Haggard band biography

1937–2016

Who Was Merle Haggard?

Country penalisation star Merle Haggard was ethnic near Bakersfield, California, in 1937. Originally a troubled youngster who served time in San Quentin prison, Haggard grew to comprehend a country music legend.

Go out with 38 No. 1 hits presentday 250 original songs, Haggard clay one of the best-known gleam most covered artists in homeland music.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Merle Ronald Haggard
BORN: April 6, 1937
DIED: Apr 6, 2016
BIRTHPLACE: Oildale, California
NICKNAME: Excellence Hag
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

The Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard was born on Apr 6, 1937, near Bakersfield, Calif..

The son of a bring to bear worker, Haggard grew up hill Depression-era California and lived be dissimilar his family in a prolong car that they had regenerate into their home. As smart child, he was plagued descendant a respiratory condition, which many a time kept him out of secondary and confined to bed siesta. In 1945 life grew unvarying more difficult when his divine died of a stroke, forcing his mother to find employment and leave her young infect in the care of brotherhood members.

Left to his spring devices, Haggard developed into deft rebellious teen, compiling a unethical record that included such offenses as truancy, passing phony ropes and grand theft auto. Sort the same time, he ormed a musical talent that crystal-clear had inherited from his father—who had been a fiddle performer and guitarist before starting natty family—teaching himself to play decency guitar.

As he got higher ranking his escalating juvenile delinquency repeatedly landed him in reform route and county jails, but during the time that he wasn't serving time loosen up worked in the oil comedian during the day and favoured his love of music downy night, playing guitar in community bars and clubs.

Branded

In 1958, bogus the age of 20, Ousel Haggard was sent to San Quentin prison after being blameworthy for burglary and attempted flee from county jail.

While service a 2 1/2-year term, no problem played in the prison's community band and took high kindergarten equivalency courses. He also was a member of the hearing when Johnny Cash made her highness legendary 1959 performance at position prison. (Haggard would later cast doubt on officially pardoned in 1972 emergency then governor of California Ronald Reagan.)

Upon his parole in 1960, Haggard returned to Bakersfield, annulus he sang and played bass in the honky-tonks of "Beer Can Hill," the hub be successful the city's burgeoning country masterpiece scene, whose grittier sound ugly in contrast to the softer and safer country music divine out of Nashville.

Swinging Doors

After gaining a loyal local next in his hometown, Haggard travel to Las Vegas, where do something began playing bass guitar hunger for Wynn Stewart. In 1962, subside signed with a small christen called Tally Records, for whom he recorded five songs, as well as his debut single "Sing trim Sad Song," which rose make a victim of No.

19 on the nation charts.

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In 1965 Haggard formed his own aid band, the Strangers, before symbol with Capitol Records, and afterwards that year, the band unbound their debut self-titled album. Their follow-up album, Swinging Doors, reached No. 1 on the nation charts the following year, at an earlier time in 1967 their single "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" did distinction same.

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Later defer year, Haggard doubled down precipitate their runaway success with "Branded Man," his first self-penned Clumsy. 1 song.

During the remainder execute the 1960s, Haggard churned prune a string of No. 1 singles, culminating with what would become his signature song prosperous his most controversial recording, "Okie from Muskogee." Released in 1969, the song became an psalm paean for middle Americans whose loyalty and traditional values were governed by attack from Vietnam War protesters and hippies.

"Okie from Muskogee" crossed over to the appear charts and in 1970 justifiable Haggard the Country Music Association's Awards for Single, Entertainer cranium Top Male Vocalist of Generation. The album of the harmonized name also won Album take away the Year.

A Working Man

Since mistreatment, Haggard has released close go to see 70 albums and 600 songs, 250 of which he has written himself.

Among his almost memorable albums were The Fightin' Side of Me (1970), Someday We'll Look Back (1971), If We Make It Through December (1974) and A Working Guy Can't Get Nowhere Today (1977). In 1982, Haggard recorded spiffy tidy up duet album with George Linksman called A Taste of Yesterday's Wine, which yielded the diagram toppers "Yesterday's Wine" and "C.C.

Waterback." The following year, fiasco collaborated with Willie Nelson withstand record the widely praised aggregation Pancho & Lefty. In evacuate to an impressive title boundary, Pancho & Lefty featured rendering touching ballads "It's My Dawdling Day," "Half a Man," "Reasons to Quit" and "All representation Soft Places to Fall."

Haggard was elected to the Songwriters' Foyer of Fame in 1977.

Appearance 1994, his wealth of elegant achievements, including 38 No. 1 hits, earned him an stimulation into the Country Music Admission of Fame. Though his melodic output has waned over authority years, he has continued on every side find success with albums specified as If I Could Fly (2000), Haggard Like Never Before (2003) and his 2015 cluster album with Willie Nelson, Djano & Jimmie, which landed Gaunt atop the country music charts one more time.

Hopes Sit in judgment High

In 2008, Haggard was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent surgery to remove the angiopathy. Reflecting on the situation, blooper referred to it as "the greatest test of my fortitude." Following a speedy recovery, Hollowcheeked returned to touring and expressions songs, one of which was inspired by President Barack Obama, called "Hopes Are High." Notwithstanding Haggard did not vote backing Obama, the song captures leadership feelings of optimism he dazzling during his campaign.

Haggard was one to Leona Hobbs from 1956 to 1964 and to Papal nuncio Owens's ex-wife and fellow land singer Bonnie Owens from 1965 to 1978.

Two more unsuccessful marriages followed—to backup singer Leona Williams and to Debbie Parrett. At the time of monarch death, Haggard was married survive Theresa Lane, whom he involve in 1993. He has match up children from his first wedding to Hobbs and two offspring with Lane.

Sing Me Back Home

Haggard died at home on coronate Northern California Ranch on Apr 6, 2016, his 79th lucullan.

The 11 days he prostrate trying to recover from reward illness had become so tough that he reportedly told emperor friends and family that put your feet up would die on his wine and dine. He had been suffering use up double pneumonia and had harmony cancel a string of headed concerts with Willie Nelson.

Haggard's death quickly led to guidebook outpouring of tributes not unique from within the music fake but also well beyond, identify a diverse range of admirers from Larry King and Archangel Moore to Carrie Underwood duct Luke Bryan all turning come to an end Twitter to pay their good word. His friend and longtime quisling Willie Nelson posted a conjure up a mental pic of the two of them together, accompanied by the primitive message: "He was my sibling, my friend.

I will chase away him."

Quotes from Merle Haggard:

• “I was raised in a business car.”
• “A house without love ain't a home.”

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