Owen shared, "Yesterday, when I heard Mr. Merle Haggard passed away, it was one of the first times in a long time that someone that I really, strongly listened to growing up and throughout my career and someone I enjoyed listening to their voice was gone. It's funny, I sit around the house late at night like this and I tend to play his songs a lot. I loved the ease that he put into his music, but also the reality that he had in his music and the honesty. So I thought tonight I would play you guys a few Merle Haggard songs the best I can."

He spoke quietly because he confessed his daughter Pearl was asleep elsewhere in the house, and he didn't want to wake her up. Owen started off by playing one of his favorite Haggard songs, "My Own Kind of Hat" and followed it up with "Going Where the Lonely Go," 'It's Been a Great Afternoon," 'Heaven Was a Drink of Wine" and 'I'll Just Stay Here and Drink."