Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard
Haggard performing live in 1971
Haggard performing live in 1971
Background information
Birth nameMerle Ronald Haggard
Born(1937-04-06)April 6, 1937
Oildale, California, U.S.
DiedApril 6, 2016(2016-04-06) (aged 79)
Palo Cedro, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments
Years active1961–2016
Labels
Formerly ofThe Strangers
Spouses
Leona Hobbs
(m. 1956; div. 1964)
(m. 1965; div. 1978)
(m. 1978; div. 1983)
Debbie Parret
(m. 1985; div. 1991)
Theresa Ann Lane
(m. 1993)
Children6, including Marty and Noel Haggard
Websitemerlehaggard.com

Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.

Haggard overcame a troubled childhood, criminal convictions and time in prison to launch a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class; these occasionally contained themes contrary to the anti–Vietnam War sentiment of some popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, Haggard had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. He continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.

Haggard received many honors and awards, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010); a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006); a BMI Icon Award (2006);[1] and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977);[2] Country Music Hall of Fame (1994)[3] and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997).[4] He died of pneumonia on April 6, 2016—his 79th birthday—at his ranch in Shasta County, California.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference bmiawards was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Merle Haggard". Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 27, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2016. Induction year: 1977
  3. ^ "Full List of Inductees". Country Music Hall of Fame. 2010. Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  4. ^ "Inductees". Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  5. ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (April 6, 2016). "Merle Haggard, Country Music's Outlaw Hero, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2016.

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