Country music icon Merle Haggard has passed away at the age of 79.
If country's maverick, outlaw spirit could be distilled into one artist, then that artist could well have been Merle Haggard.
Born in Bakersfield, California in 1937, his troubled youth led to extended spells in juvenile detention centres, later spending prolonged periods in jail.
An inmate of San Quentin prison when Johnny Cash played there, he later earned stardom after hits such as 'Sing Me A Sad Song' and 'I'm A Lonesome Fugitive'.
Always a thorn in the country establishment's side, Merle Haggard trod his own path – even baiting the counter-culture with his phenomenally successful single 'Okie From Muskogee'.
Scoring forty number one singles on the country chart, the songwriter became a true American icon. Fittingly, his final album 'Django And Jimmie' was a 2015 collaboration with fellow icon Willie Nelson.
Concerns over the singer's health emerged yesterday (April 6th) before son Ben Haggard broke the news via an emotional statement.
Merle Haggard died of pneumonia on his 79th birthday – read Ben Haggard's statement below.
A week ago dad told us he was gonna pass on his birthday, and he wasn't wrong. A hour ago he took his last breath…
Posted by Ben Haggard on Wednesday, 6 April 2016
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