Haggard laments changes in country music

Kirk Baird

Friday, Sept. 22, 2000 | 8:41 a.m.

On Merle Haggard's soon-to-be-released album, "If Only I Could Fly," he sings, "wishing all these old things were new."

Actually, it's more the opposite.

Chatting from his bus while touring through California (Haggard performs Saturday at Boulder Station), the legendary country singer had no qualms about his longing for the past -- especially when it comes to today's country musician.

"There are few great artists that are offering anything right now," Haggard said. "There's one Michael Crawford, one Hank Williams, one Elvis Presley. Where's the guy who represents country music right now? I can't name one. I wish I could."

And then there's his take on the music.

"I bet you can't whistle anything that's been put out in the last 18 months," he said. "I don't have a good opinion of the new songs. To be honest, I don't listen."

If he seems a bit tough on the new country, that's OK. When someone has the kind of resume 63-year-old Haggard does -- 39 No. 1 country hits, multiple awards from the Country Music Association and Grammys and a Country Music Hall of Famer -- you're allowed to speak your mind.

And now he's taking the country music industry to task.

"You can't say as much now as you could back then. You've got to protect your sponsors," Haggard said. "As time goes by we seem to have less say and (less) freedom."

In that regard, Haggard considers himself a rare commodity: a performer who has no problems expressing himself lyrically or musically.

For example, on the new album he sings about his checkered past -- the run-ins with the law, the drug addiction -- and wraps the lyrics around stripped-down arrangements that feature the best of Americana: country, blues, bluegrass and the occasional foray into jazz.

It's an eclectic album, to be sure, one in which Haggard is particularly proud of. "It's one of the best I've done," he said.

It also further demonstrates Haggard as a musician's musician.

At a point where it would be easy to coast on the creativity of years past, Haggard (nearly 40 years into his career) has no problems pushing himself as an artist.

So it's no wonder he doesn't understand why others aren't following suit. For that he blames both consumers and the powers that be in the record industry.

"It saddens me to see a society go for it," Haggard said. "Why are we not allowed to hear something of a wider variety? Why are there two cows in America: one brown, one black? What happened to the spotted cow?

"I'm sort of the ol' spotted cow."

But the "ol' spotted cow" continues to find interest.

In addition to "Fly," Haggard has a gospel album in the works and sang on Johnny Cash's upcoming record.

Then there are the tours.

Haggard said he continues to hit the road every month as he's done for years with the Strangers.

And on any given night he and the 10-piece band will cover most any musical style, depending on what the audience wants.

Keeping the set loose is a way to make things exciting for the band, which, Haggard said proudly, hasn't rehearsed in two months.

But that doesn't mean it always works.

"It's just like the game of baseball: You try to go out there and try to hit a home run but it doesn't happen all the time," he said.

If it seems Haggard isn't willing to slow down, why should he? The last decade wasn't particularly kind to the musician, who filed for bankruptcy and left his record label, Curb Records.

Now with a new deal on Anti records, and a strong album to boot, Haggard again seems to be riding high.

"If I'm not at the top of it, I probably won't ever get there," he joked. "Actually, I'm probably on the down side of my mountain. But I'm still enjoying good crowds and the applause when I walk on stage.

"I can't gripe about my life. All I can do is say thanks to my fans and to the good Lord and just keep on living."

And for millions of Haggard fans, that's good enough.