Despite Reports, Merle Haggard is “Not on Death’s Door”
Being a Merle Haggard fan for the last few months has been like riding a roller coaster. The country legend canceled numerous tour dates back in December when it was discovered he was suffering from a double pneumonia. Merle took some time off to recover in the hospital and a treatment facility, and just when it appeared Merle was getting better, he canceled some January dates in New Mexico on the 30th and 31st. Then Merle was finally set to return to the stage on February 2nd at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California, but canceled at the very last minute. “Thank you to the fans who came out tonight in riverside! Sadly I’m just not strong enough yet,” Merle said on social media. Merle’s son Ben had opened the show before Merle’s fiddle player came out and announced the cancellation to the crowd.
Afterward, word came down that Merle had canceled all February dates to continue to rest up after the pneumonia, but then he ended up playing four of the canceled dates, including a couple in Las Vegas, and a show at the Saban Theatre in Beverley Hills with Kris Kristofferson on February 3rd. The other dates later in February remained canceled.
All of this, and a lack of official information has led to wild speculation about Merle Haggard’s health, if he’s possibly being forced to play shows when he isn’t up to it, or if fans are being given the run around for some reason. Then a report surfaced earlier this week from Country Weekly giving a fan’s account of Merle Haggard struggling to perform at his February 13th show in Oakland. “[He] could barely walk onto the stage. He didn’t need a hand or a cane, but he needed time, time to get to the mic,” said the fan.
The mood has swung from concern, to anger, and back to concern by some fans because dates were canceled last minute, and other dates that were announced as canceled ended up being played. But according to the Merle Haggard camp, everything is okay, the sky isn’t falling, and everything will soon return back to normal.
“Merle Haggard’s not on death’s door,” his publicist Tresa Redburn told Saving Country Music on Friday (2-19). “The lack of information is because there isn’t any. He had a double pneumonia and he’s resting. He did four shows out of the shows he canceled in December. He wasn’t quite strong enough to do the whole eight dates.”
One of the reasons no official word can down about the February dates was because it was a very fluid situation, with Merle deciding day by day if he was feeling well enough to perform. Merle has been telling some that performing helps him feel a little better as he continues his recovery.
“I saw him last Thursday and he was amazing,” says Tresa Redburn. “His voice was slightly weaker because of the illness, but it was an amazing show with him and Kris Kristofferson. He’s going to be 79 in April. He been a little bit weaker than usual, but he’s planning on continuing and doing his thing. The whole year rest of the dates haven’t been canceled.”
Merle has tour dates scheduled through the deep South starting on March 3rd in Arkansas. See Merle Haggard Tour Dates.
February 20, 2016 @ 11:36 am
Thank God he’s not on the verge of death or I might as well go to bed and cry myself for the rest of my life.
We can’t afford to lose such iconic country legends now. But the day will come, and tears will flow.
February 20, 2016 @ 2:58 pm
First David Bowie, Glenn Frey and now Merle Haggard almost got added on the list.
February 20, 2016 @ 5:57 pm
Yes, this is really almost intolerable cruelty, especially for the man himself. He’s a legend, and a certain amount of dignity, and Truth, are in order here (IMHO).
February 20, 2016 @ 6:48 pm
You forgot about Scott Weiland, Lemmy, and Maurice White.
February 20, 2016 @ 11:46 am
I’m glad I’ll get to see him and Willie in April!
February 22, 2016 @ 12:44 am
Don’t count on it.
February 23, 2016 @ 9:07 am
Two months man he’ll be fine.
February 20, 2016 @ 2:30 pm
Merle, might be time for a new publicist. You know, someone who communicates before rather than after.
February 21, 2016 @ 6:37 am
Or we can give him the benefit of the doubt for the 40+ years he’s put into making badass music and performing for fans… if his publicist is like the rest of his team she’s probably family or close to it.
February 20, 2016 @ 5:41 pm
Rumors like this always swirl around an aging superstar. Merle is one of the best songwriters country has to offer, really talented and a badass too. One of my hero’s, remember when he knocked out Guy Terrifico, lol j/k.
February 21, 2016 @ 6:26 am
Merle deserves to take all the time he needs and wants. I hope his fans respect his decision to cancel, and anyone who doesn’t at least have the decency to give him and his family privacy on the matter. I had the pleasure of seeing Merle and Willie last spring and he sounded amazing! Pnemonia at any age is hard but especially at 79… Praying he recovers quickly!
February 21, 2016 @ 10:15 pm
Praying for a full recovery. God bless you Merle.
February 21, 2016 @ 11:21 pm
The ‘unnamed’ person at the Oakland show, was being overdramatic, or ignorant to the fact that Merle always takes his time walking out , and across the stage to greet the audience, and maybe bask in it all a bit before he straps on his guitar, I was at the Oakland show also, I was backstage in fact, and even spoke with him on his bus before the show and he was feeling better, and in good spirits.
February 23, 2016 @ 5:12 am
Merle Is one of the greatest country singer and songwriter and I am proud to have his
name on my guitar along with George Jones, I am praying for his recovery in Jesus name
Amen.