Sail On Merle Haggard

[LIPH]

[tailgaitingph]

SAIL ON...
/) /) /)

[TommyBahama]

I had a chance to see Merle Haggard a couple of years ago. I work at a Theater he performed at, and I wanted to share a story from one of my co-workers.

Country music lost a legend when Merle Haggard passed away on Wednesday. I have a great memory of him doing a wonderful concert at the Warner a few years ago. I was assigned to work security, and after the show, they asked me to keep people away from his tour bus. I explained to the autograph seekers that he had to leave soon and could not sign any more. Most were disappointed but understood. There was a young boy in a wheelchair holding a picture of Mr. Haggard hoping to get it signed, when the bus window next to me opened and Merle tapped me on the shoulder and said," Give me that kid's picture." It was the only extra autograph he signed before he left. Some stars are bigger than others, but I put him near the top of my list that night.

[dnw]

Sail on, Merle.

[FinsUp6835]

sail on, Merle. Living Legend!


LIPH, I am surprised you like Eric Church - he is awesome. I saw him about 10 years ago in a bar with about 50 people. I said to my Hooters girlfriend at the time (that is no joke - I dated a Hooters girl for about two years in college) that this guy is going to be huge. Church couldn't have been nicer after the show. He stayed and signed anything you wanted and hung out.

[LIPH]

snipped to save space

sail on, Merle. Living Legend!


LIPH, I am surprised you like Eric Church - he is awesome. I saw him about 10 years ago in a bar with about 50 people. I said to my Hooters girlfriend at the time (that is no joke - I dated a Hooters girl for about two years in college) that this guy is going to be huge. Church couldn't have been nicer after the show. He stayed and signed anything you wanted and hung out.

Eric Church is probably my favorite country singer. I've seen him twice - once opening for Miranda Lambert about 6 or 7 years ago and last year at the Carolina Country Music Festival here in Myrtle Beach. The way the stage was set up, you could see a bar called The Bowery off to the performers' right. (The band Alabama was the house band there for a few years when they were just starting out.) Eric pointed at the place and said he spent a lot of time there one summer. "That's why I don't drink tequila anymore." He puts on a great show.

My Merle Haggard story:
I only saw him once. Back in 2007 he was part of The Last Of The Breed tour with Willie Nelson and Ray Price, I saw them at Radio City Music Hall. I was supposed to see him here in Myrtle Beach 2 years ago. His show was the day after the Buffett show at Jones Beach. My return flight was supposed to get back at 5:30 and his show was at 7:00 so I was cutting it close. My flight out of MacArthur Airport on Long Island was cancelled. US Air got me on a flight from LaGuardia and called a car service to take me and 2 other people from ISP to LGA. That flight was 2 hours late and I missed my connection. I didn't get back to Myrtle Beach until 10:00 so I missed the show.