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Merle Haggard tribute set at Corbin Theatre
By Angie Anaya Borgedalen
Long before there was Toby Keith, there was Merle Haggard capturing the heart of the working-class crowd.
Those into nostalgic country music will have the opportunity to indulge old memories at Corbin Theatre Monday, May 12, with a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard.
Among the songs sure to be showcased is “Okie from Muskogee,” a place where they don’t smoke marijuana or take trips on LSD; a place where they don’t burn their draft cards down on Main Street or grow their hair long like the hippies out in San Francisco Bay.
A Top 10 hit nearly 40 years ago, the song captured a lot of attention as it attacked the liberal free love, anti-war movement that had dominated the 1960s.
Singer and guitarist Rick Brummett has put together a two-hour show of Haggard’s life and times. Performing along with him will be Carl Butler on lead guitar and vocals and John Nichols on bass guitar and vocals, both longtime professional musicians.
After hearing Brummett and his wife play a couple of Haggard songs at Coming Home wine tastings on Liberty Square, Clay Lozier, who is on the board at Corbin Theatre, convinced the performer to do the show.
“It’s going to be a great show,” Lozier said. “I’ve been after him to do it, and he finally agreed. There are so many great Merle Haggard songs.”
Brummett said he was looking forward to the gig.
“Merle Haggard has always been a very strong influence in my music, and my brother and I used to sing and play his music for hours,” Brummett said.
Brummett’s brother died at age 24, and the performance will be dedicated to him.
“When asked to do a tribute to Merle, I couldn’t turn it down,” he said, “This performance will be dedicated to my brother Greg. I wish he could be here to help.”
In and out of trouble and after serving a stint in San Quentin Prison for robbery and later pardoned by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan,
Haggard emerged as a giant out of the honky-tonk scene in Bakersfield, Calif., where many former Okies had
fled during the Depression years.
“We’ll be telling the story of his life from his early days when he moved from Oklahoma to California, to his prison life, all his failed marriages and partying ways,” Brummett said. “We’re also going to do a few songs from his latest (bluegrass) album,” he said.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.
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Those into nostalgic country music will have the opportunity to indulge old memories at Corbin Theatre Monday, May 12, with a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard.
Among the songs sure to be showcased is “Okie from Muskogee,” a place where they don’t smoke marijuana or take trips on LSD; a place where they don’t burn their draft cards down on Main Street or grow their hair long like the hippies out in San Francisco Bay.
A Top 10 hit nearly 40 years ago, the song captured a lot of attention as it attacked the liberal free love, anti-war movement that had dominated the 1960s.
Singer and guitarist Rick Brummett has put together a two-hour show of Haggard’s life and times. Performing along with him will be Carl Butler on lead guitar and vocals and John Nichols on bass guitar and vocals, both longtime professional musicians.
After hearing Brummett and his wife play a couple of Haggard songs at Coming Home wine tastings on Liberty Square, Clay Lozier, who is on the board at Corbin Theatre, convinced the performer to do the show.
“It’s going to be a great show,” Lozier said. “I’ve been after him to do it, and he finally agreed. There are so many great Merle Haggard songs.”
Brummett said he was looking forward to the gig.
“Merle Haggard has always been a very strong influence in my music, and my brother and I used to sing and play his music for hours,” Brummett said.
Brummett’s brother died at age 24, and the performance will be dedicated to him.
“When asked to do a tribute to Merle, I couldn’t turn it down,” he said, “This performance will be dedicated to my brother Greg. I wish he could be here to help.”
In and out of trouble and after serving a stint in San Quentin Prison for robbery and later pardoned by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan,
Haggard emerged as a giant out of the honky-tonk scene in Bakersfield, Calif., where many former Okies had
fled during the Depression years.
“We’ll be telling the story of his life from his early days when he moved from Oklahoma to California, to his prison life, all his failed marriages and partying ways,” Brummett said. “We’re also going to do a few songs from his latest (bluegrass) album,” he said.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.