Merle Haggard's Hat

Pete Mitchell · Post by **Pete Mitchell** » 5 Jun 2001 5:36 pm

I have received several e-mails pertaining to a remark I made regarding cowboy hats. I do not wish to give the impression that I am beating my chest; however, sometime back we had the honor of having Merle visit with ET and The Troubadours on our bus, the Green Hornet. As we had just gotten some new Troubadour hats from Gary's American Hats on Louisiana Street, in Houston, Texas, we would also acquire what we called "personal" hats. As it turned out, our young drummer, Jerry Don Borden, had purchased himself a really cool powder blue 10X beaver hat trimmed with a red hat band, and of course, red eyelets. One that the hardest core cowboy would have been proud to wear to any shindig. Upon seeing Jerry's hat, Merle exclaimed,"WOW!" Guess what, it fit Merle to a tee. Guess what next? How could Jerry do anything but insist that Merle wear it with Troubadour compliments. You know what? He shore did do us proud!!! It showed up on album jackets, magazines; heck, for a while, we all envied Jerry. That was such an honor!!! Luv ya Merle!!! ....Pete

P.S. I'm sure that Redd will agree that the guitar strapped around Merle's shoulder is NOT a prop.

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 5 Jun 2001 6:35 pm

A great story, Pete. Now I know where that hat came from!

Please check your E-mail. Thanks!

Tim R.

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 5 Jun 2001 9:36 pm

Pete I surely injoyed your post.If you have anymore,of E.T., Merl, or anyone?I for one would like to read about um.

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 6 Jun 2001 7:12 am

Me to!!

Leigh

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 6 Jun 2001 7:15 am

Pete,when you tell us some more stories, write them real slow,B.J. can't read very fast.

Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Pete Mitchell · Post by **Pete Mitchell** » 6 Jun 2001 1:14 pm

Hey guys, having had the honor of working 10 years with ET, needless to say there are countless stories. However, I believe BJ was a little intrigued with Merle/ET. Well, one day at Pete's Studio BEE, Merle had called ET on the phone and asked if he would be kind enough to come on down and lay down a few tracks with him. Sure enough, ET showed up in good spirits and the fun began. As it happens Pete just let the tape roll. Now I can't quote exactly what transpired, because I don't have the tape at my immediate disposal; however, it went something like this:

Merle to ET, "It's nice to have you here today. I've always wanted to have you sing along on some of my stuff for a change, as I do so much of yours."
ET to Merle, "Well, I have a little bit of a cold but we'll sure try, who knows? Maybe we'll go down in history."
Merle to ET, "Maybe we'll just go down." (LOL everyone in studio)
Merle to ET, "How about 'Today I Started Loving you Again?' Go ahead and kick it, Grady." After half a measure Grady said, "Let's try this over again."
On the second take the heavens opened up with Grady playing the intro as only Grady could.

I have this on cassette at my pad in Nashville and would not take anything for it. What a wonderful experience!!! ....Pete

Pete Mitchell · Post by **Pete Mitchell** » 6 Jun 2001 5:56 pm

I just received an e-mail looking for something a little more humorous. For what it's worth, a very funny story. Once upon a time, a long time ago, Buddy Emmons was sporting a very LOUD Hawaiian sports shirt (before they were fashionable). For some odd reason, he would get very weird looks from ET whenever he wore it. Apparently, he wore it a lot, because it was indeed different, and when it finally caused ET to crack he said, "SON, I will give you $50.00 for that shirt." Buddy obligingly whipped it off and handed the shirt to ET. He left the room in his t-shirt with $50.00 in his pocket. ET proceeded to discard the shirt once and for all, and threw it out the 5th floor hotel window. As it happened, Jack Drake and one of the other Troubadours returning from a little shopping happened to see what resembled Buddy's shirt dangling from the limb of a tree just outside the hotel. Jack, being the Good Samaritan, decided to retrieve his good buddy's shirt and return it to him, assuming it might have blown out of Buddy's window. It was about a week later when Buddy boarded the bus at leave time sporting said shirt. As for the rest of the story, I guess you'll just have to ask Buddy what happened!!! .....Pete

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 7 Jun 2001 2:16 pm

Pete...You probably don't remember this but I do. We were on a show In New Orleans with ET, The Carter Sisters, The Tim Williams Band (US) and another band. I came over to the bus to visit with Lynn who I had not seen in quite a while and we were talking over old times at Sammy Tuckers place in Atlanta and some of the clowns there when the Carter Sisters came over to ET's bus to use the bathroom. They talked for a few minutes and went back to their bus and Lynn made the remark that the sisters sure uglyed up ET's bus pretty bad while they were there. Of course everyone cracked up and after the show Lynn wanted me to go to Gulfport with you guys but I had to play in the French Quarter that night. I still laugh about that. By the way I visited Lynns mother about a year ago and she was just as feisty as ever. Ques

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 8 Jun 2001 12:02 am

Again the continuesaion(SP) of a good post,thanks fellows.I think it would be good if b0b would make a space for topic's like road day's on the bus.And odd thing's that might have happen while in concert.I know there are enough musicions on this forum that have some storys they might would share.Even if they strech alittle.What do ya'll think.Hey Ray was'nt it the turtle that one the race with the rabbit,or did the turtle get ran over in the road???

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 8 Jun 2001 4:17 am

BJ...Road days? Now that opens up some really nutty memories. We had a drummer once who went nuts on us in Canada and we sent him and all his drums back home on a Greyhound. He had no trap cases so everything he had was in a pile at the bus station the last time I saw him.

Also you ain't lived untill you play at the Gold Range Hotel in Yellowknife, NWT. Known as the "Strange Range" and jam packed with gold miners, hookers and drunk eskimos 6 nights a week. Insane is a mild discription of the goings on in that place. Boy; did we ever have fun at that one.

I think I might start a thread about Road Days.

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 9 Jun 2001 3:09 pm

On the subject of Merle's hat:

Maybe that's part of what's behind his song I always liked - "I Wear My Own Kind of Hat".