Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard

   Merle Haggard grew up in Oildale, California, a small town outside of Bakersfield. After his father died, Haggard began to shoplift and other petty crimes. He was sent to juvenile detention centers multiple times. When he was for the fourth time he went to see Lefty Frizzell perform. Frizzell heard Haggard singing along and asked him to sing on stage. The audience loved him and Haggard decided to pursue a career in music. Haggard was well liked in the area and became a local celebrity, but it did not take long before his financial problems got the best of him. He was attempting to rob a local bar when he was arrested. he was sentenced to three years in San Quentin. Here Haggard saw how badly other inmates have screwed up their own lives and he decided to turn his around. 

   Soon after his release, Haggard started to perform again and quickly signed with Tally Records. He did not want to be a part of the honky tonk sound that Nashville was producing, so he joined with Buck Owens and made a Bakersfield sound. During the next couple of years he would release a few singles. It wasn't until 1966 Haggard got his first number one hit, "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive." In 1968, he released  "Okie From Muskogee" which was a political statement against Vietnam War protesters. It along with "Fightin' Side of Me" became patriotic songs in the United States. 

   During the 1970s many of Haggard's songs were covered, most recognizable is Grateful Dead's version of "Mama Tried." Also during this time Haggard had dominated the charts but by the mid 1980s they were taken over by singers like George Strait and Randy Travis. Though he was no longer on the charts he influenced many artists to pursue their careers.