R.I.P., Brother

I wanted to make a belated note on the passing of country music legend — and my friend of almost 30 years — Merle Kilgore. Merle's life defies being summed up in a few words. He co-wrote Ring of Fire with June Carter for John Cash. He wrote Wolverton Mountain for Claude King; Johnny Reb for Johnny Horton. He guided my brother-in-spirit Hank Williams Jr's career for 30 years; he befriended legends like Cash, Horton, Hank Williams...hell, all of them! He acted with Robert Mitchum and Steve McQueen. Once, after he negotiated the multi-million dollar Monday Night Football opening song deal for Hank Jr., he called me up and said, "Bruther, I think I just set some kind of record for hourly wages!" He was the best storyteller in Nashville, and damned if every one of them wasn't true!

I'm having a little trouble imaging a world where I'm never again going to pick up the phone to, "MIIIIIIIIIIIchell BAAAAAAAne!" in Merle's unmistakable Southern drawl, followed by some amazing story about this or that legend.

I'm not much on religion, but I suspect the afterlife's a little livelier place these days. I will miss him.

I saw Gen'ral Lee raise a sabre in his hand
Heard the cannons roar as you made your last stand
You marched in the battle of the Grey and the Red
When the cannon smoke cleared, took days to count the dead, 'cause

You fought all the way
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
You fought all the way, Johnny Reb

When Honest Abe heard the news about your fall
The folks thought he'd call a great vict'ry ball
But he asked the band to play the song Dixie
For you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believe

You fought all the way
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
Yeah, you fought all the way, Johnny Reb