Macon was among planned stops for the late Merle Haggard

Country music legend Merle Haggard, who died on his 79th birthday Wednesday, was scheduled to perform in Macon next month.

The concert was set for May 18 at the City Auditorium and was also to include Jason Isbell. The two singers were also scheduled to perform in Augusta May 17.

Isbell responded to the news of Haggard's death on his Twitter account.

"Merle Haggard was the best country songwriter there ever was," he wrote.

Haggard was perhaps best known for his songs "Okie from Muskogee," "Fightin' Side of Me" and "Pancho and Lefty," a duet with Willie Nelson. In all, Haggard recorded more than 35 No. 1 hits, won the Academy of Country Music's Top Male Vocalist award six times and swept Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year for "Okie from Muskogee" in 1969.

Brenda Thompson, booking and sales manager for the Macon Centreplex, offered her condolences through an emailed statement.

"We are extremely saddened today to hear of the passing of the great and legendary Merle Haggard and extend our deepest sympathies to all of his family, friends and many, many fans, of which we are included," she wrote.

She added that her staff was in communication with promoters and management for the artists still scheduled for the May 18 show, which includes Isbell and Tommy Emmanuel. Thompson noted that an "official statement" regarding the status of the concert would be released Friday.

Haggard, who reportedly died of pneumonia, last appeared in Macon at the City Auditorium on April 25, 2012, a makeup concert from a date earlier that year that had to be canceled.

Double pneumonia was the original illness that led to that cancellation, but doctors at what was then known as the Medical Center of Central Georgia discovered three stomach ulcers, diverticulitis in his esophagus and colon polyps.

"Another special thanks to the folks of Macon, Georgia, for their kindness, intelligence and probably saving my life," Haggard said through his publicist.

Information from the Telegraph archives was used in this report. To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter@MTJTimm.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Macon was among planned stops for the late Merle Haggard ."