Merle Haggard, country music legend, dead at 79

Merle Haggard, the outlawcountry legend whose music explored ordinary people andworking-class struggles, died onWednesday,his 79th birthday.

The rough and tumblesinger-songwriter dubbed "the Poet of the Common Man"died in Palo Cedro, Calif., of pneumonia, according to his manager, Frank Mull.

Known for hits such asOkie FromMuskogee,Mama TriedandWorkin' Man Blues, Haggard was aprominent figure of the Outlaw Country movement and pioneer of the rougher-edged, California-bornBakersfield Sound, which was a reaction to the slickly produced, strings-laden music emerging from Nashville in the late-1950s and 1960s.

"Merle Haggard was an uncommon hero in country music,"Neil Portnow, president of the U.S Recording Academy, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

"[His] massive success was rooted in his masterful ability to celebrate the outlaws and the underdogsHis remarkable performances will forever live on and inspire music creators worldwide. We have lost an innovative member of the music community and our sincerest condolences go out to Merle's family, friends, collaborators and all who have been impacted by his incredible work. He will truly be missed."

Haggard's music was covered by a wide range of artists, including The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Son Volt, Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams and Reba McEntire, while in 2006 Eric Church recorded the tribute song Pledge Allegiance to the Hag.

In a post online Wednesday afternoon,Haggard's musician son, Ben noted that his father had predicted his passing.

"A week ago dad told us he was gonna pass on his birthday, and he wasn't wrong...He wasn't just a country singer.He was the best country singer that ever lived."

Haggard battled health issues in recent years as he continued to tour and record.His recent releases included2015'sDjangoandJimmie,an album of duets with fellow outlaw country iconWillie Nelson.

Most recently, however, Haggard hadcancelled shows in February due to ongoing issues after suffering a bout of pneumonia in both lungs that put him in hospital in December. At the time, he had hoped to recover and head back on the road.

He was previously treated for lung cancer in 2008, which included undergoing surgery to remove part of one lung.

Inspired and praised by Johnny Cash

Haggard's family migrated to California from Oklahoma, but struggled in the new state. He was born nearBakersfield and raised in ahome constructed from a converted railway boxcar.

His father died suddenly when he was just nine years old and the young man turned to a life of petty crime that led to many brushes with the law.

During a stint inSan Quentin State Prison, he saw Johnny Cash perform and, upon release, Haggard aself-taught guitarist and fiddler as well assinger and songwriter decided todevote himself to music.

Cash, who became a mentor and anearly fan, once introduced Haggard as "a man who writes about his own life and has had a life to write about."

Haggard went on to rack up dozens of No. 1 hits over four decades. Heis hailed as a major influence for a generation of country musiciansfor his innovative songwriting from a working-class point of view. Hissong Today I Started Loving You Againhas been recorded by close to 400artists.

"I'll tell you what the public likes more than anything," he said in a1999 Boston Globe interview. "It's the most rare commodity in the world honesty."

Fans and colleagues quickly posted tributes online.

"We've lost one of the greatest writers and singers of all time," Dolly Parton told EW in a statement. "His heart was as tender as his love ballads. I loved him like a brother. Rest easy, Merle."

Widely recognized for his musical contributions, Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, won Grammy Awards and was honoured for his contribution to American culture at the Kennedy Center Honours in 2010.In 1972, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagangranted him a pardon.

Last month, his Mama Tried was among the latest batch of songs selected for preservation in the U.S. National Recording Registry.

Haggard'ssurvivors includehis fifth wife, Theresa Lane, and six children.