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Merle Haggard music biography continued...

to influence and array of musicians to this day. Born April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California, Haggard had a troubled youth and his rebellious behavior eventually landed him in San Quentin Prison, where he did time for burglary while honing his guitar skills. After his release from jail in 1960, Haggard landed jobs performing in night clubs and became part of Bakersfield's growing music scene. He began his recording career singing duets with Bonnie Owens (the ex-wife of country star Buck Owens), and in 1965 he released his debut on Capitol Records, The Strangers, the title taken from his hit single, "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers," which broke into the country Top Ten. Haggard became a genuine country superstar in 1966, with three Top Ten hits, including "Swinging Doors." "The Bottle Let Me Down" climbed to number three and "The Fugitive" (later retitled "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive") became his first number one. He was voted the Top Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music Awards, while he and Bonnie Owens were named the Top Vocal Group for the second year in a row. In the last half of the 1960s Haggard continued to build on his stellar career, recording ballads and honky-tonk hits including "Mama Tried" and "Workin' Man Blues." His 1969 single "Okie From Muskogee," a good-natured dig at Vietnam War protesters, was a crossover hit and Haggard made headlines as a symbol for love-it-or-leave-it America. The attention helped Haggard get an invitation to play for Richard Nixon at the White House, making him a national lightening rod for the hippie culture.



Haggard stayed with Capitol until 1977, at which time the hits began to slow somewhat. In 1980, he scored another #1 hit from a duet he performed with Clint Eastwood for the film star's "Bronco Billy," but by 1985, a new breed of country singer was on the horizon and Haggard's star was on the decline. He continued to record and perform, however, looking at the new millennium as an opportunity to experiment with genres ranging from bluegrass to pop. With nearly a half a century in the business, Haggard also became an elder statesman, greatly influencing a new generation of performers.