Man I've had a range of crazy news today and I just cannot deal with this right now. I'm teaching an online class on the 60s, and this week on the syllabus was titled, "This Song's fer the Workin' Man," in which we discuss the rise of the New Right and resentment politics. I was just sitting down to write a long post on the course management site about "Okie from Muskogee," set to something of a happy birthday to Merle. I've been hyping our Merle Haggard week for awhile now. Crazy. Anyway, you should first and foremost listen to this Hag song about death and remembrance:
On another note, I heard the local pop-country, mass-produced playlist country station feigning sorrow about Haggard's passing. They can **** off.