Girldad Reacts to Merle Haggard's The Farmer's Daughter

[@Bijou2013]

Merle was an inmate in San Quentin prison the day he turned 20 years old. He attended a concert that Johnny Cash gave at the prison. He was so inspired and in awe of Johnny that he vowed on the spot to reform, get out of prison and become a country music star - that's exactly what he did. He had the opportunity later to meet Johnny. They became very close friends and stayed that way until Johnny's death. Merle and Willie Nelson recorded a song called Missing Ole Johnny Cash that you should check out

[@orlandoprouty7962]

No one sings country like Merle!!!!The greatest!

[@jrobb3823]

I'm 66 years old, I grew up listening to Merle Haggard, this was one of his unknown jewels that never got the airplay it deserved. One of my most favorite Merle songs.

[@jasonhobbs9636]

Merle is one where you can just pick a song, any song, and it will be a winner. He just got better and better throughout his career. The king of vocal phrasing!

[@susanyoung2063]

Merle is a legend! Love Merle!

[@DewayneGore]

I grew up listening to Merle Haggard. My mother worked late nights cooking and waiting tables at a truckstop trying to take care of me, my sister, and my little brother, while Merle Haggard singing "Silver Wings", "Okie from Muskogee", and "Workin' Man Blues" were played in the background. I cut my guitar teeth on his songs.

[@tracyblack5671]

My mom dearly and passionately loved Merle Haggard. She wanted with all her heart to see him in person. The day came when he was appearing near us so I got tickets, made accommodations for her disabilities and surprised her. The morning of the concert we found out Merles manager had suddenly passed away and they canceled the concert. Mom died about 3 years later having never been able to see her “boyfriend” Merle perform. So every time I hear him I am flooded with sweet memories of my mom! I like to think somewhere in the afterlife she was finally able to see him. Brings a smile to my face.

[@latheragels4216]

Merle was the first entertainer that ever passed that ever caused me to feel grief like I had lost a family member. And I believe it is because he sang so many songs that directly reflected what I felt. I didn't feel that way again until Toby Keith passed. Moe Bandy wrote a song about guys like this. It is called "Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life". And after Merle's passing I gained a much greater understanding of my dad's feelings for the loss of Hank.

[@robertkassinger7821]

The woman in the purple and black outfit is Bonnie Owens, first married to Buck Owens, then Haggard's second wife, and a star in her own right. She was instrumental in establishing Haggard in country music and, although they divorced in 1978, she continued to sing in his band until her death in 2008.

[@CoachNancy-CoS]

RIP Mighty Merle. You are my favorite memory of all.

[@Upsidedownguitar63]

You have no idea the legend you just listened to. To start...Haggard has recorded more than 600 songs, about 250 of them his own compositions. (He often shared writing credits as gestures of financial and personal largess.) He has had thirty-eight #1 songs, and his “Today I Started Loving You Again” (Capitol, 1968) has been recorded by nearly 400 other artists.

[@davidburchfield2720]

Amen 🙏

[@1bundy11]

THE HAG will always be my favorite. His life was like something you’d see in a movie. The man was the very best of all time & could play any instrument. He wrote,sang & literally lived his songs.

[@warrenburlingame1172]

The morning Merle passed i actually shed really tears

[@celinelovell4725]

Sing me back home is probably one of my favorite songs

[@MichaelSisley-fw3xr]

Mine also. It is a fine one.

[@30484761fa]

I’ve never been crazy about country western music, but I could listen to “The Hag” all day long.

[@Momomany70]

When I hear The Farmer’s Daughter, I think of f my daddy and me. I grew up listening to this song. He was a rancher but we also had a piece of land my brothers and I grew up on called “the farm”. I still remember when he walked me down the aisle almost 30 years ago, I was the one holding back the tears. I was so proud to be his daughter. This song brings back so many memories of the man who has been gone 10 years now. Love you, Daddy. I love me some Merle. His songs were always about real life.

[@GrandmaShirley-op4jm]

My daughter, my sister and bro in law saw Merle in a truck stop in Arizona in his later years. He was gracious and signed a couple of place mats. I found tgem going through my sisters things after she passed. I gave them to my daughter, who was 7 when she met him. She just turned 43.

[@vernacohen6988]

I've seen Merle by himself once, love him. Then I was at a Willie Nelson concert and Merle came to play in the band. Blessed to have seen them both live. Two true greats.

[@BarbaraABryant]

Merle will take you on a journey, listen to everything and take notes. Kern River is my favorite, Pancho & Lefty is next. The Farmer's Daughter is my husband's favorite because it reminds him of when he first met my Dad. Hag made several "concept" albums: Same Train - A Different Time--tribute to Jimmie Rodgers (1969)*, and A Tribute To The World's Best Damn Fiddle Player (or My Salute To Bob Wills), (1970). You will learn more about country music, jazz, honky tonk, and folk from these 2 releases than a college semester course on country could ever teach, but I am biased. Emmylou: Makin' Believe, Sweet Dreams, Gulf Coast Highway, and lots more. Oh, the fiddle: if you notice there a 2 fiddles playing together, that is called "twin fiddles". That style was popularized by Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys a Texas Swing Dance band of the 40's, 50', & 60's. Merle learned to play the fiddle so he could make his tribute to Bob. *Jimmie Rodgers "The Singing Brakeman" is called the Father of country music.

[@edbarlow3985]

I'm here because I love the fact that you now appreciate Country. Also I'm a dad of 2 daughters, a grammpy to 2 amazing grand daughters (one in college in Utah) and now a great grand daughter. I love seeing you express your emotions with no embaressment.

[@JeannineMoline]

Hey! Sebs, you've asked about Honky-tonk, a term first used for disreputable bars where country music was usually played. It became a term for a genre of country that is stripped down (no orchestra backups, etc), with a heavy beat, and lyrics that frequently center around misfortune or vice. Merle was born in Oildale, CA (Bakersfield, CA). The Bakersfield Sound is a sub-genre of Country that developed around Bakersfield (about 120 miles from where I live! Merle actually was co-owner of a bar in the town where I grew up and still live today.) and is a "honky-tonk" style with rock influences, heavy backbeat, and closer to a bar band style instrumentation (guitar, bass, drums, and fiddle and not a lot more. ) Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County, 47th largest city in the US, 9th in CA. Located in the lower end of the San Jouquin Valley in the Central Valley region of CA. Lower third of California it's inland but closer to the coast than to the eastern border. :)

[@pinky2245]

Merle Haggard, the legend! Most incredible voice ever! Love all of his music!

[@diannthomas5653]

One of the first songs my dad taught me to sing was Merle’s song “All my Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers”

[@melaniewalker4060]

My father used to sing silver wings to me when i was a young girl flying back and forth from Oklahoma and Va. I did it every six months until i was twelve. I was living two complete lives. One of poverty and sexual abuse. At my dad's we had plenty and i was safe. But i didnt tell anyone. This song soothed me and all Merle Haggard. If we make it thru December. Mama tried. Working mans blues... endless

[@markoehler2752]

“What a talent” lol look up “country music” & you’ll find a picture of Merle. He is one of the 5 biggest stars of the genre of all time. Hard to put him over Hank or Mabelle, but he’s up there with Jones. In fact, for decades, country music was defined as “Haggard & Jones”, I wish it still was!

[@BlackCat-dm7se]

for sure, if there was a mount rushmore for country artists Merle is most certainly on it

[@wlg1223]

My favorite singer.

[@MrDalebenberger]

That was a great and heartwarming performance by Merle. I love your enthusiasm Sebastian.

[@maggedo-x1s]

Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee" was my Oklahoman Dad's fave song of his 'cause "Okie's" are what Oklahomans called themselves back then! & now! 👍

[@Kaya084]

Muskogee just unveiled a Merle haggard statute in front of the civic center. It was on the anniversary of Okie from Muskogee. Those of use that were born in Oklahoma are referred to as Okies

[@MaryYoung-o1e]

My mom and dad were both born in Oklahoma and I heard a lot of "Okie from Muskogee". To this day it is one of my favorite Merle Haggard's songs.

[@maggedo-x1s]

@MaryYoung-o1e 👍😍👍 My Dad had said: "If I don't go to Heaven when I die, it'll be okay, 'cause I was born in Oklahoma, & Heaven can't be better than that!" 🤭🤞

[@matthewlee6168]

I love Merle's music (I've seen him live twice) and this is one of my favorites. I will be giving away my oldest daughter in marriage next month--and there will most definitely be tears in my eyes.

[@RogerMcCauley-s1e]

This was always such a great song. Merle was one of the best ever. Thanks for the reaction.

[@DianeGardner-i8d]

Love his voice- beautiful

[@roadwary]

Down to earth, no whining, good values

[@stanshearer7343]

You should try one of his obscure songs, The Man Who Picked The Wildwood Flower. It wasn't a hit for him, but it speaks so much. It only showed up on 1 album. It's about a street performer.

[@scottdarden3091]

In 1982 I was working with True Grit productions in San Diego, we had a show with Alabama, George Strait and Merle Haggard after the show everyone was on Haggard's bus partying he truly a great guy.

[@anthonylewis62]

Merle was the absolute best country singer that ever lived. i was fortunate enough to see him in concert in 1973 and omg, i can tell you that title is true. he was no doubt the absolute best. Check out this song sung by Mo Pitney.

[@CodyCloudWalker]

Best rendition I have heard, thanks.

[@susankn1]

Thanks!

[@donnysmith946]

Hey SEBS, just an FYI, the Song "Sing Me Back Home" was released in 1968 AND this song "The Farmer's Daughter" was released in 1971.. Thanks again for your Channel

[@757optim]

You can not go wrong with Merle Haggard. RIP Merle.

[@Bamaboompa]

👍‼️ (I’m not stalking you - I got in my truck trying to figure out how to change my clock!) For Election Day 2024 I don’t know which Merle would be more appropriate: 🎼Okie From Muskogee” or 🎼If We Make It Through December” Emmylou - That’s a 50 year journey. 1974 - I was listening to her at Sorority Lake Side Parties and she was not in the stacks at my Country Radio gig. Start with videos of her with her Hot Band performances on BBC “Old Grey Whistle Test” program. Great music & good audio/video.

[@jamiebrooks9636]

He’s what country is suppose to be a tear jerker and heart breaker it relates to your life

[@TexasGranny1961]

He did great impressions of other country stars too

[@donaldlong1764]

Daddy's girl by Red Sovine is another great father daughter song

[@MrAnimeWolf]

Merle was also a pretty good impressionist, you should definitely check him out doing impressions of some of his fellow country stars

[@carahaines1012]

The Violin sounds like “Go tell it on the mountain “.

[@karenj3611]

Check out “Are the good times really over for good” . Great song

[@thefunctionaloncologist7811]

Mighty Merle…Mama Tired ❤

[@rhonnak2996]

Momma Tried

[@johnk275]

Tried*

[@Chas_101]

Mama Tried

[@susanyoung2063]

If you haven't check these artist out you need to= Johnny Paycheck David Allen Coe Don Williams George Jones George Strait

[@gregmiracle9560]

Listen to Merle doing "Black Limousine"!!!

[@PapaFixit]

You love the story telling. Real life. 3 chords and the truth.

[@brightsprite62]

Mama tried, If we make it through December. Merle did every song great.

[@gregorypattakos7876]

Merle was the guy other musicians listen to . Johnny cash once said to Merle you are the man everybody thinks I am .

[@stevelambert6404]

Spend the next month checking out Merle you wont be disappointed. Mama tried, Okie from Muskogee etc,etc

[@simonegoyeneche114]

Always a favorite of mine

[@jeremyjackson3784]

glad you liked that one! Just do yourself a favor, and dive deep into Hag's library. It's wonderful!

[@michaelhoule9649]

Need to listen to Foster and Lloyd Texas in 1880

[@robertmooney571]

Sebs, I really wish you would do a reaction to the late Joe Diffie. He was incredible with story telling songs. "John Deere Green" is my favorite. I think you'd really enjoy it.

[@Chas_101]

Workin Man Blues, I think I'll just stay here and drink

[@johncarroll9489]

One of the best.

[@brendafarmer6810]

More Merle!

[@BlackCat-dm7se]

George Strait will always be the King to me, but Merle is a very close second imo, I'd recommend checking out Toby Keith's tribute to Merle at the awards show, he does a great medley of hits by The Hag

[@Fonoyb]

Listen to "MY WOMAN, MY WOMAN, MY WIFE" by Marty Robins. IT'S SUCH A BEQUTIFUL COUNTRY SONG

[@ChrisMenser]

In all forms music I always say there may have been better singers, may have been better songwriters may have been better musicians may have been better bandleaders but all around no one could touch him. He’s the Jim Thorpe of music

[@JCourts2k23]

You should check out Billy Dean, let them be little. You will more than likely cry

[@cindyw5457]

THIS is real country. Very little of this left today, if any. Sad.😢

[@Pauba1946]

React to “Oakie from Muskogee” and “Mama Tried”.

[@ernee5]

You should check out Merle Haggard " KERN RIVER" OR EARL THOMAS CONLEY " HONOR BOUND " OR EARL THOMAS CONLEY " WHAT SHE IS (IS A WOMAN IN LOVE " TY

[@mcgurganka]

What are you drinking? You always make it look deliciously refreshing!

[@janmatlock5081]

Merle Haggard and George Jones

[@susankn1]

Please check out Pablo Cruise album version of “Ocean Breeze”. It will blow you away!

[@laurashelton5942]

Check out Merle haggard if we make it through december

[@robertcampbell2793]

Listen to , today i started loving you again.

[@Fonoyb]

Why me Lord. By Kris Kristopherson

[@EOJ12989]

Real country, check out Joey and Rory....

[@brendamartin2611]

Classic

[@authorcharlieboring]

I raised my daughter to be independent. She became a professional and married. She became pregnant with twin girls. When both little girls died at birth, she could not handle it and I lost her. This song brings tears to my eyes for Lisa.

[@christie4336]

Sending a hug your way! God bless

[@Fonoyb]

I'm so sorry