Dierks Bentley paid tribute to Merle Haggard at the CMT Music Awards calling him the backbone of country. He then gave him a toast saying, “Merle Haggard, thanks for singing your stories, they were rough, honest, gritty and lonesome, and most importantly they were real. So raise a glass or raise a guitar, whatever you got near, to Merle Haggard, Ya’ll.”