One legend helping out another. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of outlaw country pioneer Merle Haggard, who passed away on April 6, 2016 at the age of 79. It’s impossible to overstate the impact Haggard had on country music. He was at the forefront of the “Bakersfield Sound,” a style of country music that blended influences of honky tonk country and rock and roll at a time when country music was dominated by the smooth production and orchestral instrumentation of the “Nashville Sound.” Of course there’s not much to be said about Haggard’s resumé and career that hasn’t already been said. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, 38 number one hits…Haggard is simply one of the greatest country artists of all time. Merle was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and underwent surgery to have part of his lung removed, but less than two months after surgery was back on stage and continuing to tour. And in fact, he toured right up until just months before his death, though back in December 2015 he was diagnosed with pneumonia and forced to cancel several concerts. Haggard returned to the stage on February 6, 2016 for a performance at the Safari Club International’s annual convention at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. And Toby Keith happened to be in town for the Super Bowl – so when he heard Merle was performing, he knew that he had to go see his ailing friend. As Toby recalled, he quickly realized that Haggard was in no shape to perform, and was only there because he was worried about paying his band: “They paid him like 3 times what he’s used to getting. And he showed up for that one day, and I said ‘Why are you working? You’re sick.’ He was on an oxygen hose. And I said, ‘Why are you here?’ He said, ‘I was about to lose my band because we’ve been off the road so long. This was such a big date, if I can get through this thing it’ll hold my band until I get well.'” Haggard was determined to get through the show, but admitted to Toby that soundcheck had been “a wreck” and knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. He asked Toby if he would get up and sing with him, and according to Merle’s friend and actor W. Earl Brown, the Big Dog Daddy assured Haggard that he would be ready to go: “Merle would not take charity from anyone, but he did turn to Toby and say, “How many songs of mine do you know?” “All of ’em” answered T. “All of ’em?” “Yep. And I won’t need a teleprompter.” “Well, stay nearby.”” Sure enough, Toby recalled Merle getting through about 8 songs before he needed help to make it through the rest of the show. So Toby took the stage to give Haggard a break, but instead of performing one of his own hits, he told Merle to just continue with his own setlist: “He said, ‘What do you wanna play?’ I said, ‘Whatever’s next.'” Toby performed the rest of the show with Haggard, and recalled the country legend’s words to him after walking off the stage: “Walked out and hugged my neck, told me he loved me and said ‘Thanks for helping me get my check.'” That turned out to be the last time Toby would see his friend Merle Haggard, though Merle would go on to take the stage two more times that month, at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills and what turned out to be his final concert, at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland – both in his home state of California. As Brown recalled about that show: “Never speak ill of Toby Keith to me; thanks to him, Merle exited the stage with his dignity intact.” There’s no doubt that show is even more special for those in attendance now that we’ve lost both Merle and Toby. Two country legends, one helping another out, on one stage for the final time together. The post “Merle Exited The Stage With His Dignity Intact” – How Toby Keith Saved The Day At One Of Merle Haggard’s Final Concerts first appeared on Whiskey Riff.