The Poet of the Common Dram

When your likeness has appeared on the side of a 7-11 Slurpee cup as well as an R. Crumb drawing, you know you've hit the big time somewhere along the line. Such as it is with Merle Haggard, icon of a country music generation and more.

Of course, he also posed for an outdoorsy shot of him plunking an acoustic guitar on the cover of the Spring 1997 issue of Hemp Times. Haggard has publicly stated in the past that he took up marijuana after a doctor told him it was better for him than his Valium habit.

Do you think the country music hall of fame in Nashville has had second thoughs about enscribing one of his quotes on its outside wall?

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Poet of the Common Dram

R. Crumb rendered him in pen
Fitting you say for an ex-con
The Poet of the Common Man
His tombstone bio?
On an old doc's advice
He substituted vice for vice
Going to pot he was sold
After Valium left him cold
Merle Haggard made his stand
The Poet of the Common Dram

--Bryce Martin

Buckaroos Failed to Get Their Due on Big Hit

Instrumental singles were normally two-side affairs. In other words, both sides were instrumentals. That was because they were done by bands or individual instrumentalists, not by singers. It is somewhat odd then that one of the biggest instrumental hits in the history of country music, "Buckaroo," is credited to Buck Owens, and not the Buckaroos, the actual instrumental group behind the song. The Capitol single reads "Buck Owens and The Buckaroos," not just "The Buckaroos," as they are rightly billed on their many albums and some other singles efforts. Not only that, the flip side is a regular Owens vocal, "If You Want a Love." In fact, Owens' vocal singles after a certain point all read "Buck Owens and The Buckaroos." "Buckaroo" the single should have been billed as by The Buckaroos and backed with another of their instrumentals. It remains an oddity for these reasons.
-- Bryce Martin