I mean, if you’re gonna tip the cap to Merle Haggard, there might not be a better crew to do it with.
On April 6th, 2016, the country music world lost a legend named Merle Haggard. Merle was scheduled to play a show in Enid, Oklahoma, with Willie Nelson a few days later. At the time, Willie was also touring with two other guys you might’ve heard of… Jamey Johnson and Chris Stapleton.
They also happened to recruit this other guy that you may have heard of… Ryan Bingham
And if nothing else, let this serve as a reminder to go see great songwriters as much as you can. Can you imagine seeing Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson and Ryan Bingham at a smaller venue now in 2024? The only place you can see these three on the same stage is a festival, and as fun as festivals are, you’ll never forget the night you saw your favorite artists cutting their teeth in a small bar or club, even a ballroom… before they blow up.
But back to the story at hand…
In honor of the great Merle Haggard who was supposed to be performing there that night, Jamey, Chris, his wife Morgane and Ryan Bingham took the stage for an all-star tribute performance of “Sing Me Back Home.” And they performed a number of other Merle tunes that night as well.
Jamey Johnson introduced this particular performance as such:
“It amazes me to think that this man wrote this song.”
Not sure if it gets much better than this… check it out:
Jamey Johnson On Covering Country Music Legends
Jamey Johnson is about as real as they come, as he prides himself in writing songs about real life, everything from hardships growing up, to personal experiences.
A few years back, he sat down for an interview with the Country Music Hall of Fame, discussing the importance of carrying on the legacy of country stars who both inspired and came before him. In the video, he talks about how many of the all time greats in country music have passed on, from Merle Haggard, to Johnny Cash, to George Jones.
His biggest fear is that shallow songwriting about “beer” and “partyin'” could erase the memory and importance of the true country music legends.
“Without people like me out there covering their songs, they just stop. If nobody was singing Johnny Cash, there’s a whole generation that would grow up without Johnny Cash. And if you ask me, that’s not gonna be a good world.
The young artists today… it’s important they learn those songs, it’s important that they pass it along. That you pay respect but that you also pass along the ministry of those important singers. They had a lot to say that matters.”
He also discussed how he didn’t realize the importance and relatability of those songs until a little later in his music career:
“You don’t realize that until you get some age to ya… when I was young, I didn’t understand Merle Haggard lyrics, the same way that I did when I got to be 25, 30, 40 years old. Those lyrics hold more truth, and more wisdom, and more meaning than you could possibly realize.
I just view myself as a torch that’s passing down (music) from one generation to the next, and if I could be used in that way, maybe that’s a good purpose.”
Real recognizes real.
And speaking of covers, check out this badass video of Jamey covering a George Jones medley:
Jamey Releases First Song In Nearly A Decade
Jamey Johnson is officially BACK.
While he’s never stopped performing, it’s been a long time since we’ve heard any new music from the Enterprise, Alabama native. Part of this was due to a concussion he suffered back around 2010 when he slipped on ice and hit his head, making it hard for him to access the creative part of his brain.
For years at this point we’ve been begging for some new Jamey Johnson music (his last original album was The Guitar Song in 2010 and last solo single was “You Can” in 2015) and now, we don’t have to wait any longer. Johnson released a brand new single, “21 Guns,” and man I was not prepared for emotions like that this early in the morning.
The song is an ode to the Marines of sorts and Jamey got the inspiration while attending too many funerals for young soldiers. Johnson himself served in the Marine Corps from 1994 to 2002 and reached the rank of corporal, which makes these lines hit even deeper:
“A preacher stammers through a nice verse
Does his best to eulogize
At times like this there ain’t no right words
The rifles fire and your life flashes right before my eyes
I don’t need no one to tell me you’re a hero
Hell I’ve known that ever since you were young
And there ain’t words to say how proud we all are of you son
Nothing says job well done like 21 guns”
Sonically, it’s right in Jamey’s wheelhouse. The baritone of the low notes resonates and his ability to surprise you with the melody while keeping it smooth is as impressive as ever.
Johnson spoke about what this song means to him:
“I wrote it because I have gone to too many funerals of Marines I served with that were just too young. When they die young, you always remember them that way, which is unfair. Guys that heroic that die that young deserve the right to grow old and they didn’t get to.
But it is also being at those funerals and seeing their parents who seem much too young to have a child die in that way and wondering what must be going through their minds. This song is the answer to that question.”
My heart was aching reading that and giving the song a relisten only made it hit deeper.
Fingers crossed this means a brand new album won’t be too far off. Thank you to all the service men and woman who would and have given their lives to keep us safe here at home. We’ll never forget the sacrifices you’ve all made and owe you a debt we can never repay.
Semper Fi.
