- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMerle Ronald Haggard
- Nicknames
- Okie From Muskogee
- The Poet of the Common Man
- Hag
- Mighty Merle
- Height5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- Merle Haggard was born on April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California, USA. He was a music artist and actor, known for Wag the Dog (1997), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) and Jack Reacher (2012). He was married to Theresa Ann Lane, Debora J Parret, Leona Bell Williams, Bonnie Owens and Billie Leona Hobbs. He died on April 6, 2016 in Redding, California, USA.
- SpousesTheresa Ann Lane(September 11, 1993 - April 6, 2016) (his death, 2 children)Debora J Parret(June 1, 1985 - 1991) (divorced)Leona Bell Williams(October 7, 1978 - December 3, 1984) (divorced)Bonnie Owens(January 28, 1968 - September 27, 1978) (divorced)Billie Leona Hobbs(April 16, 1956 - 1964) (divorced, 4 children)
- As an inmate at San Quentin from 1958 to 1960, Merle Haggard saw Johnny Cash play at the prison on January 1, 1959. It changed his life. Haggard was later granted a pardon by Ronald Reagan when the former actor was Governor of California.
- Son of James Frances Haggard and Flossie Mae Harp. Merle had 6 children: Dana, Marty, Kelli, Noel, Jenessa, and Ben.
- Has scored 38 No. 1 hits on Billboard magazine's country singles charts between 1967 to 1988. Among his biggest hits included "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (1967); "Sing Me Back Home," "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" and "Mama Tried" (all 1968); "Hungry Eyes," "Working Man Blues" and "Okie From Muskogee" (all 1969); "The Fightin' Side of Me" (1970); "If We Make it Through December" (1973); and "Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Star" (1988). He's also had duet hits with such performers as Leona Williams, Clint Eastwood, George Jones, Willie Nelson and Jewel.
- Has been vocal in his opposition to the state of current country radio programming, which he has said focuses more on younger, pop-country oriented acts rather than traditional stars.
- Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Paul McCartney, and Bill T. Jones.
- Willie Nelson's the one who told me the reason it costs so much to get divorced is because it's worth it.
- When George Jones died, we lost the greatest country singer who ever lived. Every time he stepped in front of a mike, he knocked me out. "She Thinks I Still Care' is my favorite. Then there's 'White Lightning', and the list goes on forever. His delivery on 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' is comparable to a fine opera. He's conveying something there about as well as it can be conveyed. I think he's with the Lord, probably having a great time , him and old Hank Williams and all the rest. ( Wait a minute now, Hank may not be there.) George was real .. the most down-to-earth old country boy - didn't want anything special. He was just George Jones and we loved him.
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