Merle Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016)

I heard the sad news today of Merle Haggard passing away on his birthday, but the bizarre thing to me was that yesterday (April 6th in Australia, but April 5th in the USA) I just happened to be driving in my car listening to a Logan radio station (Logan 101FM), which I usually only listen to in my car and only when my first choice station 104.5 FM is playing music, or shows that I don't like, usually the drive time show, or I haven't got my iPod on me.

So, in other words, it's rare that I listen to this station, but I just happened to catch them playing Merle Haggard's song 'Okie From Muskogee' as a tribute to him, as it was his birthday, although in Australia we are a day ahead of the USA, so while it was April 6th over here, it was still only April 5th in Merle's part of the world.

I was surprised to hear this song on the radio, as I used to play it a lot and sing along to it as a teenager, even though I had long hair, and The Beatles and Pink Floyd were my favourite bands at the time.
I hadn't heard this song for years until yesterday and when I heard it come on the radio, I turned it up and started singing along with it puzzled to hear this song on the radio until the DJ said that was for Merle Haggard who turned 79 today.

It wasn't till I woke up this morning (April 7th in Australia) and saw on the BBC news site that Merle Haggard had passed away on his birthday.

Country music singer Merle Haggard dead at 79
I also remember that The Beach Boys sung 'Okie From Muskogee' at their Good Vibrations from Central Park concert in '71.
Weird also that I only just saw Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys play live for the first time in my life Easter Monday.
Easter Monday at Bluesfest 2016

Brian Wilson doing some Pet Sounds
on the Mojo stage at Byron Bay

The world sure has lost a few good musicians this year. 

Oklahoma!?

I also found it rather synchy that I had read this passage above in the Robert Moss book 'Sidewalk Oracles' just before I saw the news of Merle Haggard's passing, as an Okie is someone from Oklahoma. 

Robert Moss About Coincidences & Synchronicities

I also found it rather synchy that above the passage I boxed in red on that page from 'Sidewalk Oracles' above is the line, "I'll take wings to fly with me for the rest of the day", as that reminds me of the spooky Nicole Kidman sync with her father and the writer of the song 'One-day I'll Fly Away' passing away on the same day.

Sidewalk Oracles: Walking with Eyes Wide Open

Spookiest Nicole Kidman Sync Story of the Year and Everyone Missed It?

In my 'Robert Moss About Coincidences & Synchronicities' post I write about watching the movie 'Minions' last night and the coincidences I had with Robert's book and videos in that post.

Banana boat scene from the movie 'Minions'

In Robert's chapter, 'Check Your Inner Soundtrack' (the chapter starting on the page pictured above), he writes about Harry Belafonte's Banana Boat song, and then I see the above scene from the movie last night.