Merle Haggard's "I Am What I Am" is on Vanguard Records.

The song, "Bad Actor," written by Haggard, Doug Colosio, John Scott G, and Scott Joss, is co-published by Golosio and Merle Haggard Music, Inc.

Many in the media have singled out "Bad Actor" quite favorably in their reviews. Here are some examples:

"And then there’s 'Bad Actor,' one of the best songs Hag’s sung in ages..."
— Hot Country Radio Network

"Bad Actor, the most intriguing new song on Merle Haggard's new album."
— The Associated Press (Michael McCall)

"Perhaps the best song on the album is 'Bad Actor,' a prescient observation of the public roles we are all forced to play."
— No Depression, Exclaim, and Heartbreak Trail (Jason Schneider)

"Make sure to listen to the lyrics for 'Bad Actor'. . ."
— Motor City Blog

"...clever, mirror-image reworking of Buck Owens’ 'Act Naturally' in 'Bad Actor'..."
— The Hurst Review (Josh Hurst)

“'Bad Actor' holds a mirror to Buck Owens’ classic 'Act Naturally'...”
— Seattle Post-Intelligencer (John Taylor)

"There are a couple of real classics on it such as the spiritual 'How Did You Find me Here' and the frank, 'Bad Actor'.”
— The Zeitgeisty Report

"On songs like 'Bad Actor' and the title song Haggard surrounds his gruff voice and delicate phrasing with acoustic guitar, piano and the gentlest of drums to create music that courses with vitality."
— NPR Music (Ken Tucker)

“In this old mirror/ I’m just a reflection/ But I might be brilliant/ If you’d give direction,’’ he sings, beautifully, on “Bad Actor.’’
— Boston Globe (James Reed)

"In 'Bad Actor,' love and life reveal themselves to be all an act."
— PopMatters (Dave Heaton)

"'Bad Actor' is a remarkable soliloquy on married life and the vortex of hope, guilt, confusion and doubt it can instill. Delivered in the simplest language yet dealing with some highly intricate and subtle emotional issues, it is an altogether moving and unique achievement."
— Amazon & AirPlayDirect

"'Bad Actor' ... a great, moving track. It’s the most resonant song here and elevates the set as a whole."
— Assault.it (Jere)

“'I’ve never been much at making believe, don’t have any tricks hidden up my sleeve,' sings Haggard in one of those classic country waltzes ... What’s distinguishes the song--and the album as a whole--is the bittersweet wisdom of an artist who has seen it all and learned some hard lessons from his experience."
— Sonic Boomers (Don McLeese)

"Things get real, though, with “Bad Actor,” when Haggard channels Shakespeare (“All the world’s a stage…”) and laments his meta-dramatic existence: “If life is a comedy, where’s all the laughter? Because here on the stage, I’m a bad actor.”
— American Songwriter (Alex Shoaf)

“'Tell me which heroes you want me to play, how should I feel and what do I say?' he sings, reminding you that he’s his own favorite target. 'Secondhand feelings are always a factor in my starring role as a bad actor.' His greatest uncertainties come through in his vocals, especially in the chagrined way he sustained the notes of the title phrase just a little longer than expected, as if he’s nursing a wound and offering a heartfelt apology."
— The 9513 Country Music (Stephen M. Deusner)

"...Haggard’s typical fierce honesty, also on display in 'Bad Actor'.”
— Fender.com

“'Bad Actor' is a somber, introspective number that takes a look at the narrator’s life."
— Filter Magazine (Daniel Kohn)

"Haggard is reflective upon his ups and downs in 'Bad Actor'.”
— VentVox

"'Bad Actor' is another tune clearly in the singer-songwriter vein that’s a good perspective on the choices made in the course of life.'
— Twangville (Shawn Underwood)

"In 'Bad Actor,' he plumbs the opposite end of love's spectrum; Haggard's clearly not afraid to face the depths of his life, as well as the triumphs."
— Utah Daily Herald (Lynne Margolis)

"Like Lemmy is to Metal, The Hag is to Country... It is difficult to imagine anyone else singing ‘Bad Actor’ or the title-track, songs that use sly humor and heartfelt sincerity to convey the strength and indomitability of The Hag."
— Kite Magazine (Jason Motz)

"In 'Bad Actor,' he admits, 'I’ve never been much/At making believe/Don’t have any tricks/Hidden up my sleeve,' for Merle is nothing if not genuine, even if he doesn’t always think so, being particularly hard on himself. 'Second-hand feelings are always a factor/In my starring role as a bad actor'.”
— HITS Magazine (Roy Trakin)

"...his good-old-days laments taste sweet."
— Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide

Although not about 'Bad Actor,' we can't resist this beautifully-written observation of the entire album:
"It’s familiar enough to feel comforting on the first listen, resonant enough to sound better with each subsequent spin; it’s so true to Haggard’s essence that it could stand handsomely as his final album, an understated summation of where he’s been, but it’s made better by having no trace of self-conscious finality -- this wasn’t constructed as a last word, but it’s just a reflection of who Haggard is, which is nothing less than one of the great American singer/songwriters."
— All Music Guide (Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Some more great words about the album:
"I Am What I Am is filled with the kind of no-holds-barred observations on life and love that are Haggard hallmarks."
— Billboard (Deborah Evans Price)

Golosio Music Publishing (www.golosio.com) creates and licenses music for motion pictures, television, radio/TV commercials, and other formats. Music from Golosio Publishing has appeared in spots from Verizon Wireless, Goodrich, Micron, the Auto Club, General Dynamics, and many others.

Media contact:
John Scott G
jsg@gmanmarketing.com
Phone: 818-223-8486