Merle Haggard passed away last year… “My Own Kind Of Hat” was one of his songs protesting political correctness, and I can’t stand political correctness. Merle was from the Bakersfield, California, area, and I’m from the area too. Mr. Haggard wrote and recorded many of his songs in this valley and I just thought it appropriate for me to pay tribute in my small way to one of country music’s greats by entering this competition with my modest rendition of “My Own Kind Of Hat.”
