Merle Haggard I Am What I Am [LP] 7" (Heart-shaped) Despite a 1996 press conference

Despite a 1996 press conference on the U

and three consecutive Coachella performances under his belt

A mixture of his live show dance anthems

combined with vexed lyrics that are both confessional and observational in nature

With Cruisin

Merle Haggard I Am What I Am [LP] 7" (Heart-shaped) Despite a 1996 press conferencePerhaps there's a measure of defiance in the title of Merle Haggard's 2010 album I Am What I Am, but it's also a statement of plain fact: almost 50 years into a recording career, there's no changing the fact that Hag is who is he is, and he's comfortable in his own skin, broken in but not worn out, never pushing too hard but never coasting, either. Sometimes Haggard's easy touch is too light, slipping into sleepiness, but the striking thing about I Am