In the mid-2000s, during a small-town concert in Oklahoma, Merle Haggard paused before singing “America First.” He spotted a group of young soldiers in uniform sitting near the front. They had just returned from deployment and came straight to the show. Merle walked to the edge of the stage, shook each of their hands, and thanked them for their service. He then shared a heartfelt memory of his own father’s pride in America, and how that spirit inspired the song. As the first chords rang out, the crowd rose to their feet, waving flags and singing along. By the end, those soldiers had tears in their eyes, and Merle’s voice cracked with emotion. It wasn’t just a performance — it was a moment of unity, gratitude, and love for the country he cherished.

“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”

Introduction

“America First” is one of those Merle Haggard songs that makes you stop and think — not because it’s loud or fiery, but because it’s honest in the way only Merle could be. When he sings this one, it doesn’t feel political. It feels personal, like a man looking around at the world he loves and saying, “Hey, maybe we ought to take better care of home.”

What gives the song its heart is Merle’s tone. He doesn’t point fingers, he doesn’t shout down anyone — he just sounds tired of watching ordinary folks carry burdens they never asked for. There’s a gentleness behind the message, wrapped in that familiar, weathered voice of his… the voice of someone who’s lived through enough decades to know that wars, worries, and national struggles always land hardest on regular people.

At its core, the song isn’t about headlines.
It’s about families.
Small towns.
Hardworking people doing their best while the world keeps spinning faster than they can keep up.

And Merle had always been their storyteller.

“America First” feels like he’s leaning across the table, speaking the way older relatives sometimes do — with a mix of concern, wisdom, and a quiet prayer that things might get a little easier. There’s pride in the song, sure, but there’s also tenderness. It’s patriotic in a way that’s grounded, not grandstanding… a reminder that loving your country often means wanting it to heal.

That’s why the song still resonates.
It isn’t a debate.
It’s a man’s heartfelt wish for peace — for the nation and for the people living in it.
And coming from Merle, that wish feels honest, lived-in, and deeply human.

Video

Lyrics

Why don’t we liberate these United States
We’re the ones that need it worst?
Let the rest of the world help us for a change
And let’s rebuild America first
Our highways an’ bridges are fallin’ apart
Who’s blessed an’ who has been cursed?
There’s things to be done all over the world
But let’s rebuild America first
Who’s on the Hill, and who’s watchin’ the valley?
Who’s in charge of it all?
God bless the army an’ God bless our liberty
Dad gum the rest of it all
Yeah, the men in position are backin’ away
Freedom is stuck in reverse
Let’s get out of Iraq an’ get back on the track
And let’s rebuild America first
Once more
Why don’t we liberate these United States
We’re the ones who need it the most
You think I’m blowin’ smoke? Boys it ain’t no joke
I make 20 trips a year from coast to coast
Play it again

Country Music

“THE MOMENT THEIR FATHER’S OLD MARTIN HIT THAT FIRST CHORD… ‘SING ME BACK HOME’ STOPPED BEING A CLASSIC — AND BECAME A CONFESSION THEY’D SPENT YEARS AVOIDING.” They stood together in the dim barn studio, the place that once echoed with their father’s laughter. Ben tightened the last string, his hands trembling. Noel sat in the same worn spot where their dad used to tap his boots and hum along to life itself. Outside, the California dusk pressed in, soft and heavy, as if carrying every memory they weren’t ready to face. Ben strummed. Noel exhaled. And the room changed. Their voices faltered — not from forgetting, but from finally meeting the truth they’d sidestepped since 2016. No crowd. No lights. Just two sons, a tired Martin, and a grief that didn’t need explaining. In that small silence, “Sing Me Back Home” stopped being a song and became the one prayer they’d never dared to say out loud.

Country Music

HE BECAME THE ONLY MAN IN NASHVILLE WHO WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS OWN FUNERAL. In 1999, Nashville nearly collapsed under the rumor that George Jones had died. Radio stations played his classics nonstop. Fans gathered outside the hospital, some crying like they’d just lost a part of their own past. One local station even aired an entire memorial broadcast, convinced the legend was gone for good. But George… was still there, lying quietly in the ICU, stubborn as ever. Two days later, as Nancy held his hand, she felt it move. George opened his eyes. The room erupted in tears, laughter, and sheer relief. He didn’t say much — just squinted and whispered, “Well… did y’all miss me?” Down the hallway, a radio kept spinning “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” The song meant to close his story… …became the song he woke up to instead.

Country Music

AFTER 50 YEARS SIDE BY SIDE, COUNTRY MUSIC’S LEGENDARY OUTLAW PAIR SHARED THEIR FINAL DUET. When Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter stepped onto the Ryman stage for “Storms Never Last,” they weren’t singing a hit — they were closing a chapter. Waylon eased into a wooden chair, worn down by years of highways and hard seasons, and Jessi’s quiet touch on his shoulder carried every vow they never stopped keeping. The duet wasn’t polished. It wasn’t meant to be. It was two weathered voices telling the truth the industry never could: love survives what fame can’t. The crowd didn’t stand for perfection. They stood because the storm had finally passed — and the two who endured it were still singing together.

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