I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle...

It's a quote from an old Pure Prairie League song and it is the least I can do since I have got a lot of miles out of his songs, playing them many times while performing in country bands. This year at Riot Fest we saw Merle Haggard. A bit of an old choice what with Snopp Dogg, Iggy Pop and others but if you consider that two of Bob Marley's sons and Lee "Scratch" Perry also played the fest maybe not.

The reason I lump Merle with the reggae performers is because of the marijuana joke he made during his set. He has probably told this joke since the song "Okie from Muskogee" was released in 1969. Merle said "Now I'm going to sing a song about marijuana." The crowd roared approval. Merle replied, "Hey I didn't say I was going to give you some."    

Merle has not lost a step. Voice is in great shape, lead guitar playing through a Fender tweed style amp is sweetly slightly on the dirty side, fiddle playing is no slouch and the backing band is great. Go see him while he's still around and at the top of the game. 

Since Merle likes a bit of parody and humor himself here is the old Pure Prairie League tune: