Helping his friend go out with dignity.
Outlaw country pioneer Merle Haggard passed away April 6, 2016 at the age of 79. But despite his failing health, the Hag kept touring until just weeks before his death.
In December 2015, Haggard was hospitalized for pneumonia, forcing him to cancel several concerts.
The legend returned to the stage on February 6, 2016 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, at the Safari Club International’s annual convention – but he needed some help to get through the show.
Toby Keith was good friends with Merle, and happened to be in town for the Super Bowl. So when he heard that was in town to play a private event, he knew that he had to go see his ailing friend – before quickly realizing that Merle was in no shape to perform:
“They paid him like 3 times what he’s used to getting. And he showed up for that one day, and I said ‘Why are you working? You’re sick.’ He was on an oxygen hose. And I said, ‘Why are you here?’
He said, ‘I was about to lose my band because we’ve been off the road so long. This was such a big date, if I can get through this thing it’ll hold my band until I get well.'”
Merle was so worried about paying his band that he was determined to get through his show. But he knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and told Toby that their soundcheck had been “a wreck.”
He also asked Toby if he would get up and sing with them, and the Big Dog Daddy assured Merle that he would be ready if he needed him.
Well sure enough, according to Toby, Merle got about 8 songs into the setlist before he needed some help to make it through the rest of the show. So he got up on stage – but instead of performing one of his own songs, he told Merle to just continue with his setlist, and he would help him get through it:
“He said, ‘What do you wanna play?’ I said, ‘Whatever’s next.'”
Merle was able to get through the show with Toby’s help, and Toby recalled walking off the stage with Merle that evening:
“Walked out and hugged my neck, told me he loved me and said ‘Thanks for helping me get my check.'”
That turned out to be the last time Toby would see his friend Merle Haggard, though Merle would go on to take the stage two more times that month, at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills and the Paramount Theatre in Oakland – both in his home state of California.
As Merle’s friend and actor W. Earl Brown, who was in Vegas that night, recalled the show:
“Never speak ill of Toby Keith to me; thanks to him, Merle exited the stage with his dignity intact.”
Obviously now that we’ve lost Toby Keith too, that show has to be even more special for those who were lucky enough to see it. Two country music legends, sharing the stage for the final time together.
