In 2008, Don Henley met his hero. Seven years later, he helped him make “the best work”

Don Henley worked with his musical hero Merle Haggard on “The Cost of Living”, a song for Henley’s first Americana album. Henley said Haggard’s performance was exceptional, making the collaboration a meeting of generations of country music and a chance for Henley to return to the roots that shaped his songwriting.

The pair recorded the track in Henley’s home studio in Dallas, where they spent time assembling the backing track and making multiple vocal takes. Henley recalled that Haggard was unused to so many takes, but said the result was the best work Haggard had done in a while; he also felt his own voice could not match Haggard’s.