As if today can’t get any sadder, reminiscing on the loss of country music legend Merle Haggard ten years ago today, to add to your tears, take a look back at this incredible performance alongside the late Toby Keith.
In November 2005, CMT hosted their star-studded Outlaws concert with none other than David Allan Coe, Jack Ingram, Shelby Lynne, Billie Joe Shaver, and, of course, Haggard and Keith. The latter two took the stage together for an epic performance of Haggard’s 1970 hit “The Fightin’ Side Of Me.”
The track, written by Haggard himself alongside his backup band, The Strangers, was released as the first single and title track of his second live album, quickly gaining popularity as one of the reigning hits of his career thanks to its patriotic message. Released during the late 1960s amid the anti-war movement and the ongoing Vietnam War, the track championed the working class while issuing a warning to protesters: “If you’re runnin’ down my country, man You’re walkin’ on the fightin’ side of me.”
This onstage crossover, fittingly featuring the unapologetically USA-loving singer Keith, came as a full-circle moment given that he saw the tune as the original fist-shaking American anthem, giving way to his 2002 hit, “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue.” In this iconic on-stage rendition, a 68-year-old Haggard leads the song on electric guitar with Keith playing acoustic, with them exchanging every other verse.
Haggard, who would’ve been 89 years old today with his birthday (1937) and passing (2016) both taking place on April 6 in California, remains a country music icon thanks to his working-class anthems and remarkable rise from a troubled past in prison to 38 number-one hits. The late Toby Keith also passed away over two years ago, in February 2024. To honor these two legends, take a trip down memory lane with this performance of the now 56-year-old song, whose message still resonates strongly today.