Merle Haggard: At 78

Live at Keswick Theatre June 4th 2015

Courtesy of Paul Mamolou

When I heard that Merle Haggard was going to play the Keswick Theatre just outside Philadelphia, I knew I had to go. I’m a firm believer in seeing the greats as many times as possible and at 78, and a lung cancer survivor, it is possible he might not make it to this side of the country again. I’ve been listening to Merle Haggard since the late ’60s, saw him the first time in the early ’70s, and have seen him at least once every decade since, and sometimes a lot more than that. Haggard is not only one of the truly great songwriters in country music (and as far as I’m concerned, one of the great songwriters period), but he is one of the great traditionalists, and has paid tribute in albums devoted to such artists as Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys and Lefty Frizzell as well as exploring New Orleans blues, gospel music and bluegrass. His band, The Strangers has long been one of the best if not the best band in all of country music.

In the Keswick P…