When did Merle Haggard pass away?

As of October 2015, country singer, songwriter and guitarist Merle Haggard is 72 years old and still playing on tour. In 2003, he was diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer, for which he underwent surgery to remove part of his lung. He was back playing shows less than two months later.

Haggard, also known as Hag, was born in Oildale, California, in 1937. He played alongside Buck Owens in a band called The Strangers. In 1997, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. A few of his top hits include "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive," "Branded Man" and "Sing Me Back Home."