Country Western star Merle Haggard has passed away.

[RandySF]

Just flashed across my phone. The good times really are over for good.

[villager]

1. Oh shit. Dammit.

Will have to play some Hag when I get home.

[spanone]

2. one of the best....ever.

[malaise]

15. Indeed

and a progressive to boot - a good man has died

[kentuck]

3. One of the best.

[LakeVermilion]

4. Today is his birthday!

A lot more liberal than his song, "Okie from Muskogee."

RIP

[rug]

17. Indeed.

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[Va Lefty]

5. Safe Passage

[DawgHouse]

6. Oh this one hurts. My dad and I love Merle.

[HuckleB]

7. Rest in peace, Hag.

Silver wings shining in the sunlight
Roaring engines headed somewhere in flight
They're taking you away, leaving me lonely
Silver wings slowly fading out of sight

[YoungDemCA]

8. RIP to a real legend

Man, 2016 has not been kind to musical icons!

[Arugula Latte]

9. He was one of the good ones, a populist like Johnny Cash.

Sad.

[RandySF]

11. And a rare Obama supporter in the CW industry.

[steve2470]

10. RIP Mr. Haggard nt

[bemildred]

12. RIP.

[Eleanors38]

13. Such a great performer. May the trip over be peaceful.

This was an all-'round great performer. Even in a live recording, he knew how to run the show: great songs done well, with short, clear and concise seques and rather sharp histories, giving context to his socially conscious songs.

A great article about him -- with pieces about the new country "outlaws" -- in the latest issue of Garden & Guns magazine.

Go with Cash, Tubb, Horton and the other artists who wanted a better world.

[Brother Buzz]

14. He had a good run and helped put Bakersfield on the map

He along with Buck Owen helped pioneer 'The Bakersfield Sound'.

Oh, but to have been a fly on the wall in in one of the beer joints back in the fifties and hear him play.

RIP, friend

[demtenjeep]

16. damn

i hate 2016 so far

[Heidi]

18. Rest in peace, Mr. Haggard.

Comfort to his family.

[lpbk2713]

19. I just found out.

He was often imitated, never quite duplicated.

He was in declining health for some time. Now he can rest.

[onethatcares]

20. I raise a toast and

take a toke.

Ride into the sunset well Merle.



thank you for all you've done for the music of America

[HuckleB]

21. In the good old days, when times were bad...

[B Calm]

22. Johnny Cash and now Merle Haggard, sad. Willy Nelson

always liked Merle.