Merle Haggard

Merle Ronald Haggard(April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an award-winning American country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and fiddler. Merle Haggard was on April 6, 1937, to Flossie Mae and James Francis Haggard in Oildale, California, during the severe economic crisis alias Great Depression not only in the United States but also worldwide. After the death of his father, he has to face de obstacles massively, and he was imprisoned several times in his youth. Ronald Haggard spent his early adulthood behind bars for a failed attempt at robbery, Haggard wrote many songs while he was dreaming of freedom and life beyond the bars of a cell.

After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, Merle Ronald with his hard incredible work and performances he turned his life into a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class of some popular music of the time. In the two decades, the 1960s to the 1980s, Merle Haggard had a total of 38 #1 hits on the US country charts, and several more made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. After onwards Haggard continued to release the most successful albums into the 2000s.

Furthermore, Merle Haggard’s Had a total of six children across his five marriages: Ben, Noel, Marty, Jenessa, Kelli and Dana, plus a son conceived outside of marriage, Scott. Same as his fellow music legend and duet partner Willie Nelson, Haggard passed along his musical genes. Out of the seven, four gifted country singers inherited their father’s natural talent.

Merle Haggard Spouse
Merle Haggard married 5 times. In 1956 He married Leona Hobbs and divorced in 1964. They had four children.
In 1965, Merle married again to singer Bonnie Owens. and in 1978 the couple divorced.
His third marriage in 1978, Merle married Leona Williams. and they divorced in 1983.
Merle married again in 1985 married Debbie Parret. In 1991 the couple divorced.
Finally, In 1993, Merle married Theresa Ann Lane, They had two children

Merle Haggard children
Merle had four children from his first marriage. Dana, Marty, Kelli, and Noel
Merle had another two children from his fifth marriage. Jenessa and Ben

Haggard received many awards and honours in his music career. Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), BMI Icon Award (2006), Kennedy Center Honor (2010), And also Merle inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame (1994), Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997).
In 2008, Merle has undergone surgery due to lung cancer and removed the affected part of his lung. He played two shows even after 2 months from the surgery.

When did Merle Haggard die?
In 2015 he was treated and recovered from pneumonia. After 3 months he had to hospitalized again due to double pneumonia. Merle Haggard died on the morning of his 79th Birthday(April 6, 2016) at his home(Shasta County, California).
Merle Haggard death happened due to double pneumonia.

Here are the Merle Haggard Studio Albums,
Strangers (1965)
Just Between the Two of Us (with Bonnie Owens and the Strangers) (1966)
Swinging Doors (with the Strangers) (1966)
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive (with the Strangers) (1967)
Branded Man (with the Strangers) (1967)
Sing Me Back Home (with the Strangers) (1968)
The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde (with the Strangers) (1968)
Mama Tried (with the Strangers) (1968)
Pride in What I Am (with the Strangers) (1969)
Same Train, A Different Time (with the Strangers) (1969)
A Portrait of Merle Haggard (with the Strangers) (1969)
A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills) (with the Strangers) (1970)
Hag (with the Strangers) (1971)
Someday We’ll Look Back (with the Strangers) (1971)
Let Me Tell You About a Song (with the Strangers) (1972)
It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad) (with the Strangers) (1972)
Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present (Something Old, Something New) (1973)
If We Make It Through December (with the Strangers) (1974)
Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album (with the Strangers) (1974)
Keep Movin’ On (with the Strangers) (1975)
It’s All in the Movies (with the Strangers) (1976)
My Love Affair with Trains (with the Strangers) (1976)
The Roots of My Raising (with the Strangers) (1976)
Ramblin’ Fever (1977)
A Working Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today (with the Strangers) (1977)
My Farewell to Elvis (1977)
I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall (1978)
Serving 190 Proof (1979)
The Way I Am (1980)
Back to the Barrooms (1980)
Songs for the Mama That Tried (1981)
Big City (1981)
A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine (with George Jones) (1982)
Going Where the Lonely Go (1982)
Goin’ Home for Christmas (1982)
Pancho & Lefty (with Willie Nelson) (1983)
Heart to Heart (with Leona Williams) (1983)
That’s the Way Love Goes (1983)
It’s All in the Game (1984)
Kern River (1985)
A Friend in California (1986)
Out Among the Stars (1986)
Seashores of Old Mexico (with Willie Nelson) (1987)
Chill Factor (1987)
5:01 Blues (1989)
Blue Jungle (1990)
1994 (1994)
1996 (1996)
Two Old Friends (with Albert Brumley, Jr.) (1999)
If I Could Only Fly (2000)
Cabin in the Hills (2001)
Roots, Volume 1 (2001)
The Peer Sessions (2002)
Like Never Before (2003)
I Wish I Was Santa Claus (2004)
Unforgettable (2004)
Chicago Wind (2005)
Kickin’ Out the Footlights…Again (with George Jones) (2006)
Last of the Breed (with Willie Nelson and Ray Price) (2007)
The Bluegrass Sessions (2007)
I Am What I Am (2010)
Working in Tennessee (2011)
Django and Jimmie (with Willie Nelson) (2015)
Timeless (with Mac Wiseman) (2015)

“Mama tried”

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This Song released in July 1968, First single of the album “Mama tried”, In 1999 “Mama Tried” won the Grammy Hall of Fame Award. Moreover, mama tried, what was the story behind it?
And also we could learn a lesson from this story, listen!
In 1957, Merle Haggard served three years on a robbery conviction.
The lyrics are about a man sentenced to prison and his mother tried everything to rehabilitate her son. The lyrics are not straitly related to Merle’s life experience, but it is a bit related to that and add a little more. Haggard knows that his mother also tried everything within her limit, but did not listen, Aren’t we all like that? when you are in your younger age or early adulthood. always listen to your parents and get their advice that is what we can learn from the song.
They will never ever put us into a situation that will endanger us. Remember!

Merle Haggard: “Sing Me Back Home”

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The song “Sing Me Back Home”,
This song released in 1967 as the first single of the album Sing Me Back Home.
It was inspired by fellow inmates James Rabbit and Caryl Chessman, who was also dreaming of freedom. James Rabbit was executed in 1961 for killing a California Highway Patrolman, and Chessman was the first modern American executed for a non-lethal kidnapping. The song spent two weeks at Number 1 and 17 weeks on the country charts. The song was Merle Haggard and The Strangers’ third Number 1 hit. And it cannot be denied that it’s one of the saddest country songs ever written and recorded.

Merle Haggard – Today I Started Loving You Again

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In 1968, “Today I Started Loving You Again” was written by Merle Haggard and then-wife Bonnie Campbell’s. Later Merle acknowledged that this song was about extraordinary feelings for his beloved then-wife Bonnie while on the tour.

“I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink”

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In 1980, Song was released in October as the second single from the album “Back to the Barrooms”. This hit became the twenty-sixth #1 country hit. One should not forget is that the song stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the country chart. And don’t forget that memorable saxophone solo by Don Markham of The Strangers.

“The fighting side of me”,

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In 1970, Merle Haggard released the song in January from the album “The Fighting Side of me”. He released the album “The Fighting Side of Me” right after making waves with “Okie from Muskogee.” Recorded in December 1969 and this cannot be a surprise what his all songs did, The Fighting Side of Me reached on the country chart just two months later, ultimately rising to # 1. After more than Fifty years, the lyrics phrases such as “And if you don’t love it, leave it” are still relevant, around in the modern era.

“Okie from Muskogee”,

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In 1969, Merle Haggard released one of his signature hit; “Okie From Muskogee.” on September the single was from the album “Okie From Muskogee.”. While watching the Vietnam War protests, The artist had become disheartened. He decided to incorporate that emotion, viewpoint into the track. In 1969, The song “Okie from Muskogee” reached the top #1 on the November country charts, Which stabled for four weeks, In the 1970 CMA Awards, This hit won “Song of the Year”.

Here is the Merle Haggard Song list, Enjoy and let us know your favourite song below in the comment section.
“I’m a Lonesome Fugitive” (1966)
“Branded Man” (1967)
“Sing Me Back Home” (1968)
“The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde” (1968)
“Mama Tried” (1968)
“Hungry Eyes” (1969)
“Workin’ Man Blues” (1969)
“Okie from Muskogee” (1969)
“The Fightin’ Side of Me” (1970)
“Daddy Frank” (1971)
“Carolyn” (1971)
“Grandma Harp” (1972)
“It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)” (1972)
“I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me” (1972)
“Everybody’s Had the Blues” (1973)
“If We Make It Through December” (1973)
“Things Aren’t Funny Anymore” (1974)
“Old Man from the Mountain” (1974)
“Kentucky Gambler” (1974)
“Always Wanting You” (1975)
“Movin’ On” (1975)
“It’s All in the Movies” (1975)
“The Roots of My Raising” (1975)
“Cherokee Maiden” (1976)
“Bar Room Buddies” (with Clint Eastwood) (1980)
“I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” (1980)
“My Favorite Memory” (1981)
“Big City” (1981)
“Yesterday’s Wine” (with George Jones) (1982)
“Going Where the Lonely Go” (1982)
“You Take Me for Granted” (1982)
“Pancho and Lefty” (with Willie Nelson) (1983)
“That’s the Way Love Goes” (1983)
“Someday When Things Are Good” (1984)
“Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room” (1984)
“A Place to Fall Apart” (with Janie Frickie) (1984)
“Natural High” (1985)
“Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star” (1987)