Merle Haggard continues to leave an undeniable mark on country fans and artists alike. While many country acts honored the late singer earlier this month in Nashville on the one-year anniversary of his death, Joe Nichols paid tribute to Haggard with a "Misery and Gin" cover at Stagecoach Festival in 2016, six months after the legend's passing.

While palm trees waved in the distance, Nichols' deep voice struck a chord with festival-goers who watched, mesmerized. His three-minute stripped down performance with light piano and pedal steel accompaniment kept the focus on his vocals. Nichols admits "Misery and Gin" is one of his favorite songs.

The song was written by Snuff Garrett and John Durrill. It was released in June of 1980 as the first single from Haggard's Back to the Barrooms and hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard, a tribute show honoring the late legend, was held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 6. In an interview with Taste of Country, Haggard's widow, Theresa, spoke of the celebration.

“It’s a very emotional moment,” she admits, “To see all the artists coming out and singing his songs that he sweated and toiled over and lived … it’s just very overwhelming. I don’t really knew how much he was loved. He was a lover, he was a giver. But I think he knows right now."

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