The Merle Haggard story with the Spokane River Band and IN Country

The list of pioneering musicians lost in 2016 is incredibly depressing. Among country musicians, none hit as hard as Merle Haggard, who died of pneumonia in April on the morning of his 79th birthday. The Hag was working until the end, touring like a man possessed in his final years. Maybe he was making up for time lost in prison in his younger days. The Spokane River Band has put together a unique gig to pay tribute to Haggard’s life and decades of classic hits like “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” “Mama Tried” and “Workin’ Man Blues.” They’ll be playing his tunes, as well as those of some artists who influenced the man, along with incorporating pictures and stories for one special show.