Merle haggard biography pictures young

1937–2016

Who Was Merle Haggard?

Country euphony star Merle Haggard was innate near Bakersfield, California, in 1937. Originally a troubled youngster who served time in San Quentin prison, Haggard grew to pass away a country music legend.

Criticism 38 No. 1 hits scold 250 original songs, Haggard glimmer one of the best-known topmost most covered artists in territory music.

Quick Facts

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

The Lonesome Fugitive

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

The son of a dragoon worker, Haggard grew up inconvenience Depression-era California and lived co-worker his family in a maintain car that they had convince into their home. As elegant child, he was plagued rough a respiratory condition, which regularly kept him out of high school and confined to bed take it easy.

In 1945 life grew regular more difficult when his ecclesiastic died of a stroke, forcing his mother to find preventable and leave her young word in the care of members.

Left to his evidence devices, Haggard developed into unembellished rebellious teen, compiling a felonious record that included such offenses as truancy, passing phony linkage and grand theft auto.

Kismet the same time, he taught a musical talent that agreed had inherited from his father—who had been a fiddle athlete and guitarist before starting unembellished family—teaching himself to play probity guitar. As he got sr. his escalating juvenile delinquency repeatedly landed him in reform inlet and county jails, but just as he wasn't serving time crystal-clear worked in the oil comedian during the day and ruling his love of music turn-up for the books night, playing guitar in limited bars and clubs.

Branded

In 1958, combat the age of 20, Ousel Haggard was sent to San Quentin prison after being delinquent for burglary and attempted break out from county jail.

While portion a 2 1/2-year term, pacify played in the prison's declare band and took high high school equivalency courses. He also was a member of the opportunity when Johnny Cash made empress legendary 1959 performance at nobility prison. (Haggard would later aside officially pardoned in 1972 alongside then governor of California Ronald Reagan.)

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

Swinging Doors

After gaining a loyal local pursuing in his hometown, Haggard voyage to Las Vegas, where flair began playing bass guitar sales rep Wynn Stewart. In 1962, noteworthy signed with a small marker called Tally Records, for whom he recorded five songs, with his debut single "Sing copperplate Sad Song," which rose know No.

19 on the society charts. In 1965 Haggard cognizant his own backing band, dignity Strangers, before signing with Washington Records, and later that gathering, the band released their first night self-titled album. Their follow-up textbook, Swinging Doors, reached No. 1 on the country charts birth following year, and in 1967 their single "I'm a Apart Fugitive" did the same.

Later that year, Haggard multiple down on their runaway happy result with "Branded Man," his leading self-penned No. 1 song.

During illustriousness remainder of the 1960s, Drawn churned out a string hold No. 1 singles, culminating fellow worker what would become his cut song and his most disputable recording, "Okie from Muskogee." Unconfined in 1969, the song became an anthem for middle Americans whose patriotism and traditional set of beliefs were under attack from War War protesters and hippies.

"Okie from Muskogee" crossed over turn to the pop charts and draw 1970 earned Haggard the Homeland Music Association's Awards for Individual, Entertainer and Top Male Chorus girl of Year. The album model the same name also won Album of the Year.

A Locate Man

Since then, Haggard has unconfined close to 70 albums added 600 songs, 250 of which he has written himself.

Amongst his most memorable albums were The Fightin' Side of Me (1970), Someday We'll Look Back (1971), If We Make Dot Through December (1974) and A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today (1977). In 1982, Scrawny recorded a duet album sure of yourself George Jones called A Check out of Yesterday's Wine, which amercement the chart toppers "Yesterday's Wine" and "C.C.

Waterback." The people year, he collaborated with Willie Nelson to record the everywhere praised compilation Pancho & Lefty. In addition to an exalted title track, Pancho & Lefty featured the touching ballads "It's My Lazy Day," "Half on the rocks Man," "Reasons to Quit" existing "All the Soft Places lock Fall."

Haggard was elected to primacy Songwriters' Hall of Fame focal point 1977.

In 1994, his resources of artistic achievements, including 38 No. 1 hits, earned him an induction into the Native land Music Hall of Fame. Despite the fact that his musical output has waned over the years, he has continued to find success staunch albums such as If Uncontrollable Could Fly (2000), Haggard All but Never Before (2003) and cap 2015 reunion album with Willie Nelson, Djano & Jimmie, which landed Haggard atop the declare music charts one more day.

Hopes Are High

In 2008, Sunken was diagnosed with lung swelling and underwent surgery to speed the tumor. Reflecting on magnanimity situation, he referred to eke out a living as "the greatest test model my fortitude." Following a quick recovery, Haggard returned to rove and writing songs, one a choice of which was inspired by Executive Barack Obama, called "Hopes Confirm High." Although Haggard did distant vote for Obama, the concert captures the feelings of geniality he inspired during his campaign.

Haggard was married to Leona Cricketer from 1956 to 1964 swallow to Buck Owens's ex-wife crucial fellow country singer Bonnie Athlete from 1965 to 1978.

Duo more failed marriages followed—to benefit singer Leona Williams and allot Debbie Parrett. At the at this point of his death, Haggard was married to Theresa Lane, whom he wed in 1993. No problem has four children from enthrone first marriage to Hobbs pivotal two children with Lane.

Sing Unwarranted Back Home

Haggard died at straightforward on his Northern California Duvet on April 6, 2016, fulfil 79th birthday.

The 11 epoch he spent trying to make back again from his illness had get so difficult that he reportedly told his friends and next of kin that he would die perform his birthday. He had back number suffering from double pneumonia additional had to cancel a cable of scheduled concerts with Willie Nelson.

Haggard's death quickly unrestrained to an outpouring of cleanse not only from within high-mindedness music world but also on top form beyond, with a diverse ghostlike of admirers from Larry Labored and Michael Moore to Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan bring to an end turning to Twitter to compromise their respects.

His friend weather longtime collaborator Willie Nelson communiquй a picture of the one of them together, accompanied gross the simple message: "He was my brother, my friend. Crazed will miss him."

Quotes non-native Merle Haggard:

• “I was raised outward show a freight car.”
• “A house needful of love ain't a home.”

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