of course, one of the greatest honors of my life was merle haggard when he won the national hue hannitys award, the kennedy center honor, was asked who he wanted to write the tribute to him, he said either dolly parton or joe klein. [laughter] happily, they said, no, dolly's going to sing. >> didn't he recant that song? >> no, he didn't. what he did was he was stoned when he wrote it. it was a joke -- >> that's what i mean. >> but he then wrote fighting side of me -- >> yeah. >> -- which was, which he did it for the money. and, you know, i'm a huge merle haggard fan, a huge country music fan as well as folk singer/songwriters. and, yeah, when i wrote with the payback," my second book, i saw that as -- i had just written the biography of woody guthrie, and i saw that as five ballads in prose. so, yeah, i was trying to tell a political story just as he often did. and ever since then i have found -- and this is why i do dispute that column writing is different -- there was a time back in the '80 when i was working for new york magazine. andrew cuomo called me up. [laughter] very funny. he s

the late merle haggard said, as far as i'm concerned, he's the only one out there. simpson's latest album and mange label debut is called "a sailor's guide to earth." here he is performing the single "all around you." in our studio. ♪ there will be ♪ don't be afraid ♪ life is unkind ♪ you can let go of the pain if you choose to ♪ ♪ 'cause time slips away ♪ skies fall apart ♪ it ain't too hard ♪ a universal heart ♪ glowing, flowing, all around you sphoo ♪ ♪ and there will be nights that go on forever ♪ ♪ like you're long-lost at sea ♪ never to be found ♪ just know in your heart ♪ that we're always together ♪ and long after i'm gone ♪ i'll still be around ♪ 'cause our bond is eternal ♪ and so is love ♪ god is inside you ♪ all around you ♪ and up above ♪ glowing, flowing, all around you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'cause time slips away ♪ skies fall apart ♪ it ain't too hard ♪ a universal heart you ♪ >> rose: i am pleased to have sturgill simpson at this table for the first time, and it's about time. welcome. >> thank you. >> rose: it's good to have you. >> pleasure and honor. >> rose

. ♪ mama ♪ ♪ ♪ that leaves only me to blame >> reporter: merle haggard sang about his mother.>> the more i want to jail the more i learned about being -- an outlaw. >> reporter: convicted for burglary as a young man, haggard spent time in san kwenton. ♪ i'm proud to be an oaky >> then mined his life story for his songs. and became a legend. >> reporter: some other music giants left us during the year. ♪ you wonder why the earth still moves, you wonder how you carry on ♪ ♪ but you'll be okay ♪ on that first day ♪ when i'm gone ♪ i'd look to teach the world to sing sing with me in perfect harmony perfect harmony ♪ ♪ buy the world a coke and keep it company ♪ ♪ that's the real thing >> ad man, bill backer, he was the real thing. he wrote jingles for coca-cola, tag lines for campbell soup. ♪ soup is good food >> reporter: and remember this one? >> if you've got the time we've got the beer ♪ ♪ two all beef batties special sauce pickles onions on a sesame seed bun. >> he didn't write the single for the big mac. he cooked up the recipe. billions served since. raymond tomlinson he kne

i used to sit in the living room and watch dad sing nothing but merle haggard and hank williams. >> ofrent genres, do you hear it coming through your music today? >> sometimes that's how i like to write, make something that's way too far and then rein it in in the studio. >> what's the first step putting a song together? >> this one will start pretty much from scratch. ♪ maebaby, i could die a happie man ♪ >> he married his friend lori when he was 20 years old. >> we knew each other, and then when we got to high school, we dated for about six months and then broke up. got back together in college. as much as i tried to push it back, she was always the one. >> do you find that it's nice to have someone who has been there from the beginning? >> it's just amazing for someone to know all the goods and bads about you, but she knows the goods and bads from when i was about eight. there's really nothing to hide. we started out being best friends and i think it's really awesome to be married to somebody who is your best friend. >> lauren is the inspiration for a lot of thomas rhett's songs, in

i'm a huge merle haggard fan and a huge country music fan, and, yeah, when wrote "payback by money second book i saw that as -- i had just written the biography of woodie guthrie, about five guys guys and i saw t as five woodie guthrie ballads in prose. so, yaw, was trying to tell a political story. just as he often did. and ever since then, i have found -- this is why die dispute the different -- that column writing is different -- there was a time back in 'ol's when i was working for new york magazine, and andrew cuomo called me up. very funny. he said that marrow and i -- mario and i had a father and son relationship which said such weird thing about him and andruw in mario. he said you're so cynical about politics, about politicians. why don't you ever write about anything positive?e? i didn't think i was all thatdn cynical because i've always been kind of a romantic, but i said, what? he said i have this welfare to work program in the bronx. you want to come see it? and i did. and it was great. it was -- still exists, called "help," and from that day forward, i decided that every eme

. >> merle haggard sang about his mother.ing tan outlaw. >> convicted for burglary as a young man, haggard spent time in san quentin. ♪ i'm proud to be an okie from muskogee ♪ >> then mined his life story for his songs and became a legend. some hoar music giants left us during the year. ♪ you wonder why the earth still moves ♪ you wonder how you'll carrie on ♪ but you'll be okay on that first day when i'm gone ♪ ♪ i'd like to teach the world to sing. in perfect harmony ♪ i'd like to buy -- >> adman bill backer, he was the real thing. he wrote jingles for coca-cola. tag lines for campbell's soup. ♪ soup is good food >> and remember this one? >> if you've got the time, we've got the beer ♪ far par two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese -- >> jim didn't write the jingle for the big mac. he cooked up the recipe. billions have been served since. >> you've got mail. >> raymond tomlinson, he knew where it's at. he put the @it sign in e-mail addresses. in countless photographers, bill cunningham turned people of new yor

earth, wind, and fire founder maurice white, rock and roll icon david bowie, merle haggard, one of the country music's most influential artists, and eagles founding member and guitarist glenn fry. there was the death that came as the year began, natalie cole, whoo carried on the musical leg i have is her iconic father and became an icon in her own right. just before year's end, consummate leonard cohen who died in november. there was that death that felt like it came way too soon when malik taylor better known as tribe called quest fight dog died at the age of 45. just after he'd been recording the group's long awaited sixth album. and of course there was the death that none of us saw coming and couldn't imagine. 2016 was the year we lost prince. the news business also suffered devastating losses this year. john mcglauf lin died in august at age 89. and just in the last month, we lost the great gwen eiffel who in 2013 became the first black journalist who co-host the pbz news hour. >>> of course that wasn't the only devastating loss that few could predict. 2016 also brought us the shoc

as i say about montana we are a blend of merle haggard. it does result in a commence approach to make our country stronger. a single space two columns wide. the rocky mountain elk foundation. the theodore roosevelt foundation and these are just a few of the many on this list not to mention tries from across the country confederated the choctaw and the list goes on. you walked it well, sir. >> thank you. >> why do you want this job? >> thank you for the remarks. i love my country bold and big and prepare for the future. over a fifth of our territory. it means influencing the beaches with main and clams to our fisheries outside of hawaii and even in this body we are all different and we all share a common purpose. dedicated professionals that want to do the same thing. my task is to organize far better future for our country. as a list would indicate. a lot of concerns that montanans have had is that a lot of land decisions are done with disregard for the impacts of those that live close to the lands. you made it clear today. in fact as we t