Merle Haggard

The Legend: His Life and Musical Journey

Merle Haggard was one of the most influential country music artists of all time. Born in 1937 in Bakersfield, California, Haggard came from humble beginnings but went on to become a pioneer of the “Bakersfield sound” and one of the most popular country singers of the 1960s and 1970s.

Haggard’s family moved to California from Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Times were incredibly tough for the Haggard family and Merle spent much of his youth getting into trouble. After a stint in juvenile detention, Haggard decided to turn his life around and pursue music. He was heavily influenced by country music legends like Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams.

After being released from San Quentin prison in 1960, Haggard began to gain recognition in the Bakersfield country music scene. His first top ten hit on the country charts was “Sing Me Back Home” in 1967. Over the next decade, Haggard scored an incredible 38 #1 hits on the country charts. Some of his most popular songs included “Mama Tried,” “The Bottle Let Me Down,” and “Okie from Muskogee.”

Haggard was one of the biggest stars of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. He gained a reputation for his honest, poetic lyrics about hard working Americans. In addition to his successful solo career, Haggard recorded hit duets with George Jones, Willie Nelson and others. He won numerous awards from the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association and more.

Even as older artists faded, Haggard maintained his popularity well into the 2000s. He continued touring and recording new music almost until his death in 2016 at age 79. Haggard left behind an incredible legacy of 40 #1 country hits and over 85 million records sold worldwide. He proved himself to be one of the most important and influential country artists ever.

Discography

Albums

  • Big City (1981)
  • 20 Hits (1995)
  • Roots, Volume 1 (2001-11-06)
  • If I Could Only Fly (2000-10-10)
  • I’m a Lonesome Fugitive (1967)
  • The Best of Merle Haggard (2000)
  • A Portrait of Merle Haggard (1969-09-02)
  • 5:01 Blues (1989-05-26)
  • I Wish I Was Santa Claus (2004-10-26)
  • Going Where the Lonely Go (1982-11)
  • What’s It All About? (1972)
  • Okie From Muskogee (1971-02)
  • 1996 (1996)
  • Best of Merle Haggard (2006-07-25)
  • My Love Affair With Trains & The Roots of My Raising (2002-10-15)
  • Classics (1996)
  • Back to the Barrooms (1980)
  • Walking the Line (1987)
  • It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad) (1972)
  • All Night Long (1991-01-01)
  • The Best of Gospel (1989)
  • Chill Factor (1987-11)
  • If We Make It Through December (1974-02)
  • Out Among the Stars / A Friend in California (2010)
  • Kern River (1985)
  • Out Among the Stars (1986-10-13)
  • I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall (1978)
  • I Am What I Am (2010-04)
  • Blue Jungle (1990-06-12)
  • Strangers / Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down (2006)
  • A Friend in California (1986)
  • Strangers (1965-09-06)
  • A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine (1982)
  • Keep Movin’ On (1975-04)
  • Working in Tennessee (2011-10-17)
  • The 25th Anniversary Album (1988)
  • Seashores of Old Mexico (1987)
  • Honky Tonkin’ (1971)
  • I Love Dixie Blues (1995)
  • That's the Way Love Goes (1983-08)
  • Presents His 30th Album (1974)
  • Let Me Tell You About a Song (1972)
  • 40 Greatest Hits (2004)
  • The Peer Sessions (2002-05-21)
  • It’s All in the Movies (1976)
  • Timeless (2015)
  • Goin’ Home for Christmas (2003)
  • Getting to Know Merle Haggard’s Strangers (1971)
  • Songs for the Mama That Tried (1981-09)
  • A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World: Or, My Salute to Bob Wills (1970)
  • Merle Haggard's Christmas Present: Something Old, Something New (1973-11)
  • Country Range This is County (2000)
  • Unforgettable (2004-12-14)
  • Ramblin’ Fever (1977-02-01)
  • Introducing My Friends The Strangers (1970)
  • Branded Man (1967)
  • Cabin in the Hills (2001-05-01)
  • Okie From Muskogee: The Most Wanted (1997)
  • It's All in the Game (1984)
  • Someday We’ll Look Back (1971)
  • Presents His 30th Album (1974)
  • Live at Billy Bob's Texas (1999)
  • Two Old Friends (1999)
  • Pancho & Lefty (1982)
  • It’s All in the Movies (1973)
  • Hag (1971-04-22)
  • Eleven Winners (1978)
  • Mama Tried (1968)
  • The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde (1968-04-08)
  • Totally Instrumental With One Exception (1973)
  • His Best ()
  • Snapshot (2014)
  • Someday We’ll Look Back (1971)
  • Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down (1966)
  • The Best of the Silver Eagle Cross Country Music Show (1981)
  • My Farewell to Elvis (1977)
  • I Love Dixie Blues … So I Recorded “Live” In New Orleans (1973)
  • 1994 (1994-03-22)
  • Serving 190 Proof (1979-05-18)
  • Chicago Wind (2005-10-25)
  • Living Legends (1992-11-03)
  • The Way I Am (1980-04)
  • Merle Haggard: The Ultimate Collection (2017-11-21)
  • Kickin’ Out the Footlights… Again (2006)
  • Heart to Heart (1983)
  • Just Between the Two of Us (1966)
  • The Roots of My Raising (1976-11-22)
  • Same Train, a Different Time (1969)
  • Django and Jimmie (2015-06-01)
  • The Roots of My Raising (1976)
  • Goin’ Home for Christmas (1982)
  • Like Never Before (2003-09-23)
  • My Love Affair With Trains (1976)
  • Hurtin’ (2001)
  • A Working Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today (1977)
  • Sing Me Back Home (1968-01-02)
  • The Bluegrass Sessions (2007)
  • Sing Me Back Home / Legend of Bonnie & Clyde (2006)
  • Last of the Breed (2007-03-20)
  • Greatest Hits, Volume 1 (1994)

Singles

  • It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad) (1972)
  • Sing a Sad Song / You Don’t Even Try (1963)
  • Misery and Gin (1980)
  • Okie From Muskogee (1972)
  • I Can't Be Myself / Sidewalks of Chicago (1970)
  • The Fugitive (1966)
  • Big City (1981)
  • (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers (1965)
  • What Have You Got Planned Tonight Diana (1976)
  • If You Want to Be My Woman (1989)
  • Workin’ Man Blues (1973)
  • Make-Up and Faded Blue Jeans (1978)
  • Daddy Frank (the Guitar Man) / My Heart Would Know (1971)
  • I’m Gonna Break Every Heart I Can (1965)
  • I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall (1978)
  • Sing Me Back Home / Good Times (1967)
  • Let’s Chase Each Other Around The Room (1984)
  • Making Believe (1977)
  • My Favorite Memory (1981)
  • Out Among the Stars (1986)
  • Reasons to Quit (1982)
  • Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver) (1981)
  • I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am / Keep Me From Cryin’ Today (1968-10)
  • Pancho and Lefty (1982)
  • Okie From Muskogee (1969)
  • Hungry Eyes / California Blues (1969)
  • The Bull and the Beaver (1978)
  • If We Make It Through December (1973)
  • The Fightin’ Side of Me (1972)
  • The Roots of My Raising (1975)
  • That’s the Way Love Goes (1983)
  • Goin Home for Christmas (1982)
  • Someday We’ll Look Back (1971)
  • Broken Friend (1983)
  • C.C. Waterback (1982)
  • Ramblin’ Fever (1977)
  • Yesterday’s Wine (1982-11)
  • The Fightin’ Side of Me (1970)
  • I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me (1972)
  • Back to the Barrooms Again (1980)
  • It’s All in the Movies (1975)
  • If I Could Only Fly (1987)
  • We Never Touch at All (1987)
  • Sam Hill (1964-04)
  • If We’re Not Back in Love by Monday (1977)
  • I’ve Got a Yearning (1975)
  • The Emptiest Arms in the World (1973)
  • Street Singer (1970)
  • (Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You (1980)
  • The Way I Am (1980)
  • It's Been a Great Afternoon (1978)
  • When The Feelin’ Goes Away (1971)
  • Almost Persuaded (1986)
  • Everybody’s Had the Blues (1973-06)
  • Things Aren't Funny Anymore / Honky Tonk Night Time Man (1974)
  • Someday When Things Are Good (1983)
  • We’re Strangers Again (1983)
  • No Reason to Quit (1970)
  • You Babe (1987)
  • Silver Wings (1981)
  • Kentucky Gambler (1974)
  • Mama Tried / You’ll Never Love Me Now (1968)
  • I Threw Away the Rose (1967)
  • A Bar in Bakersfield (1990)
  • Old Man From the Mountain (1974)
  • Okie From Muskogee (1969)
  • A Place to Fall Apart (1984)
  • A Friend in California (1986)
  • The Way I Am (1980)
  • Amber Waves of Grain (1985)
  • Natural High (1984)
  • Things Aren’t Funny Anymore (1974)
  • Leonard (1980)
  • Going Where the Lonely Go (1982)
  • My Favorite Memory / Texas Fiddle Song (1981)
  • Workin’ Man Blues / Silver Wings (1969)
  • From Graceland to the Promised Land / Are You Lonesome Tonight (1977)
  • My Own Kind of Hat (1979)
  • Yesterday’s Wine (1982)
  • That’s the Way (I Like It) (1984)
  • Chill Factor (1987)
  • Dealing With the Devil (1981)
  • Blue Christmas (1977-11-21)
  • Just Between the Two of Us (1964)
  • What Am I Gonna Do (With the Rest of My Life) (1983)
  • Rainbow Stew (1981)
  • The Bottle Let Me Down (1966)
  • Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star (1987)
  • I Can’t Hold Myself in Line (1981)
  • Big City (1981)
  • A Better Love Next Time (1989)
  • Soldier’s Last Letter / The Farmer’s Daughter (1971)
  • Swinging Doors (1966)
  • Here Comes the Freedom Train (1976)
  • Singin My Heart Out (1963)
  • Red Bandana (1979)
  • You Take Me for Granted (1982)
  • Every Fool Has a Rainbow / The Fightin’ Side of Me (1970)
  • The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde / I Started Loving You Again (1968)
  • 5:01 Blues (1988)