Country Music Icon Merle Haggard Dies At 79

After a long and hard battle with double pneumonia, country music legend Merle Haggard died on April 6, 2016. He passed away on his 79^th birthday, surrounded by family members and close friends in his home in Palo Cedro, California.

During his prolific 50-year-long career, he released a whopping 47 studio albums, 82 singles, and 38 no.1 hits. Moreover, Haggard was one of the most influential country and western music performers in the United States. Merle was inducted into the County Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and also received a prestigious award for lifetime achievement and contribution to American music in 2010 from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

After the sad news had been confirmed, many celebrities took to social media to say their goodbyes and pay tribute to Haggard. Here are some of the things they wrote:

Country music has suffered one of the greatest losses it will ever experience Rest in peace Merle Haggard

— Charlie Daniels (@CharlieDaniels) April 6, 2016

RIP Merle Haggard. A True Original. https://t.co/jZmULwqqq3

— Glen Campbell (@GlenCampbell) April 6, 2016

A birthday to be cherished in heaven. @merlehaggard and @gjpossum are kicking out the footlights again. RIP Merle.

— George Jones (@gjpossum) April 6, 2016

Rest in peace, Hag. One of a kind, and the definition of legend. pic.twitter.com/aUGX22Avna

— Trisha Yearwood (@trishayearwood) April 6, 2016

literally just fell to the floor. can’t believe we lost the hag. rip merle haggard

— Dierks Bentley (@DierksBentley) April 6, 2016

Heartbroken. #MerleHaggard https://t.co/TeBj4hPd69https://t.co/KTTU0mRVAB

— rosanne cash (@rosannecash) April 6, 2016