When John Anderson stepped onto the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 6, 2017, the occasion carried a connection reaching back thirty-seven years.
Merle Haggard had once invited John Anderson on tour as an opening act. Now John Anderson was singing in a concert honoring Merle Haggard, with Ben Haggard helping direct the evening’s music and the Strangers continuing to play.
The date was both the first anniversary of Merle Haggard’s death and what would have been Merle Haggard’s 80th birthday.
The invitation that came decades earlier
In 1980, John Anderson was still establishing a recording career. Merle Haggard heard something worth encouraging and invited John Anderson to open a series of concerts.
During the first weekend of that tour, Merle Haggard welcomed John Anderson onto the bus. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s account, Merle Haggard wanted to express admiration for John Anderson’s recording of “Your Lying Blue Eyes.”
Then the conversation moved beyond the record.
“Do you love it, son?”
“Do you really love it?”
John Anderson understood the question as something larger than whether a particular song sounded good. Merle Haggard was asking about a lasting commitment to country music and its traditions.
John Anderson answered yes. The invitation gave the younger singer access to an audience that appreciated the kind of country music John Anderson wanted to make. It also began a friendship that continued long after those early opening slots.
Ben Haggard’s place in the tribute
The 2017 concert, Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard, brought friends, family, and performers from several generations together at Bridgestone Arena.
Ben Haggard had responsibilities beyond appearing on the bill. Alongside Don Was and Buddy Cannon, Ben Haggard served as one of the musical directors, helping oversee the musicians backing the evening’s performances.
Theresa Haggard was among the show’s creators and executive producers, together with Keith Wortman and Mark Rothbaum. The family’s involvement extended through the production as well as the performances.
Ben Haggard opened the evening with the Strangers. Later, John Anderson took a turn at the microphone, singing “Big City” with the band so closely associated with Merle Haggard.
For listeners familiar with the earlier friendship, those names carried their own history: the singer Merle Haggard had encouraged, the son participating in the musical direction, and the musicians who had helped bring Merle Haggard’s songs to audiences.
A familiar voice singing a friend’s song
The setting kept attention on that music. Contemporary coverage described an American flag backdrop and a sketched portrait of Merle Haggard overlooking the stage. Archival footage appeared between performances, bringing Merle Haggard’s voice and memories into the program.
John Anderson’s contribution was “Big City,” delivered in the unmistakable voice that Merle Haggard had recognized decades earlier. The Strangers supplied a direct musical connection to the artist being remembered.
The evening eventually brought the performers and family together for “Okie from Muskogee.” Across the program, familiar songs passed between longtime friends, fellow musicians, and the next generation.
In 1980, Merle Haggard had made room for John Anderson on a concert bill. Thirty-seven years later, John Anderson returned that friendship through a performance, while Ben Haggard helped guide the music honoring a father.
John Anderson sang. Ben Haggard helped lead the evening. The Strangers played the songs they knew.