Garth Brooks remembers Merle Haggard: He was 'the greatest country artist of all time' (Exclusive)
Like millions, Garth Brooks grew up on the music of Merle Haggard. Below, in his own words, he shares some of his memories of the legend, who died April 6.
The first song of Haggard's I remember hearing [was] "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down." That was because of my dad. From the time before you could walk, Haggard was playing in the house.
I was at the Crazy Horse [Steak House & Saloon, in Santa Ana, Calif.] in the early '90s. It's the first time I'd seen Haggard play live. I'm crying like a baby, standing in the back shadows. He says, "I hear Garth Brooks is in the audience tonight." And my whole throat just tightened up. I was like, "Please, I'll never make it. I'll just bawl like a baby." He said, "I'd love for him and come up here and sing, but the truth is I got enough of my own songs to sing tonight." And the place laughed and I started laughing through my tears and he went into something like "Okie From Muskogee." It was so perfect.
I met him that night. It was surreal. You're looking in the eyes of the guy you'd stared at [on] his album covers forever. It was cool. I actually was proud of myself that I handled it better than I did meeting [George] Jones. I met Jones first and I think how much I embarrassed myself around Jones from just uncontrollably crying and how much I embarrassed Jones by doing it. I think that kind of helped me with Haggard. [I told him] how much he meant to my dad (chokes up). He got my dad through a lot of hard times. If you're going to lead a generation through some hard times, it's going to be because you've gone through hard times yourself.
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Haggard and I talked on the phone. I so enjoyed those talks because it helped me in my career. The last time I talked to Haggard was about [2014's Working Man's Poet: A Tribute to Merle Haggard], and he was very sweet. He heard I had cut "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" [for Brooks' 2013 Blame It All On My Roots: Five Decades Of Influences box set]. He said, "Can I have that [recording for the tribute album]?" I reminded him, "Merle, understand, I know every song you've ever done. Every song. Every album cut. Everything. Anything you want done on this, please let me know." He said, "Nope. That way I don't trouble you and I get what I need." He was a very common sense guy, which I loved. That was Haggard. He wouldn't take up a lot of time. He'd just say what he meant, meant what he said and go on. I cherish those moments with him.
He is the all-around guy. If you score it on songwriting, entertaining, musicianship, records, touring, all that stuff, Haggard is the greatest country artist of all time.
-- As told to Melinda Newman
A version of this story originally appeared in the April 16 issue of Billboard.
