Watch Miranda Lambert Cover Merle Haggard at the 2016 ACM Honors
Miranda Lambert was honored with the first-ever ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award at the 2016 ACM Honors on Aug. 30, so it was only fitting that before receiving the award, she perform a song of Haggard's. Lambert, who said during her acceptance speech that “the Hag” is the reason she writes songs, sang the icon's "Misery and Gin."
Readers can press play on the video above to watch a snippet of Lambert's Haggard cover, which she performed accompanied only by an acoustic guitarist. "Misery and Gin," written by Snuff Garrett and John Durrill, was released in June of 1980, as the first single from Haggard's Back to the Barrooms album; it reached No. 3 on the Billboard country charts.
“I feel so blessed to be a part of country music,” Lambert said before performing.
Introduced this year following Haggard's death in April, the ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award honors the contributions of Haggard, one of country music’s most prolific performers, by acknowledging artists who exemplify his uncompromising integrity and “singular vision in carving an indelible path in country music."
"There was simply no way the Academy could hold what may be its most heartfelt event — ACM Honors — without creating a lasting way to acknowledge his legacy," says ACM Board President Ken Tucker. "Celebrating and encouraging artists whose work echoes Merle Haggard’s indomitable spirit is beyond fitting."
The ACM Honors will air on Sept. 9 at 9PM ET on CBS.
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