of the last interviews with Merle.

Watch the show from the award night in December of 2010. Kris Kristofferson and Miranda performed a tribute. Vince Gill and Brad Paisley sang "Workin Man Blues". And Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson took the stage with the Haggard hit "Today I Started Loving You Again", The song that he shared writing credit with Bonnie Owens his second wife. Jamie Johnson and Kid Rock Joined Willie on Stage to wrap up the musical tribute.

I bet Merle never expected the Kennedy Center Honor but it was definitely deserved. Check out this oldie I found on YouTube of one of my favorite Merle tunes.