Merle Haggard, the country music legend who died Wednesday on his 79th birthday, passed away on his own schedule, according to his son.
Ben Haggard, who also played lead guitar for his father, revealed on Facebook that his father predicted the date of his death last week.
“A week ago dad told us he was gonna pass on his birthday, and he wasn’t wrong. An hour ago he took his last breath surrounded by family and friends,” Ben Haggard wrote.
The singer’s health had taken a downturn recently. He had suffered from pneumonia, and was forced to cancel a number of concerts.
The younger Haggard added that his father “loved everything about life and he loved that everyone of you gave him a chance with his music. He wasn’t just a country singer.. He was the best country singer that ever lived.”
The post was accompanied by a photo of two hands clasped together.
After news of Haggard’s death broke, social media was flooded with tributes from the country music community, with Willie Nelson, Darius Rucker and Luke Bryan offering their memories and condolences.