I loved Merle's music but in concert he was a Mutt. He didn't mix it up with the audience at all, during every song he would turn his back on the audience during instrument solos so 50% or more of the time he was showing his back and facing the band also in between songs. No personality at all, maybe a raging hangover, who knows. It kind of took the gloss off of seeing him live and made me wonder if he just tuned it up in front of TV cameras or important friends and didn't give a f#ck when he was off camera. Back up band was good but Merle completely sucked all the energy out of a live performance. I saw Alabama, Rita, even Wayne Newton in Vegas and they all put on a great great shows but honestly, Haggard's wasn't worth the money it cost, not even close.
I'm going to give this one a try. Once, I saw him, may have been on Austin City Limits. He looked like he wished he was anywhere else. There's a video on Youtube of him doing several old Bob Wills songs with members of the original Bob Wills band. It's pretty good.
Was in the audience for Cash at San Quentin motivated him to straighten up. Great story. One of the top all time album selling musicians, yes I know I could not believe it either. Married Buck Owens ex and stayed that way.
From 1988. That was a good year.
ReplyDeleteI loved Merle's music but in concert he was a Mutt. He didn't mix it up with the audience at all, during every song he would turn his back on the audience during instrument solos so 50% or more of the time he was showing his back and facing the band also in between songs. No personality at all, maybe a raging hangover, who knows. It kind of took the gloss off of seeing him live and made me wonder if he just tuned it up in front of TV cameras or important friends and didn't give a f#ck when he was off camera. Back up band was good but Merle completely sucked all the energy out of a live performance. I saw Alabama, Rita, even Wayne Newton in Vegas and they all put on a great great shows but honestly, Haggard's wasn't worth the money it cost, not even close.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to give this one a try. Once, I saw him, may have been on Austin City Limits. He looked like he wished he was anywhere else. There's a video on Youtube of him doing several old Bob Wills songs with members of the original Bob Wills band. It's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteWas in the audience for Cash at San Quentin motivated him to straighten up. Great story. One of the top all time album selling musicians, yes I know I could not believe it either. Married Buck Owens ex and stayed that way.
ReplyDelete