Country Icon Merle Haggard Has Passed Away on His 79th Birthday

Photo courtesy of the artist

Numerous outlets are reporting that Merle Haggard, one of the greatest country musicians of all time, has passed away at the age of 79. His manager confirmed that Haggard, a Grammy-winning native of Bakersfield, CA and architect of the iconic "Bakersfield sound," died at his home in California at 9:20am this morning. He is survived by his wife, Theresa, whom he married in 1993, and his children Dana, Marty, Kelli, Noel, Ben and Jenessa.

In one last stroke of wry poetic justice from this beloved outlaw and working man's poet, today was his birthday.