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>> working man:a tribute to merle haggard. featuring [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen,merle haggardand george jones! >> i've just got to saysomething here beforei do anything, merle. i've got to say what a thrillthis is to be on stage at the old rymanwth merle haggard my favorite singersince hank williams, sr. and i mean itwith all my heart.

but the main thing, we're onstage tonight for realcountry music. >> yeah. man, i'm ready! ~ wish i was downon some blue bayou ~ ~ bamboo canestuck in the sand ~ ~ but the road i'm on,don't seem to go there ~ ~ i'm just dreamin'.keep on bein' the waythat i am ~ ~ the way i am ~ ~ don't pick my shackle ~ ~ the way i am.reality ~

~ i can almost seea little barber dancing ~ ~ but i'm just dreamin' ~ ~ keep on bein'the way that i am ~ ~ wish i enjoyedwhat makes my living ~ ~ did what i dowith willing hands ~ ~ some would run, oh,but that ain't like me ~ ~ i just dream.keep on bein' the way i am ~ ~ don't pick my shackles ~ ~ so i just dream.keep on bein' theway that i am ~

~ i just keep dreamin'.keep on bein' theway that i am ~ george jones,ladies and gentlemen. >> anybody that don't knowwho merle haggard is knowsnothing about country music. >> i made more moneythan god of late. and i ain't got any money. not because i didn't earn it,but because i didn't have theright people working for me. i got ripped off. so i'm still out heresinging and playing. another reason foridentifying withthe working man.

>> i think after i stoppedbeing a teenager and started dealing withraising a child on my ownand earning money and, uh, getting a job,losing a job, paying rent, all those things that have todo with real life was when merle's musicreally started to makesome sense to me. >> he's been called theworking man's poet,so to speak. and in the form song andhis type of singing, i -- ithink that, you know, he is -- he does representthe working man. >> man, the music to me hasalways been about and for thereal people --

working people. merle haggard has alwaysstood for that. >> i can't imagine anybodythat the working people lovemore than merle haggard. >> john anderson, traceadkins and alan jacksonwhen we return. >> i personally ama fan of merle the man. >> if i was a singer, or if iwas a -- wrote songs, this is the way i'd like todo it, you know. this guy's -- he's something,this guy. >> he's just a regularperson, you know. i mean,he's just one of the guys.

>> he has this outer shell,you know, that he -- but he's not really thatrough a guy, you know. >> he just -- all he has todo is walk into a room, and ican feel the greatness. >> you know, i'm not surewhat makes anyone ascharismatic as merle. >> i'd be drinking my ownbath water if i answered thatquestion. i don't know. >> you know, merle's done ithis way all along. he's been always --been outside the circlein nashville and outside the loop. and i think he's madethe kind of music,

and the great musicthat he has made is beenbecause of that -- because he's beenoutside the loop. and he's done it his way andrefused to conform. >> and when we're onthe bus rolling downthe road late at night, and you get the guitar outand start singing songs -- i mean, more thanhalf of them end upbeing haggard songs. >> i've written over 300 --about 400 songs. and, uh, they're kindof like -- they're kind oflike animals, you know, or children.

they're -- some do good, andsome do better, and some wait for a long timebefore they do well. >> i once told merle, i said, "thanks for writingall them songs." i don't know what, uh -- whati'd have done as a kid without having thosesongs to sing. ~ and this oldsmoke-filled bar ~ ~ is somethingi'm not used to ~ ~ and i gave up myhome to see you satisfied ~

~ and i just called to let youknow where i'll be living ~ ~ it's not much, but i feelwelcome here inside ~ ~ i've got swinging doors,a jukebox, and a bar stool ~ ~ and my new home has aflashing neon sign ~ ~ stop by and see meany time you want to ~ ~ 'cause i'm always here athome till closing time ~ ~ i've got everything i needto drive me crazy ~ ~ and i've got everything ittakes to lose my mind ~ ~ and in here the atmosphereis right for heartache ~

~ and thanks to you i'm alwayshere till closing time ~ ~ my new home hasa flashing neon sign ~ ~ yes, i'm alays her at homtill clsing time ~ >> the best memory of mylife, i would be afraid totry to nail it down to one. i've had different wives, butsome of my favorite momentsare connected with them. bonnie owensand i were married. moments in alaska. uh, the ladythat i'm married to now. there's moments in lakeshasta that come to mind.

um, fishing nude in themoonlight with my wife. >> right now, i'd liketo introduce a brandnew young lady who has volunteeredto come out and singsome merle haggard music. would you make her welcome. sara evans.sara, come on out here. what is it you'd like to do? >> how about a song that waswritten about you? >> that sounds interesting.is it -- >> i think you told me thiswas written about you,"you take me for granted."

>> are you gonna do that?all right. all right. this is a song -- this is asong that was written byleona williams, and a lot of people, youknow, because we collaboratedon different things. [ laughter ] have asked me over the yearsthat said, "did you writesome of that song?" i said, "no. i wasn't eventhere when she wrote it." this is totallyleona's song.do it for us. >> love to. ~ my legs and my feethave walked ~

~ till they can't hardly movefrom trying to please you ~ ~ and my back is sore frombending over backwards ~ ~ to just lay the worldat your door ~ ~ and i'm trying hard to put asmile on a sad face ~ ~ while deep down it'sbreaking my heart ~ ~ and as sure asthe sun shines ~ ~ i'll spend my lifetime notknowing if i've done my part ~ ~ 'cause you takeme for granted ~ ~ and it's breaking my heart ~

~ just as sureas the sun shines ~ ~ just as sure asthe sun shines ~ ~ and just as sureas the sun shines ~ >> not bad. >> thank you. >> more with robert duvallwhen we return. >> you know, everybody'swho's ever sang a notein this century has been influencedby bing crosby, you know. everybody that -- maybe theydon't even know it.

>> if you notice,there's a beautiful,comforting resonance at the bottom endof merle's voice. when he hits that ~ knowin'where the lonely go... ~ and it's -- you know that'sbing. you hear that?bo, boo boo boo.. see? >> uh, anybody in thiscountry that ever liked me orwillie nelson, either one, has got a lot of bing crosbyinfluence because i know thatwe both have that. >> you know, it's a funnything. bob wills and bingcrosby were good friends. >> but i -- i idolizedwills for his abilityto lead a band. and he played great fiddle.

>> you know, i think withmerle the styles that heincorporates in his music, definitely the bob willsinfluence, you could tell from the texasswing kind of thing. and merle adds kind of thejazz flavor to what he -- tothe texas swing kind of feel. >> i also idolized --idolized and liked very much lefty frizzell's uniquemethod of delivery. >> merle takes the best oflefty and goes on with it tomake it his own which any artist does it tomake something his own. >> everybody today is acombination of everybodythey've ever listened to,

and i think the samething is with merle. and every now and thensomebody special like himcomes along and is able to combineeverything that they -- the knowledge andeverything that they'veheard around them and be able to put it intoone unique sound. >> ladies and gentlemen,this gentleman is trulyone of the people that i idolized all my life. and, uh, i've come to knowhim over the years and lovehim very much. would you make welcomelittle jimmy dickens.

>> thank you folks. >> there was a magic nightup in louisville, kentucky,one time. there had been a -- what theycall a guitar puller. and that's where people kindof pass the guitar around, and they, uh, play theirlatest song for each other. and everybody had passed itall the way around and this man here got upready to leave. and i asked him. i said,"why haven't you written asong here for us?" he had his guitar in his casealready, and he looked atme kind of funny.

and he just reached down andtook his guitar back out ofthe case, and he -- he started off with a songthat went number one for me. >> thank goodness.thank goodness. >> well, i wrotethe last half of it. he didn't have -- he didn'thave the whole thing, see. and it was just a great song. and i -- i said, i think i canfinish it for you. ~ down through the ages menhae died or thei women ~ ~ and done so so many times ~

~ each time i loved one,i've always lost one ~ ~ seems the right oneis so hard to find ~ >> you got it on your own. ~ shoppin' for dresseswith no one to wear them ~ ~ one in each color.one in each style ~ ~ i'll find a lady somedayto wear them ~ ~ my shoppin' willbe done for a while ~ ~ i bet somewhere a ladyis shoppin' for dresses ~ ~ comparing values, and -- ~

>> hey, we got to do it over. i said "dresses."it's not "dresses." >> that's the part you wrote! >> i know it. >> okay, we got -- i've gotto say "britches." i got so into the dressesthere, that -- [ laughter ]shoppin' for dresses. ~ i bet somewhere a lady isshoppin' for britches ~ ~ comparing values,appraising each pair ~ ~ maybe someday the lord willbring us together ~

~ and we'll both have newwardrobes to wear ~ >> sing for me, now! ~ one in each colorand one in each style ~ ~ maybe someday i'll find alady to wear them ~ ~ and my shoppin' willbe done for a while ~ ~ my shoppin' will bedone for a while ~ >> i've never recordedanything that didn't hit me. i've recorded -- about 30%of my material has beenother people's songs, so that i wouldn't, uh, beguilty of thinking

that i was the only songwriter in the world, that turned down a greatsong just because ididn't write it. we want to welcome a big manto the stage -- has a lot of deep tonesthat i love to hear. look here how tall he is.we thought about --[ applause ] we thought about getting himand little jimmy dickens to do a duet -- [ laughter ]a duet. and little jim said,"i'll do anything for alaugh." [ laughter ] would you make welcome to thestage, ladies and gentlemen,trace adkins.

>> i said -- i said thisprogram is made upof mostly my music. it was nearly all ofmy music with the exceptionof one or two tunes. this is -- this is a liz andcasey anderson tune. and it's -- it wasthe first song that i hadgo no. 1 for me. would you do it forme? it's called"the fugitive." i've always wantedto hear you sing it. >> i'd be honored. >> all right. ~ down every road there'salways one more city ~

~ i'm on the run, and thehighway is my home ~ ~ and i raised a lot of cainin my younger days ~ ~ and momma used to pray mycrops would fail ~ ~ but now i'm running fugitivewith just two ways ~ ~ how to run the lawand spend my life in jail ~ ~ and i'd like to settle down,but they won't let me ~ ~ a fugitive must bea rolling stone ~ ~ i'm on the run.the highway is my home ~ ~ yeah, i'm awful lonely,but i can't affordthe luxury ~

~ of having the onei love to come along ~ ~ and she'd only slow me down,and they'd catch up with me ~ ~ 'cause he who travelsfastest goes alone ~ ~ and down every road there'salways one more city ~ ~ yes, i'm on the run.the highway is my home ~ >> merle sings one of hisbiggest hits when we return. >> this is a song we wroteabout los angeles. that's where it came from.one, two, a one, two, three. ~ i'm tired of thesedirty old cities ~

~ i'm tired of too much work,never enough pay ~ ~ and i'm tired of thesedirty old sidewalks ~ ~ i think i'll walk offmy steady job today ~ >> sing it with me. ~ turn me loose.set me free ~ ~ somewhere in the middleof montana ~ ~ give me all i've gotcoming to me ~ ~ and keep your retirement,and your so-calledsocial security ~ ~ big city, turn me looseand set me free ~

~ been working everyday since i was 20 ~ ~ i haven't got a lot to showfor anything i've done ~ ~ i know folks who never work,and they've got money ~ ~ i think it's time folks likeyou and me had some fun ~ ~ give me all i'vegot coming to me ~ ~ and keep your retirementand your so-calledsocial security ~ ~ i said, big city, turn meloose and set me free ~ >> i was always, uh,impressed with merle's band.you know, "the strangers." >> i've been with merlefor 30 years now.

>> i've been playing drumsfor merle for 29 years. >> i work with merle haggard,and i sing harmony --background harmony. and i'm the only one of theboys that's a girl. >> bonnie owens -- i mean,besides being a great motherto me, she, uh -- i'd say she's to blame for alot of merle's success. she was always there for him. walking around, following himaround with a pen -- pen andpaper, you know. writing down everythinghe said. >> we got a divorce in '78,but we became friends again.

well, actually we werenever not friends. >> bonnie left for a while,and then came back. she hasn't stayed allthrough the years,but she's here now. and she was herein the beginning. >> i started with him.i'm -- i kind of considermyself a "stranger," too. >> fuzzy has been my onlypersonal managerall through the years. >> i don't know who elseyou could work for beany better than merle. >> it's what you don't find alot nowadays is loyalty that they -- "the strangers"have, you know.

>> they don't just play formerle haggard, they lovemerle haggard. >> hey, there's one thingi'd like to do beforethe evening continues. i'd like to take a momentand, uh, introduce"the strangers." all right. bonnie>> he just feelsthe audience out. he makes the job easy becauseyou don't get bored with it, because we never know whathe's gonna do, you know. he doesn't even know. >> i never inmy wildest dreams

thought that i'd ever be onthe stage with merle haggard. you know, singing and havinghis band play. and merle directinghis band behind me. i mean -- that wasone dream i never had. i had a lot of dreams,but i never dreamed that. ~ a canvas covered cabinin the crowded labor camp ~ ~ stands out in thesememories i revive ~ ~ cause my daddy raised afamily there ~ ~ with two hardworking hands ~

~ and tried to feedmy momma's hungry eyes ~ ~ he dreamed ofsomething better ~ ~ and my momma's faithwas strong ~ ~ and us kids werejust too young to realize ~ ~ that another class of peopleput us somewhere just below ~ ~ one more reason for mymomma's hungry eyes ~ ~ momma never hadthe luxury she wanted ~ ~ but it wasn't causemy daddy didn't try ~ ~ she only wanted thingsshe really needed ~

~ well, i rememberdaddy praying ~ ~ for a better way of life ~ ~ but i don't recalla change of any size ~ ~ just a little lossof courage ~ ~ as their agebegan to show ~ ~ and more sadness in mymomma's hungry's eyes ~ ~ but it wasn't 'causemy daddy didn't try ~ ~ oh, i still recallmy momma's hungry eyes ~ >> coming up, noel haggardjoins his dad on stage.

>> hey, i was so proudwhen i came to town that i was just happy beingaround hag's children. you know, i'd go into a clubsomewhere and pick, and one of his boyswould come in and i just was honored to bein there with some of hisoffspring, you know. he was just -- hag was prettybig for me coming up. >> barry beckard producednoel's record, and barry wasmy producer at one time. so i used to sit noel down inthe kitchen over there at theoffice and say, "tell me about your dad."

>> he was just "dad." we didn't -- we thoughteverybody had a dad like thatat home, you know. >> i've never envied theoffspring of famous peoplebecause, you know, their -- it's going to bedifficult for them. >> kind of like a blessingand a curse. especially in the music partof it, you know. people definitely expectsomething out of you,you know. and, uh, you know, "you don'tsound like merle," or "you don't look likemerle," or, you know.

>> i never really encouragedhim to go into the business,you know. i didn't discourageit at all. and after i saw he wasinterested, i tried to helphim every way i could. and then -- you know,give him tips and tellhim what i thought. and, uh, he's a good writer,and i tried to help him inthat area. >> oh, i thought,"well, he's just doing itcause he's supposed to. 'cause he's a haggard." butthe guy really loves music. >> he's special, very special-- well, all the kids arespecial to me, but noel is special becausehe's sort of like a --he is like merle.

very much like merle. he thinks like merle.he's compassionatelike merle. he's, uh -- very talented. do you know -- haveyou heard him sing?he's good. ~ things i learned ina hobo jungle ~ ~ things they never taughtme in a classroom ~ ~ like where tofind a handout ~ ~ while bummin' throughchicago in the afternoon ~ ~ i'm not cryin'nor complaining ~

~ i'm just talkin'to myself man to man ~ ~ this old middle fati'm chewin' ~ ~ didn't take a lot of doin' ~ ~ but i take pridein what i am ~ ~ i guess i grew up a loner ~ ~ i don't remember havin'any folks around ~ ~ i keep thumbin' throughthe phone book ~ ~ and looking for my daddy'sname in every town ~ ~ i meet lots offriendly people ~

~ but i always end upleaving on the lamb ~ ~ never been nobody's idol,but at least i'vegot a title ~ ~ and i take a lot ofpride in what i am ~ >> ladies and gentlemen,red vogard and his guitar. >> all right, noel. ~ i never travel in a hurry ~ ~ ain't got nobody waitin'for me anywhere ~ ~ home is anywherei'm livin' ~ ~ been sleepin' on some vacantbench in city square ~

~ oh, just workin'on a rope gang and livin'off the fat of the land ~ ~ i've never been nobody'sidol, but at leasti've got a title ~ ~ and i take a lotof pride in what i am ~ >> thank you very much.it's been great being here. it's a great honor.thank you, dad. >> i was just wanted you togive me a hug before you left. >> okay. >> uh, someone just startingout in this business, my piece of advice would beto go get in another business

uh, from an honest,straight-off-the-shoulderanswer. but if that won't change yourmind then get ready for theride because if you -- if you happen to besuccessful, it's not alwaysrosy as one might imagine. you know, it's a -- it's aglamorized bus ride. it's a 35-year bus rideis what it is. >> tim mcgraw pays tributeto merle when we return. >> haggard has got aphenomenal, world class,once-in-a-lifetime voice that comes downthe pike, okay. >> well, you understand everyword that merle sings,

and it's almost like he'stalking but yet he's singing. and brother, that'sa real art. >> i think that that wasthe big appeal for meis that he really -- it really feels like aconversation, you know. and he's explaining thin ,explaining his feelings, orsomething he's seen. >> it's just beautiful. and he doesn't sing reallyhard or really loud. it's just, you know, every --you could totally feel everyword that he sings because he puts so muchemotion into it.

very distinctive voice. >> merle's always had awonderful voice, but as he grows older, as doesthe voice in a good way,it mellows. it's very, very enriching andvery pleasant to listen to. >> his style says, and hismusic says that he's chosento write, and sing, and play the way people canrelate to it. and i think that's whatprobably makes him one of the greatest standardsin country music. >> my ex-wife usedto sing nicely.

she was a good singer. sheloved merle haggard. she said, for a steadydiet -- for a steady dieton an everyday basis, she would rather listen tomerle haggard steadily than pavarotti --luciano pavarotti. which is a great complimentbecause i like -- i lovepavarotti as well, but they're differentkinds of music. but merle's the kind of guyyou put in -- in your car, pickup, or in your kitchenor wherever. it's very soothing music.

>> this next number i -- is asong i'm gonna do myself. it's one of the latest, uh,songs that i've written. and it hasn't been heard byanybody in the united states, um, except my brother whopassed away last year. and i'd like to dedicateit to lowell and fran. ~ listenin' to the wind ~ ~ tryin' to hear thevoice of a distant friend ~ ~ wishin' you and iwere close again ~ ~ listenin' to the breeze ~

~ as it whispers throughthe poplar trees ~ ~ do you think i knewway back then? ~ ~ do you listen to the wind? ~ ~ listenin' to the night ~ ~ wishin' we could hold andsqueeze each other tight ~ ~ i can almost hearthe stars so bright ~ ~ do you listento the night? ~ ~ listenin' to the soundof the highway ~ ~ through some distant town ~

~ i can almost hearthe pale moonlight ~ ~ listenin' to my mind ~ ~ searching throughmy thoughts forthe perfect line ~ ~ using tricksand telepathy at times ~ ~ do you listento your mind? ~ ~ just listenin' to the wind ~ >> thank you kindly. >> probably merle haggard,a pen, a bottle of jim beam,and some paper and a guitar. that'd probably bethe good ingredientsfor a country song.

>> i believe that merle, uh,writes and sings the truth. um, he doesn't mince words. he doesn't try to flwerthngs up,and tha's real-- a very difficult thingabout song writing. >> he's got a natural abilityto take, you know, just normal wordsand common phrases andmake them sound poetic. and hank williams did that,you know. >> most of his songsis telling a veryinteresting story. >> some of them are reallyabout tangible things

that i have to believewere real events thathappened in his life. >> he create -- createsgreat imagery. um, two lines into the song,and you're there. >> and he says it from areally, uh, just pi iful,sad point of view. and those are my favoritekind of country songs. you know, the ones that tearyour heart out, and hecan do that. >> merle haggard has theability to -- for you to beriding down the road listening to the radio and asong of his come on, and you want to kickthe dashboard out.

it's like how did he know howi feel, you know. and that's -- that's whatmerle can do. he can tell youhow you feel. >> yes, sir. i'm -- i'mgonna ask you to sing a song that, uh, i wrotefor my mother. i wrote a coupleof songs for mom. and, uh, it's a dearsong to me. it's been rathermighty nice to me. it's made some moneyover the years,

and momma would have beenproud of it, i think,even more so. would you do, uh,"momma tried" for me? >> i'd love to. ~ first thingi remember knowin' ~ ~ is a lonesomewhistle blowin' ~ ~ young 'un's dreamof growing up to ride ~ ~ on the freight train'sleaving town ~ ~ not knowin'where i'm bound ~ ~ no one could change my mind,but momma tried ~

~ the one and only rebel childfrom a family weak and mild ~ ~ momma seemed to knowwhat lie in store ~ ~ in spite of allmy sunday learning ~ ~ toward badi kept on turning ~ ~ till momma couldn'thold me anymore ~ ~ i turned 21 in prison doinglife without parole ~ ~ no one could steer me right,but momma tried(momma tried) ~ ~ momma tried toraise me better ~ ~ but her pleading i denied ~

~ that leaves only meto blame cause momma tried ~ ~ dear old daddy resthis soul, left my moma heavy load ~ ~ she tried so very hardto fill his shoes ~ ~ workin' hours without rest.wanted me to have the best ~ ~ she tried to raise me right,but i refused ~ ~ that leaves only me toblame cause momma tried ~ >> thank you, merle. >> the great tim mcgraw.tim, thank you for a fineperformance there. my mother wouldbe proud of you.

>> "momma tried" is probablyum, more closely identifiedwith merle haggard than any other song thati've -- that i've written. it's right there with"working man blues." >> "momma tried," i -- thatsong, you know, before the show started ididn't know it, but he told me the song waswritten for his mother. and considering where heprobably was in the vacation he was taking when he decidedto write that song where the inspiration of thatsong came from, i think it'spretty special.

>> everyone knows whathe's been through. uh, you know, he did sometime in the joint, you know. a lot of people can't singhonestly about that, and i think we all --we all kind of --we like to hear that. we have a fascination with --you know, we watch those911-rescue shows, and we have a fascinationwith things that mighthappen to us. and he's actually someone whocan tell us about being onthe inside -- inside of the bigconcrete wall. >> the possum and the hagperform together, next.

>> when tender merciescame out, willie elson cmeto my apartment in new york. we sat down, talked,and he played.it was wonderful. he just sat and sang,and it was nice. and he liked the movie a lot. and then he asked meif i, uh -- i thinkhe used the word, "did you 'ape'merle haggard?" i said, "what do you mean?" he said, "well, you remindedme just the wayhe walked and everything.

did you study him?" and i said,"well, not really." i mean, i said,"merle's a hero. i love merle -- his music. but i didn't really copy himor 'ape' him in any way." i said, "as a matter of fact,you know, george jones told everybodyit was written for him. it was his life story." >> what are we goingto do now?

>> can you believethat about that key? we didn't rehearse it. >> we didn't --we didn't rehearse what? ~ yesterday's wine ~ ~ oh, yesterday's wine ~ ~ we're aging with timelike yesterday's wine ~ >> george jones hasalways been one of thosein the business that i enjoyed listening toand comparing notes with and records with and we -- wecut an album together.

he's one of my dear friends. we're mutual fansof each other's work. and it's such an honor tohave him on the show. ~ i must have donesomething badsometime in my life ~ ~ and i paid forit time and again ~ ~ but this time you'vehurt me so bad ~ ~ i wanna lay down and die ~ ~ and the pain grows eachday, 10 times 10 times 10 ~ ~ but if i thought my handwas against you ~

~ why cut off my arm? ~ ~ and walk outand leave it behind? ~ ~ if i thought thatyou needed money ~ ~ well i'd sell my own soul ~ ~ i'd even steal fromthe poor and the blind ~ ~ i can't understand how icecan glitter like fire ~ ~ why, you had mefooled all along ~ ~ i gave you all that i have ~ ~ and i searchedaround for more ~

~ and now i've got nothing atall, and you're gone ~ ~ i must have done somethingbad sometime in my life ~ ~ and i've paid forit time and again ~ ~ and again ~ >> toby keith and darylesingletary coming up next. >> "all in the movies."it was just a couple of weeksago i was playing golf on a golf course with some ofthe boys in the crew, and igot to singing this song. and everybody goes,"where did that come out of,"you know. and i said, this isan old haggard song called"all in the movies."

and it was, uh -- the openingline, ~ they were so muchin love with life... ~ the melody's got that littlelilt in it. ~ happy in every way... ~ and he would go down and hitthat patented, hag drop-off, and that roll-off-the-end-of-the-table noteand just nail it. and, uh, it's just a melodythat i don't think i've everheard before or after. it wasn't just your commoncountry melody. and it was just realpeaceful to the ears. ~ they were so muchin love with life ~

~ happy in every way ~ ~ love a movie began with ~ ~ somehow lost in the play ~ ~ like a fire burningout of control ~ ~ we got caught upin the actors' role ~ ~ and you criedon my shoulder ~ ~ when it came to an end ~ ~ but that's allin the movies ~ ~ it can't happento you and i ~

~ it's all in the movies ~ ~ so baby don't cry ~ ~ it can't happen to us,i know ~ ~ hon, it's allin the movies ~ ~ just a bad picture show ~ ~ yes, it's allin the movies ~ ~ just another badpicture show ~ >> thank you very much.

>> you don't forgetmeeting merle haggard. i was on a bus -- where elseare you gonna meet merle? >> i saw him at the academyof country music awards inlos angeles. >> and i got to, uh, presenthim with a lifetimeachievement award. and i got to read thissoliloquy kind of thing aboutmerle and about his life. >> we were standing at themusic city news awards, and this is a memory thatwill be with me tillthe day i die. >> he complimented me in theultimate way that onlysomeone like merle can. the way he said it was,you know, he loved my voice.

and i will never forgethim saying that. >> he was very quiet. i was -- i was, uh -- i guesshe was quiet because i wassuch in shock to meet him. i couldn't say much either. >> he looked up,and he said, "hey, joe.how are you doing?" and i was like --it just floored me. i was like, merle haggardknows m name. that is the wildest thing. it was -- it was one of thehighlights of my life.

>> he said, "would you liketo have some original merlehaggard songs that hadn't beensung before?" and i'm sitting there like,"uh, yeah.i'd love to," you know. so that was a kind of neatmemory that i -- i have, and i'll always have is merlehaggard asking me, you know. and again, just beingable to be part ofthe merle haggard tribute. i'm just so thankful. ~ each night i leavethe barroom, when it's open ~ ~ not feelin' any paintill closin' time ~

~ but tonight your memoryfound me much too sober ~ ~ i couldn't drink enough tokeep you off my mind ~ ~ tonight the bottlelet me down ~ ~ and let your memoryhang around ~ ~ oh, the one true friendi thought i found ~ ~ i've always had a bottlei could turn to ~ ~ and lately i've beenturnin' every day ~ ~ but that old wine don't takeeffect the way it used to ~ ~ lord, i'm hurtin'in an old familiar way ~

~ the one true friendi thought i had ~ >> thank y'all. >> that's awfulgood, my friend. thank you.thank you very much. >> coming up, john andersonsings "silver wings." >> merle haggard is kindof like hank williamsin the sense that once you think you'veheard everything they did, you hear some song somewherethat they did on some recordthat you just -- you've never heard before.

and it blows you away. >> my favorite merle haggardsong -- it would beimpossible to pick one. >> i think "swingin' doors." >> "today i startedloving you again." >> "the way i am." and he said -- well, he wroteit in like 5 to 10 minutes. just came to him,and he wrote it. and sometimes the best onescome quick -- come quickly. and the other ones you laborover, but that was one ofthose that came.

and it's just -- just oneof those like perfectsongs, you know. really. >> my favorite songs aredefinitely "silver wings." you just don't hear songslike that anymore. >> "working man blues" wasthe a-side and -- of this particular recordwe had released. and "silver wings"was the b-side, and they've both become merlehaggard hits over the years. >> it's just religiouswhen i hear that song.

to me, it's a veryspiritual song. ~ silver wings[ applause ]shining in the sunlight ~ ~ roaring engines headedsomewhere in flight ~ ~ they're taking you awayand leaving me lonely ~ ~ silver wings slowlyfading out of sight ~ ~ don't leave me, i cried ~ ~ don't take thatairplane ride ~ ~ but you locked meout of your mind ~ ~ and left me standinghere behind ~

~ silver wings shiningin the sunlight ~ >> "working man," a tributeto merle haggard continuesafter this. >> merle haggard hashad a great impact on theyouth in country music. >> he's one of my heroes. you know that merle haggardwas the first concert that iever went to see as a -- as a young girl. and when i saw merle, heliterally was a turning pointin my life as a dreamer. i saw his show and decidedthat i wanted to be on stage. >> he was probably one of mybiggest influences.

i'd say that, uh, merle wasprobably the reason that imoved to nashville. >> anybody that you knowstarted picking guitars uparound 1965 or '70, or just about --it's inevitable. they're gonna be ableto peel off a coupleof merle haggard songs. >> i can remember hearing"okie from muskogee"on the radio when i was a child and reallyliking it, you know. i thought it was funnyas a kid, but that song actually cameout -- that album came outthe year i was born. and, uh, muskogeeis just down the roadfrom where i was from.

>> yeah, they sent up"okie from muskogee." i think apollo 16 took it up. >> charlie dukewas an astronaut, uh,on that mission who chose to take a merlehaggard tape with him. >> put it on the moon in casesomebody wanted to listen toit up there or something. ~ we don't smoke marijuanain muskogee ~ ~ we don't take notrips on lsd ~ ~ we don't burn no fast carsdown on main street ~ ~ we like livin' right andfeelin' free ~

~ we don't make no partyout of love ~ ~ we like pullin' handsand pitchin' wood ~ ~ we still let our hair growback long and shaggy ~ ~ like the hippies outin san francisco do ~ ~ i'm proud to be anokie from muskogee ~ ~ the place where evensquares can have a ball ~ ~ we still waive old glorydown at the courthouse ~ ~ and white lightnin' is stillthe bigest thrll of al ~ ~ hey, double boots is stillin style for manly footwear ~

~ thieves and old badcyclones won't be seen ~ ~ and football is still theroughest thing on campus ~ ~ and the kids there stillrespect the college dean ~ >> sing it with me! ~ and i'm proud to bean okie from muskogee ~ ~ a place where even squarescan have a ball ~ ~ white lightnin's still thebiggest thrill of all ~ ~ they still waive old glorydown at the courthouse in miscogy, oklahoma, u.s.a. ~

>> i do not understand theconcept of going off intoanother room with somebody, or into a car and say thati'm gonna -- we're gonnawrite a song. and i know some of my closestfriends that do that and havesuccess at it. but, uh, i don't know howthey can write anythingspontaneously if they're out -- sweatingout something. and i was always afraid imight be sweating out a badsong and miss a hit. >> sara evans sings ahaggard classic after this. >> "if we make it throughdecember" has always been oneof my favorite merle songs. um, because it -- it's atouching tale about a mantalking to his little girl,

basically, or thinking tohimself about how he wantedchristmas to be right for daddy's little girl. the lyric is "i don't meanto hate december. it's meant to bethe happy time of year. my little girl don'tunderstand why daddy can'tafford no christmas cheer." and it's just about hardtimes in the wintertime. >> that's always been one ofmy favorite christmas songs because it's just from anentirely differentperspective. it's not "jingle bells" orsomething happy.

it's, you know --talks about what a lotof people go through during the holiday season. that they're poor, and it'snot a lot of fun for them. and he just has --he has such a wayof telling a story. incredible. ~ if we make it throughdecember [ applause ] ~ ~ everything's gonna beall right, i know ~ ~ it's the coldest timeof winter, ~ ~ and i shiver wheni see the fallin' snow ~

~ if we make itthrough december ~ ~ i got plans to bein a warmer towncome summertime ~ ~ maybe even california ~ ~ if we make it throughdecember we'll be fine ~ ~ i got laid off downat the factory ~ ~ and their timin's not thegreatest in the world ~ ~ heaven knows howi've been workin' hard ~ ~ wanted christmasto be right for daddy's girl ~ ~ i don't meanto hate december ~

~ it's meant to bethe happy time of year ~ ~ but my little girldon't understand ~ ~ why daddy can't affordno christmas cheer ~ ~ but if we makeit through december ~ ~ everything's gonnabe all right, i know ~ ~ it's the coldesttime of winter ~ >> more haggard hitsstill to come. >> i remember one timein particular when i broke up withone of my wives likei'm sure he did.

i was very romanticat that time, andi had a new girlfriend. i would sing hermerle haggard songs. " today i startedloving you again." and, you know,it was things like that. you know, i'd listen to hismusic a lot then cause, you know, it was a time in mylife when i was feelingcertain yearnings, and certain emotionaldisplacements, and certain things -- timeswhen i wanted to reach outfor somebody new. so his music was pretty, uh,pretty, you know, aproposfor that time in my life.

~ today i startedloving you again ~ ~ and i'm right back wherei've really always been ~ ~ i got over youjust long enough ~ ~ to let my heartache mend ~ ~ and then today i startedlovin' you again ~ ~ what a fool i wasto think i could get by ~ ~ with only these fewmillion tears i cry ~ ~ i should have knownthe worst was yet to come ~ ~ and the cryin' timefor me had just begun ~

~ today i startedlovin' you again ~ ~ to let heartache mend ~ ~ then today, i startedlovin' you again ~ ~ then today, i startedlovin' you -- again ~ >> the lyricsto merle haggard, i think, will -- will last a longtime, uh, after he's gone. >> i wish we had more merlehaggards in this --in this world. i wish i was morelike merle haggard. >> i knew i'e wante to sinharmony with him, uh,

the rest of my life as far asi was concerned. that's exactly whati wanted -- we hada good sound together. and, uh, he's the best. may as well workwith the best. >> if i could use theword "jones" to listento hag sometimes when he comes on the radio orsomething, and you hear it, you want to drag your cd outand plug it back in and get alittle shot of the hag. >> i think that his songswill be very enduring because he's a -- he's awonderful poetic writer,

plus he's amarvelous singer. i mean his pitch and sense ofmusic is wonderful. i think people will alwaysrelate to that. >> i think through his songswe've gotten to know whomerle haggard is, really, because he's -- he's laid itout for the world to see right there on paperand in music. and he's -- he's told it withhonesty, and, uh -- you know, it takes a brave man to layhis soul out there foreverybody to see. >> stay tuned for an all-star"working man blues."

>> merle was riding somewherebetween tucson and l.a.bonnie was driving the car. >> i was trying to writesomething that wascapable of doing as well as "folsom prison blues,"you know. that was my -- i was thinkingabout a song of that sort that would be appealingto -- to the men. and, uh, directed that way,and i thought, you know,"working man blues." >> talking about the "workingman blues," it's a song. what it really means, andwhat it kind of represents. and it kind of crystallizeswhat the working man is tomerle and his country.

>> i suppose merle has alwaysspoken for the working man which is what --working man and woman -- which is really what countrymusic is all about. >> good, honest, homespun,heartfelt poetry. ~ it's a big job gettin' bywith 9 kids and a wife ~ ~ yeah, but i've beena workin' man dang nearall my life ~ ~ and i keep on workin' ~ ~ as long as my two handsare fit to use ~ ~ i drink a little beerin the tavern ~

~ singin' a little bit ofthese workin' man blues ~ ~ i keep my nose to thegrindstone ~ ~ work hard every day ~ ~ i get tired on the weekendafter i draw my pay ~ ~ but i keep on workin' ~ ~ come monday morning i'mright back with those blues ~ ~ well, i drink a little beerin the evening ~ ~ well, sometimes i thinkabout leaving ~ ~ and doin' a littlebummin' around ~

~ i wanna throw my bibsout the window ~ ~ catch a trainto another town ~ ~ but i go back workin' ~ ~ yeah, i gotta buy my kids abrand new pair of shoes ~ ~ yeah, i drink a littlebeer in the tavern ~ ~ cry a little bit of theseworkin' man blues ~ >> here comes red! ~ well, i said hey, hey,workin' man ~ ~ workin' man like me ~

~ ain't never beenon welfare ~ ~ that's one placei won't be ~ ~ 'cause i'll be workin'~ ~ drink my beerat the tavern ~ ~ and cry a little bit of themworkin' man blues ~ >> this song goes outespecially to all theworkin' men in the house. funds for captioning providedby the u.s. dept. of educationand captioning performed byrapidtext, newport beach, ca. tnn vhs recording 1998p.olson