Country Legend Merle Haggard Dies At 79

Country music legend Merle Haggard, a major figure in the "outlaw country" movement, has passed away at age 79.

Haggard was known for famous songs like "Okie From Muskogee" and "Mama Tried," and was respected by musicians in the country world and beyond, with many artists recorded their own versions of his songs.

The death of Haggard, who just last week canceled a run of shows with longtime collaborator Willie Nelson, was confirmed by his manager on Wednesday afternoon. He had been battling double pneumonia since December and died on his 79th birthday.

Haggard was born in Oildale, Calif., in 1937. He had a checkered youth, landing in jail at age 20 for breaking and entering. After he attempted to escape from Bakersfield Jail, he was transferred to San Quentin Prison, where he saw Johnny Cash play a famous concert for inmates. The two would become close friends. He was married five times.

Haggard earned 40 No. 1 country singles, and his songs were recorded by stalwarts like The Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill.

Tributes to Haggard began flowing in after the new broke on Wednesday, with everyone from country star Charlie Daniels to actor Johnny Knoxville offering their condolences

"He was my brother. My friend. I will miss him," Nelson said in a statement.

Last summer, Nelson and Haggard released "Django & Jimmie," a collaborative album. It was the sixth collaborative album released by the pair, and it shot to the top of the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. It tuned out to be the final album for Haggard.

Read some of the tributes from artists across the musical spectrum that were posted on social media Wednesday.

Tags

Merle Haggard, Country music, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash