April 6th of this year marked six years since we lost one of the country music greats, Merle Haggard.
I was listening to some Merle and reading some of his most famous quotes over the decades when I came across a gem of an interview he did with InForum back in 2015.
When asked about the current state of country music at the time, right in the thick of the bro-country (barf) wave of trash, the legend did not hold back one bit…
“I can’t tell what they’re doing. They’re talking about screwing on a pickup tailgate and things of that nature.”
Luckily, that’s not happening as much these days, but there are still plenty of lab-made bros with horrendously poppy buzzword songs on country radio. As we all have learned, you don’t need country radio to become one of the best in the business (hey, Tyler Childers).
Merle detailed what was really bothering him..
“I don’t find no substance. I don’t find anything you can whistle, and nobody even attempts to write a melody.
It’s more of that kids’ stuff. It’s hot right now, but I’ll tell you what, it’s cooling off.”
He was right, it cooled off plenty, and since then we’ve seen a resurgence of more traditional country in the mainstream. We also saw a recent boom in songs taking us back to the glory days of ’90s country.
That’s a win overall, but please do me a favor and go listen to some Charles Wesley Godwin right now. Thanks.
Merle also made sure to praise his friend, Sturgill Simpson.
“As far as I’m concerned, he’s the only one out there – the rest of them sound like a bunch of s-t to me.”
Sturgill Simpson & Merle Haggard. #StuSaturday pic.twitter.com/y8aW8GKLch
— Waylon Jennings Songs (@WaymoreJennings) September 25, 2021
You are missed, Merle.
Same, Merle, same.
I ❤️ Haters
Merle. 2013. pic.twitter.com/gQCPc9KHGX
— Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) February 28, 2019