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Merle Haggard Is Cancer-Free at the Kennedy Center Honors

Merle HaggardGetty Images

Merle Haggard was honored earlier this month at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C., and the artist was happy to say he did it free of cancer.

The country legend was honored along side ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, Broadway composer Jerry Herman, TV star Oprah Winfrey and dancer-choreographer Bill T. Jones. Vince Gill led the tribute to Haggard, who was honored by his friends Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson at the event. Merle Haggard, Nelson and Kristofferson also announced plans to work together on a supertrio project for 2011.

While the Kennedy Center Honor was a special night for Haggard, it was made even more-so thanks to an all-clear diagnosis from his doctors following his recent surgery to remove a cancerous lobe from his right lung. "I think I'm all right now," Haggard told Rolling Stone. "I went down and had a check-up just prior to going back for this little gig (Kennedy Center Honors) and I was clear. I didn't have anything, and that's an awful good sign."

Haggard went on to defend President Obama in the interview, saying "It's really almost criminal what they [the media] do with our President. There seems to be no shame or anything. They call him all kinds of names all day long, saying he's doing certain things that he's not. It's just a big old political game that I don't want to be part of."

He described his meeting with the President and First Lady as "very cordial" and that he was surprised to find President Obama "very humble."

"They made a special effort to make me feel welcome. It was not at all the way the media described him to be ... He's not conceited. He's very humble about being the President of the United States, especially in comparison to some presidents we've had who come across like they don't need anybody's help."

Watch Vince Gill pay tribute to Merle Haggard at the Kennedy Center Honors.



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will coe

I thought so!

December 30 2010 at 7:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
will coe

Response to Dave Mayo.

It is interesting to read your defense of Pres. Obama. It seems almost as if he were drafted for the job or perhaps it is the punishment he is suffering for some dire crime that he committed.

The Obama that the people voted for is not the one that they got. The people got a wolf in sheep's clothing. His entire agenda is to make the rich and working middle class pay for the deadbeats of society. He spends the taxpayers money wastefully. He took his two-week vacation at an expense of $2 million per day. He almost interrupted one vacation to take another. One thing we know is that he is not going to let fulfilling the duties of president interfere with his vacations. A remarkable amount of liberals realize that this is not working. I only hope we can hold on until the next election before he turns this country into a complete Third World country.

I am interested to read how you will defend his wife spending one half million dollars to visit and console her friend. Renting an entire five-star hotel for her friends was an outrageous expenditure of the taxpayers money. The next day after she returned, she went on another vacation at the taxpayers expense. I don't believe that the founding fathers of this country ever intended for the presidents' spouse to be entitled to such luxuries.

I am anxiously awaiting your defense of this conduct

December 30 2010 at 5:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Darlena

To the above comment....Oprah was there because she was also being honored.....
I don't think Merle has changed politically, he just like the president on a personal level....
A lot of grumpy, bitter comments on here...wow!!!

December 30 2010 at 3:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tony Martin

Hey Dave, Based on the PC in which Obama left the podium to Clinton and ran to catch Michelle, I doubt seriously that barak is working during vacation. He seems content to let others "Handle it'. You evidently missed the post concerning the obamas' planning their next vacation upon arriving from the current one. Me thinks you are a biased bo supporter.
Far as Merle's music, I consider myself the expert, since I know the words to every song he has done. Good day.

December 30 2010 at 2:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tony Martin

Let's try this for the 10th time-----Hey merle, remember "Stand up for the Flag and let's all ring the Liberty Bell"? Sounds like you let obama charm you, and yourself and outspoken American icon? Geeze Merle. I WAS your biggest fan---since 1968. Now, I shake my head at your prose.

December 30 2010 at 2:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dave Mayo

Merle Haggard transcribes the experiences he had and is still having in his songs. He is not making it up as he goes along. A lot of country is similar to the troubadours that roamed the country side and told stories in song as they wandered. He is a real person seasoned by time and experience and a favorite of mine. Listen to the words he puts in his songs. That's life. Those who are not a fan of Merle and country people like him are entitled to their opinion, but listen first. The music can not be trashed unless you understand the music and where it is coming from.

December 30 2010 at 2:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JEFF

AND NOW MERLE HAS SOLD AMERICA OUT SO HE CAN SIT BY OPERA. I THREW ALL MY MERLE MUSIC IN THE GARBAGE AND THE MAN CAN GO STRAIGHT TO ---- AS FAR AS I CARE. WHAT A FOOL.

December 30 2010 at 1:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dave Mayo

Nice comments Merle. Too bad he won't read them since he is still in Hawaii enjoying another vacation on tax dollar's being paid by the rest of us still working.

Nice Comments Suzie White. You do not have an understanding of the job the President has or the situation that President Obama put himself in to serve the country 24/7 365 days a year until his term has ended. Do you think he is "enjoying" the vacation as a private citizen would?


The President took the oath of office. Immediately there is a Bulleye put on him. Every crackpot wants to take a shot at him. That is NOT a perk!

The President is restricted. Maybe Clinton got away with sneaking out and doing the "wild thing", but I have not seen any such reports attached to President Obama.

President Obama does not have a "9 to 5" job. He does not have vacations. He gets briefed by his staff many times a day. His staff wakes him up all hours of the night. His private life is interrupted if he is a dinner or shopping with his wife or playing with his children. President Obama's hair will turn white. When you take a picture of him before and after the the term of office you will see the toll it takes on a person to be president.


The President may be in Hawaii, but being President is NOT a vacation until his term off office has ended. The President is NEVER off the clock.

Maybe we, the American people should fire the cooks and people involved in protecting him and transporting him by car and air. If a visitor comes to visit the President, they can all go to a fast food place to eat. The President is NOT a private citizen. He gave that up when he took the oath of office. He represents the United States Government, he must entertain foreign dignitaries.

Should we treat him like a private citizen and give him 2 weeks off to go to Hawaii on his own expense? Maybe we should buy him a bus pass or tell him to use his own car? Who takes over on nights and weekends and vacations? Do you want the night shift?

You should not make comments until you at least THINK about walking a mile in the other guy's moccasins.

Am I a President Obama "Lover"? No!, I am not, but I am not ignorant.
Everyone has opinions about how tax payers money should be spent, but take away an entitlement and you would be the first to object if it affected you.

Does the Federal, State and local governments need reform and logic applied to reality, YES! but that is a discussion for a different reply.




December 30 2010 at 1:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dean

Thats good news.Merle is one of my favorites.Now if he would just shave off that awful looking beard.

December 30 2010 at 1:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Driesslein

When a decision is made, whatever happened to the idea that everyone stands behind it. The American people elected this President and we need to see him succeed. It sounds like all the remaining racists are still against the idea. What a bunch of fools.

December 30 2010 at 12:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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