concert review: Merle Haggard & Kris Kristofferson (with special guest Sturgill Simpson), Minnesota State Fair 9-7-15

Who'd have thought this up?  A brilliant idea.  A tag team, classic country music concert, to close out the Minnesota State Fair on Labor Day, Monday.  Yes sir!  The tag team?  Two of the best songwriters in the business.  Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson.  These two, individually, have lived what they've written about, for sure, and have been staples of country music, for a good part of the last nearly 50 years.  Backed by Merle Haggard's band of ace musicians, known as The Strangers, the duo traded back and forth between singing their own songs, and each one, seemed to be familiar with the fans, whether the familiarity came from the melody, the lyrics, or both.

Merle Haggard writes songs, that folks can identify with.  Good songwriting, comes from life experience, and Haggard proves that, in spades.  There is a reason Haggard is called "The Poet of the Common Man".  On this night, Haggard and Kristofferson traded opportunities to sing their hit songs, and those hit songs, flowed one after the other, like someone turning on a musical faucet, and what comes out of the tap, is as pure and true as cool mountain water.  Songs from both artist's catalogs were instantly recognizable to the fans, who cheered loudly with each one.

The two have completely contrasting styles, that fit together well.  Haggard is rooted genuinely in the Bakersfield, honky tonk dance hall style, playing stinging, cranked up twangy leads on his trusty Fender Telecaster, and adding plenty of fiddle and steel guitar, reminiscent of the great western swing pioneer, Bob Wills, who came to prominence in the 1940s, with his band, the Texas Playboys.  Kristofferson, takes a folk rooted, acoustic approach, to his song craft, very much like folk rock luminaries such as Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen.

But, the two styles really mesh together well, and each artist, took turns playing their classic songs.  Merle Haggard's legendary band, The Strangers, backed each artist on their songs, and did well with the aforementioned dynamic shifts, between Haggard's roadhouse boogie, and Kristofferson's acoustic folk style.  Merle Haggard also lent guitar solos, to Kristofferson's songs, whether on "Me And Bobby McGee", "Why Me, Lord?" or, "The Silver Tongued Devil and I".

The highlight of the set, had to be an arrangement of Townes van Zant's "Pancho & Lefty" which Haggard originally recorded, with fellow country music legend, Willie Nelson.  Kristofferson did not sing on that one, with Haggard.  Instead, Merle's fiddler, Scott Joss, took on Willie Nelson's verses. Yours truly, also saw Willie perform that number, several years ago.  One of the biggest songs that the crowd could identify with, was Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee", and those in the audience, sang the tune, right along with him.

He stopped the tune, at one point and said to the crowd, something like "I know you can sing it louder than that!"  Other memorable songs from both artists included Kristofferson singing "For The Good Times", recorded by the late, great country music legend, Ray Price, "Silver Wings", "Big City", "Sing Me Back Home", "Mama Tried", and, "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink". Plus, early on in the set, Merle and Kris, covered Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues", and to end the show, there was even an instrumental fiddle breakdown.  More details, in the set list, at the end of the review. 

Opening act, Sturgill Simpson, set the tone for the evening.  Like The Strangers, Simpson's backing band, was solid, featuring Laur Jomets on lead and slide guitar, Kevin Black on bass, Jeff Crow on Hammond B3 organ, electric piano, and (interestingly, for a country band)... theremin, and Miles Miller, on drums, percussion, and backing vocals.  Simpson's vocals, are reminiscent of a young Waylon Jennings, and he too, may become another name, who builds a solid career.

So, here it is.  The full set list from this show, played by two legends, who have cemented their legacies as country music royalty.  Many of today's artists, could take a real lesson on how to play country music, from these guys.  Last night at the fair, it was the real deal.

1. Shipwrecked in the Eighties (Kris Kristofferson & The Borderlands cover) #
2. Big City *
3. Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash cover)
4. Silver Wings *
5. Help Me Make It Through The Night #
6. Me And Bobby McGee #
7. I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink *
8. Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) *
9. The Pilgrim #
10. That's The Way Love Goes *
11. Sunday Morning Coming Down #
12. Sing Me Back Home *
13. The Silver Tongued Devil And I #
14. Pancho & Lefty (Townes van Zant cover) (feat. Scott Joss: vocals)
15. Mama Tried *
16. For The Good Times # (written by Kris Kristofferson, and performed by the late, great Ray Price)
17. Okie From Muskogee *
18. Why Me #
19. Fiddle Breakdown (Instrumental) *      

# Kris Kristofferson song
* Merle Haggard song