Merle Haggard Is Still Willing to Speak His Mind
You have to admire those who reach the point in life (or their career) where they really don't give a damn what they say or what anyone thinks about them. Merle Haggard arrived at that milestone many years ago, of course, and it's one of the things that makes him so consistently fascinating and quotable. A case in point happened just this week during the DJ Hall of Fame awards ceremony, an industry event that serves as a prequel to the annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. Haggard was there to receive a career achievement award from the Country Radio Broadcasters. And Emmylou Harris could have never imagined that her decision to sing Haggard's "Kern River" during her portion of the musical tribute would elicit the response it did. Like pulling the scab from an old wound, Harris' praise of the song suddenly reminded him that Rick Blackburn, the head of CBS Records' Nashville division during Hag's tenure on the company's Epic label, hated the song.
Following Blackburn's repeated opposition to the song, Haggard said he told the executive, "Who do you think you are? You're the son-of-a-bitch that sat at that desk over there and fired Johnny Cash. Let it go down in history that you're the dumbest son-of-a-bitch I've ever met."
Haggard's disagreements with Blackburn are legendary, and the label head's decision to drop Cash from the Columbia roster in 1986 is one of several he probably regrets. As a reporter, I dealt with Blackburn on several occasions in the '90s when he headed Atlantic Records' country division and found him to be very cordial, but it's not as though our conversations involved any sort of artistic or business matters. As for Haggard's comment at the DJ Hall of Fame banquet, Blackburn took things in stride and told CMT.com, "He'll get more pleasure out of that than I'll get grief."
Haggard was sidelined last year after being diagnosed with lung cancer, but he has resumed an active touring schedule with shows scheduled through the end of 2009, including a June appearance at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. And judging from his comments this week, he's just as cantankerous as ever and still willing to tell you what's on his mind. To say they're not making country artists like this anymore is a major understatement. Let's hope he spends many more years making music -- and spouting off when he feels like it.
By the way, once Haggard got his way and "Kern River" was released as a single in 1985, it spent 17 weeks on the country chart and became a Top 10 hit.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
RedMaZ says:
That’s a great story about Kern River.. I remember hearing it from Ray Benson who was there at the time. I agree that Merle has the right to say whatever he wants, however I’ll have to strongly disagree that they’re not making Country artists like that anymore. They’re are a stable full of artists today with the same outlook as Merle Haggard. A few that come to mind are, Dale Watson, Jesse Dayton, Hank III, Robbie Fulks, Dallas Wayne. You actually don’t believe these artists have that same don’t give a s#1% attitude as Merle?
hotelmotel says:
Blackburn is right about “Kern River:” the song is way below Haggards normally high standards. “Kern River” is a lot closer to dreck like “I’ll Walk” by Bucky Covington than it is to Haggard’s masterpieces like “Sing Me Back Home.”
RedMaZ says:
Well considering Haggard is one of the most prolific Country Music songwriters in history, he’s certainly entitled to a few clunkers. If Emmylou chose to cover it I guess it can’t be all that bad. I don’t mind the song at all, but of course I don’t consider it his best either. Granted it wouldn’t make it on today’s Pop Country radio, but then again neither would “Sing Me Back Home”. It still doesn’t address the idea that there are no artists today with the same attitude as Haggard..
hotelmotel says:
RedMaZ — I absolutely agree Haggard is one of the best country songwriters in history. Even the best songwriters write a few duds now and then. And “Kern River” isn’t really a bad song — but I can understand how Blackburn didn’t much care for it.
One thing I like about Haggard is that there were relatively few duds and clunkers to go along with the great songs. You can buy a Haggard album and be pretty confident that most of the songs will be good. You can’t do that with todays Pop-country FM-radio type artists.
RedMaZ says:
I absolutely agree. That’s why I’ve been a Haggard fan for 40 years. One of the greatest ever in my opinion..
I was wondering if you agree Gilbert on his notion that they are not making country artists like Haggard anymore?
moonriverx says:
I too have been a Haggard fan for many many years. And I will admit I’m a long way from being a youngster but in my opinion the current so called country singers will NEVER equal the country stars of the past. For instance J. Cash,
M. Haggard, David Houston, and Loretta Lynn to name just a few of them.