BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Country music legend, and Oildale native, Merle Haggard has passed away on his birthday. He was 79 years old. 
 
 A life-long friend of Haggard confirmed the news to 23ABC and added that country music icon passed away Wednesday morning at his home just after 9 am, surrounded by family. 
 
 OBIT: Country legend Merle Haggard dies at 79 of pneumonia 
 
 Haggard's manager, Frank Mull, told the Associated Press that the country icon died in Palo Cedro, California, of pneumonia. 
 
 Ben Haggard, Merle's son posted a statement shortly after his death. 
 
 A week ago dad told us he was gonna pass on his birthday, and he wasn't wrong. A hour ago he took his last breath... Posted by Ben Haggard on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 
 
 Social media reacts to the death of Merle Haggard: 
 
 Haggard was hospitalized for a second time recently for double pneumonia, and had to cancel his most recent tour with Willie Nelson. 
 
 The singer-songwriter was one of the pioneers of the Bakersfield sound. 
 
 Haggard was also involved in the Outlaw Country movement. 
 
 23ABC's last interview with Haggard was back in July 2015, when the historic boxcar that was on his family's property in Oildale was moved to the Kern County Museum to be restored. 
 
 RELATED: 
 
 In addition to 40 #1 hits, Haggard won just about every music award. 
 
 Last month, Haggard's hit "Mama Tried" was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry. 
 
 Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, he is in the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. ||||| Merle Haggard Dead On 79th Birthday 
 
 Merle Haggard Dies On 79th Birthday 
 
 Exclusive Details 
 
 Country music legend Merle Haggard has died after battling double pneumonia ... according to his manager. 
 
 Haggard was diagnosed with pneumonia last year and spent 11 days at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage early this year. He died at home near Redding, CA on Wednesday morning. 
 
 He'd been battling back from the illness and even scheduled a string of concert dates with his pal Willie Nelson. They released an album, "Django and Jimmie" last year. 
 
 But last week Haggard canceled his shows for the month of April due to his continuing efforts to recover. His manager tells us Merle was weary from battling pneumonia for so long ... and had even predicted to friends he would die on his birthday. 
 
 He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994. 
 
 Merle turned 79 today. 
 
 11:00 AM PT -- Willie Nelson tells TMZ, "He was my brother, my friend. I will miss him."
– The music world has lost an icon: Merle Haggard died Wednesday on his 79th birthday, reports TMZ. He'd been fighting double pneumonia since last year. Haggard was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, and as ABC23 notes, he "won just about every music award" over a career that gave him 40 No. 1 hits. Perhaps his biggest, "Mama Tried" from 1968, was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry earlier this year. Haggard was a big part of the "outlaw" country movement with the likes of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. The Tennessean has a full tribute to the "working man's poet."