On his 79th birthday, Country Music legend Merle Haggard passed away at the age of 79, leaving the country music business without a very unique person. Most people are familiar with him thanks to his enormous success as a country performer. A few of the most well-known songs by Merle Haggard include “Today I Started Loving You Again,” “Mama Tried,” and of course “Okie from Muskogee.” But did you know Haggard was reared in a boxcar and was once born into poverty? These are just a few things about the exceptional Okie from Muskogee that you might not have known.
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He Grew up in a Boxcar
In 1937, Merle Haggard was born. He was born and raised inside the well-known “Oildale Boxcar.” His father, James Haggard, converted the boxcar into the household during the Great Depression. There, Merle spent a good deal of his childhood.
Early in 2015, before it was disassembled piece by piece for preservation, Haggard returned to the family home. At the Kern County Museum, the house is presently on exhibit.
Merle Haggard Suffered From a Respitorary Problem
Haggard faced respiratory issues as a child, which frequently caused him to miss school and require bed rest. According to reports, pneumonia was the reason of Haggard’s death when he was 79 years old.
He Was Sent to San Quentin Prison
Young Haggard’s life wasn’t easy, and by the time he was 20 years old, he had gotten into so much legal problems that, following a conviction for a burglary and an attempted escape from county jail, he was sent to San Quentin prison. Here, Haggard completed his high school education and joined the prison band.
Lefty Frizzell Was His Idol
Haggard was deeply influenced by Lefty Frizzell’s craftsmanship as least as early as his adolescent years. The influence Lefty had on country music is not even quantifiable, he once wrote. Nobody could sing as well as Lefty. He would cling to each word until he made up his mind to let go of it and take up the subsequent one. Most of us picked up singing from him.
American President Ronald Reagan Pardoned Him
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The iconic musician, who had a history of legal troubles, was fully pardoned by then-California Governor Ronald Reagan on March 14, 1972. Haggard said, “They found that I was wrongly condemned and had no representation since I was impoverished and stuff like that. Later, he met President Ronald Reagan and performed for him. Haggard remarked, “I hope the president will be as pleased with my performance today as I was with his pardon ten years ago.” during his performance.
He Made It To the Guinness Book
Since March 21, 1983, Merle Haggard has purchased the largest round of drinks, according to the Guinness World Records. At Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, he purchased his fans 5,095 one-ounce drinks, totalling 40 gallons. The final amount was $12,737.50. In 2016, the record was broken.
In Bakersfield, California, a Post Office Bears His Name
A post office building in Bakersfield, California, a city with which he has been associated, was named after the Country Music Hall of Fame member in April 2018. In order to commemorate the Merle Haggard Post Office Building, over 300 individuals are present. The occasion also included the spouse of Merle Haggard.
Bakersfield hopes that the new name will serve as a lasting reminder of a stalwart member of the community and a guy whose candor about his own mistakes fueled people’s spirits.
He Foresaw His Death on His Birthday
Ben Haggard, the youngest son of Merle Haggard, has disclosed that his late father accurately forewarned the family that he would pass away on his 79th birthday. Ben said on his Facebook page after learning of his father’s passing, “Dad told us a week ago he was going to pass on his birthday, and he wasn’t wrong.” He cherished every aspect of life and was grateful that everyone of you supported him by purchasing his songs.
Merle Wed Five Times
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Merle Haggard has several marriages. From 1956 through 1964, Leona Hobbs served as his first wife. Following their breakup, Haggard went on to Bonnie Owens, the ex-wife of Buck Owen, who also happened to be a country artist. From 1965 through 1978, Haggard and Owens were married. There were two more marriages that ended in divorce after those two. They belonged to two ladies, Debbie Parrett and Leona Williams. Haggard wed Theresa Lane in 1993; they were still together when he passed away. If you’re keeping count, Haggard was married five times.
Merle and Johnny Cash Met in Prison
Johnny Cash visited the jail while he was incarcerated. Haggard was present when Cash gave his infamous 1959 performance, which has since become legendary. Why were so many people talking about the concert? because it was Cash’s first time performing a performance inside a jail. San Quentin was the beginning of Cash’s visits to sing to the prisoners on two CDs that he would eventually release.
One of the greatest! Rest in peace Legend