The world lost a memorable voice today, as Merle Haggard passed away on his birthday in his California home at the age of 79.
From The Political Insider:
Country Music Legend Merle Haggard has passed away on his birthday. He was inducted into the Country Hall of Fame in 1994.
He was 79 years-old and died in California at home.
Along with legendary Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the “Bakersfield sound” which is characterized by the unique twang of the Fender Telecaster and the mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound, new vocal harmony styles in which the words are minimal, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville sound recordings of the same era.
By the early 1970s, Haggard was aligned with the growing outlaw country movement, and has continued to release successful albums through the 1990s and into the 2000s.