WEDNESDAY PICK | Merle Haggard & Kris Kristofferson

Merle Haggard, considered the godfather of country music, and Kris Kristofferson, the legendary singer/songwriter best known for penning such classic hits as “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” will make a special appearance at the State Theatre on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. This duo of multi-talented mavericks will be backed by Merle Haggard’s band, The Strangers.

For country music devotees, Merle Haggard’s uncanny craftsmanship recognizes the artist as a consummate troubadour who has carved his niche as a gifted singer/songwriter through memorable tunes including “Okie from Muskogee” and “Shipwrecked in the Eighties.” Known as “America’s renaissance man,” Haggard’s caliber has long set a standard for country singers who follow. Spanning nearly four decades of award-winning music filled with numerous chart-topping singles, his dedication to American music helped inspire three-time Grammy Award-winner Kris Kristofferson’s career.

Kris Kristofferson has had seventeen Top 40 albums, appeared in more than 100 films, documentaries and television programs and his songs have been covered by more than 450 artists. A consummate songwriter, he is the sole author of most of his songs, but has also collaborated with the best of the Nashville scene including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings (as part of The Highwaymen supergroup), as well as Ray Price, Roger Miller and Jerry Lee Lewis.