Haggard: A Cure for Life’s Troubles

Merle Haggard made his third visit this year to Orange County on Saturday at the Coach House. With almost any other artist, you’d worry about overkill. But so deep and rich is Hag’s songbook that he could play once a week for a year without repeating himself.

Of course, he did repeat himself in several songs that are fixtures on his latter-day set list. Luckily, most are so vital and timeless that they merit repeat visits, particularly given Haggard’s in-the-moment singing that makes each song sound as if it is being created that moment.

What has always informed his work is a wealth of ideas drawn from personal experience: his youthful restlessness, a stint in prison, failed marriages and bouts with drinkin’, drugs and the IRS.

They provide the gritty realism that makes his songs so profound and identifiable. His deep, dusty baritone took charge of tales ranging from unstable post-prison life (“The Running Kind”) and incredible loneliness (“Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star”) to restless spirits (“Ramblin’ Fever,” “Big City”) and a big attachment to the bottle (“Swinging Doors,” “Misery and Gin,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink”).

For all their troubles, the characters in Haggard’s songs display no self-pity. Rather, they’re working-class folks who pick themselves up and struggle on. The importance of self-worth and resiliency crops up in song after song, and Haggard underlined those characteristics during a strong version of his anthem-like “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am.”

Life dishes out more than just hard knocks, and personal struggles and disappointments are easily forgotten (at least temporarily) when romance comes a-knockin’. Haggard sang about the magic, mystery and power of love in several songs, but none more moving than during a passionate, accordion-accented version of Willie Nelson’s “Valentine.”

While serious-minded, universal themes do play a big part in Haggard’s songwriting legacy, there’s certainly a lighter, upbeat component that makes his concerts such a hoot.

The Strangers, Haggard’s eight-piece backing band, bring both accomplished musicianship and a welcome sense of humor to the proceedings. In fact, Louisiana siblings Joe and Abe Manuel were featured during two rousing Cajun standards that offered an unexpected departure while pumping up the near-capacity crowd.

Haggard chatted freely with fans, dedicating one song to “all the farmers’ daughters out there visiting the beach,” and seemed to delight in playing requests--and there were many. After audience members joined him to sing “My Favorite Memory” to a freshly retired Marine, Haggard flashed a big grin and said: “Heck, you folks don’t even need me.” (The show’s playlist really went out the window with an impromptu performance of “Happy Birthday” to another fan, whom Haggard toasted by saying “May you live as long as you want to, and want to as long as you live.”)

Haggard may have fumbled a lyric or two during the 90-minute performance, but it only highlighted the man from Bakersfield’s freewheeling spirit.

* Merle Haggard plays Jan. 31 at the Galaxy Concert Theatre, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana. 8 p.m. $50-$52. (714) 957-0600.