Merle Haggard

Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California) is an American country music singer and songwriter.

Early life

Haggard's parents moved from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression; at that time, much of the population of Bakersfield was made up of economic refugees from Oklahoma and surrounding states. Haggard's father died when he was nine, and Merle began to rebel against his mother, who put him in a juvenile detention center. Merle's older brother gave him a guitar when he was twelve, and he taught himself to play. In 1951, Haggard (at 14) ran away to Texas with a friend, but returned that same year and was arrested for truancy and petty larceny. He ran away from the next juvenile detention center he was sent to, and went to Modesto, California. He worked odd jobs, legal and not, and made his performing debut at a bar. Once he was found again, he was sent to the Preston School of Industry, a high-security installation. Shortly after he was released, fifteen months later, Haggard was sent back after beating a local boy during a robbery attempt.

Related Topics:
Oklahoma - California - Great Depression - Juvenile detention center - 1951 - Texas - Truancy - Larceny - Modesto, California - Preston School of Industry - Robbery

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After his second release, Haggard saw Lefty Frizzell in concert with his friend Teague, and sang a couple songs for him. Lefty was so impressed that he allowed Haggard to sing at the concert. The audience loved him and he began working on a full-time music career. After earning a local reputation, Haggard's money problems caught up with him and he was arrested for a robbery in 1957. He was sent to prison in San Quentin for fifteen years. Even in prison, Haggard was wild. He planned an escape, but never followed through, and ran a gambling and brewing racket from his cell. Soon, however, Haggard befriended author and death row inmate Caryl Chessman. Chessman's predicament inspired Haggard to turn his life around, and he soon earned his high school equivalency diploma, kept a steady job in the prison's textile plant and played in the prison's band. He was released in 1960.

Related Topics:
Lefty Frizzell - 1957 - San Quentin - Caryl Chessman - 1960

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