Merle Haggard Biography

A country music outlaw. For over six decades Merle Haggard composed and performed one of the greatest repertoires in country music, capturing the American condition with his stories of the poor, the lost, the working class, heartbroken, and hard-living.
Haggard didn’t have to look far for material. His greatest songs - the Depression-era poverty described in “Hungry Eyes,” the prison diaries “Sing Me Back Home” and “Mama Tried,” the hard-living anthems like “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” and “Back to the Barrooms” - were all taken from the pages of his own life.

[@JWells-mz1jr]

Many times i have driven cross country singing along with Merle and George Jones. They made my trips much easier...

[@roysmith2788]

The best Damn country music singer ever lived

[@cheryl.hughes7750]

What happened to murdered? 18:42

[@DebraRife-f9b]

I was 11 yrs. Old listening to Merle Haggard I the HOLLARS of HURLEY VIRGINIA. . God Bless this Singer songwriter. . There WILL never be Another MERLE HAGGARD, EVER.

[@CheyenneNixon-p8m]

Merle Haggard pure country❤music Storyteller Rider he had a hard life and look how he turned it around God🙌🕊✨️💯❤️ was truly with him I believe that🙏 I always have love ❤Merle Haggard one he was so talented a God given gift of a voice songwriter😊 Also listening when my sister and myself were little girls my Daddy and Mamma always loved to listen to Merle Haggard I'm in no way bragging but I still have his Merle Haggard album's in the original jacke in mint condition in the jacket. I'm not bragging about it at all I just am so happy that my Daddy who is in Heaven with my Sister now with God Almighty and my Mamma who I still have left me that even his first one Mama Tried😊 Shame on those who mismanaged him you are the one who should he should have been sued but Merle Haggard being a good man probably would not have sued you! I'm so happy he is in the Country Music Hall of Fame if anybody deserved it he did deserve that honor😊 We will make mistakes but I think deep down he was a very good man. Who are we to judge anyone that is God Almighty's right and I think that he is in ❤ HEAVEN ❤ today😊 Our loss✨️ Heaven's🕊 gain❤❤❤🕊🙌✨️🙏❤️💯🕊✨️🙏❤️

[@DannyClayton-f7u]

l,l,,,l,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,l,l,ll.., ll or else i’m just not sure

[@MaryFautt]

That is so true 😊

[@SJ-ni6iy]

He really needs a biopic of his life. He has the voice, songwriting and life experiences, that no one else can touch.

[@ebutler2490]

Merle is the man of country music seen him in Richmond va and got his autograph .BEST SHOW EVER ♥️

[@Totalclassicrock]

absolute legend

[@DebraRife-f9b]

@@ebutler2490 so Did I. Got a picture with him .

[@terrygotwhatheheaskedforfo7789]

George Jones said Merle Haggard is his favorite singer that should tell you how great he is, when George Jones said it

[@thomaslemon3971]

When you’re everyone’s favorite country singer’s favorite country singer, you’re the real deal.

[@terrygotwhatheheaskedforfo7789]

@@thomaslemon3971 your right but I never knew how good Merle haggard was until I seen him in person and George Jones was right Merle haggard was great 👍 but thank you for your reply 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

[@lindahelms2963]

​@@thomaslemon3971lqq1q

[@dianeherring996]

Never before been one as great and I don’t think it will ever be one to beat him! ❤️

[@Totalclassicrock]

agreed

[@mwilliamshs]

You "...don't think it will ever be one..." What's "it"?

[@dianewolfe3056]

You are so right, my friend

[@samwrought5650]

Agreed he wrote about everything under the sun. I

[@kathykinneman1187]

😢😢😢😢😮😮😮😮😮

[@lindadix1465]

I love hearing him sing. Been Listening to him since I was 16

[@Totalclassicrock]

he's amazing

[@francesjackson3416]

@@Totalclassicrock merle Haggard and bonnie Owens

[@bev4155]

Me too 😉

[@Kevincarlloven]

Merle Haggards voice reminds me being a kid in the 1970s going to sleep and hearing my daddy and his boys listening to a Merle record, drinkin' and playin' cards thru my bedroom wall...nothing would make me sleep better.

[@janiferbernice]

I grew up listening to Merle Haggard thanks to my dad having a jukebox in our living room. His songs all have a special meaning to me. Each one different. I was fortunate enough to see Marty Haggard do a concert in Oakdale, CA and still have the photo that we took together. R I P Merle. Great documentary. Thanks for posting.

[@hambubur]

Hmmm

[@montefranklin5720]

I loved Merle Haggard!! Got the honor of seeing him play live here in Grand Junction, CO.!! And I am honored to have the same birthday as Merle!! April 6th!!!

[@bev4155]

Saw him several times and miss him! A true legend in his own right. God bless him for the music. 🎶💙😎

[@atillathehun4208]

Don't worry about the sound being off man I still appreciate you putting this up, ole Merle was a hell of a man.

[@theodoredickinson4287]

2:32

[@catherinefleming8254]

I Love the man,Love the music.x

[@Totalclassicrock]

me too

[@DRife-o7l]

No one Tops this SINGER. ,EVER'. HE SANG WHATH HE LIVED. HIS SONGS PUT YOU RIGHT THERE. WE LIVED EVERY DAMN SO G HE SANG. MY G FIRST LOVE SIN E 9 YRS. OLD. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@DebraRife-f9b]

🙏 @DRife 🙏-o7l 🙏 Always 🙏 A 🙏 HAG 🙏 FAN 🙏

[@musicfanhawk4523]

I love seeing pictures of young Merle, he was good looking from the start! Very good looking parents, and he was talented from a very young age.

[@Totalclassicrock]

timeless

[@SJ-ni6iy]

He looks like his mother ❤

[@rgyoho]

As a novelist, I always wanted to write a song. The more I thought about it, the more I studied the work of Merle Haggard. Merle Haggard was one of the first albums I ever remember hearing and I love his music even more as I've grown older.

[@Totalclassicrock]

absolute legend

[@wrh231177]

I'm curious to know if you ever wrote the song?

[@rgyoho]

@@wrh231177 Yes, I did. Since I have no musical skills, a very talented singer-songwriter has put it to music. He's even talking about recording it on his next album. Since then, I have written at least a couple more, also with a couple different singer-songwriters. It really all started with Merle, though.

[@wrh231177]

@@rgyoho I appreciate you're follow up and would love to hear them when they're mixed and mastered!

[@commoncents9734]

What a great country singer with an interesting life. Thank you for uploading this.

[@Totalclassicrock]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@veravajr]

He was the greatest singer of all time. . He lived the life he sang about. There will never be another even close to him.

[@chenzenzo]

A true western cowboy. Merle brought the Bakersfield sound worldwide and showed everybody bout it. He was deadlier than Johnny Cash and erebody. Merle is a classic example of what it means to be from the west. The real west. California was a hell of place to grow up. Rest easy Merle. You will not be forgotten.

[@KatK1960]

He will never be forgotten!

[@ayejay6304]

And look at california now it’s sad what happened

[@Fishing4life1997]

my favorite ever. I can’t express into words my appreciation for this man. The absolute best there ever was

[@Hagfan789]

It's a great story that's for sure...all we need now is the movie..

[@mariacardenas4665]

Miss him so much he was a great guy. He was nice.

[@mariehowell5184]

One of my favorites there is nothing like country music ❤😊

[@debragolden6968]

Merle was the best there ever was

[@Totalclassicrock]

no lie

[@christopherdibble5872]

George jones favorite singer

[@terrygotwhatheheaskedforfo7789]

I seen Merle live fabulous show ❤

[@lailamiller9914]

I really enjoyed watching this video I’m a Merle lover forever thank you❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@ELIZABETHHUGHES-eh9gw]

MERLE is my no 1 man .FOREVER. FANTASTIC voice .There shall never be another MERLE. His unique style voice. Fabulous xx❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@mabelregimal5407]

The thing about Merle and The Strangers, is that Merle always made sure to recognise the band members and back up singers and he always made sure to let them have a solo to showcase their talents.

[@lenahale1677]

He will ever be for getting I ju love watching his videos and song and music 🎶🎶 miss you my friend play love your music all night Lena from Jellico Tennessee

[@judidunham]

The Hag…Always was a still is my favorite country singer. I wanted to meet him so badly but never could afford a concert. But my prayers of meeting Merle Haggard almost came to fruition when I was flying home from California to Seattle. As luck would have it, I ended up on the same flight as Merle Haggard! I spotted My hero in first class on the way to the restroom. I decided in the rest room that I was going to speak to him on the way back to my seat. As I passed his seat, I froze. The words wouldn’t come. I kept walking without meeting Merle Haggard. But fate afforded me another chance. I found myself on the escalator to baggage standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Haggard. Once again, I tried to speak. Nothing came out. We ended up at the carousel in baggage; side by side. I couldn’t believe my hero, the country western giant, was collecting his own luggage! No entourage? I loved that. He was so real; just like me. Well, not quite. I knew this was the last chance to speak to my hero; Merle Haggard. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t find my voice. I grabbed my luggage from the carousel and started for my car. Looking back over my shoulder I finally found my voice. “I love you” I whispered. Then Mr. Haggard slowly faded from my view. It’s a day I will never forget. The day I almost met “The Hag.”

[@suewalker3600]

You know Merle was great and a legend if Willie sees him as such.RIP The Hag

[@lorenejones6041]

Merle was the best!

[@Totalclassicrock]

very hard to beat

[@DebraRife-f9b]

@@lorenejones6041 nobody Could beat Merle Haggard.

[@theresaquickster4214]

Like a snowball headed for Helll.was a good song.🙏😊💖 he had too many good ones to list. At 14 I ran with rockers but listened to okee from muskogee 🤣🤣🛸🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲💞

[@HughMorristheJoker]

Merle is my favorite country feller.

[@johnhorner8732]

Hes a true country bad boy with a great sound

[@charliesgrumma5388]

Ole Merle was the kind of man who would sit at the bar drinking with you and help you miss her.

[@MichelleEakes-di3bb]

Raised my girls on merle haggard still loving everyword

[@kathydailey8970]

Love ,Hag,song&song writer,love his,voice❤❤🎉

[@TigerKing77]

If you look it up. The man was the original OG outlaw country hag was it. True friend to the common Man.

[@terryvancourt6771]

The poet of the common man 🎶🎸💯

[@jamesziegler2763]

what a talent..

[@Totalclassicrock]

no doubt about it

[@tomdale1313]

"The Real Deal"...tanks for sharing

[@darlenemstrommer7687]

All guys are singing in heaven

[@dennisreed876]

He was a great singer

[@theresaquickster4214]

True country 😊🥰💖

[@MichelleEakes-di3bb]

The best ever my merle haggard ❤

[@sddarkman619]

it's be great if the sound wasn't off.

[@matty6343]

Grew up looking at this guy and a role model. Never knew his background.

[@Totalclassicrock]

he's one of the best

[@mwilliamshs]

Who was the role model you grew up looking at?

[@TheSnoopindaweb]

I hauled a load of Barn lumber to "Silver Thorne" on the south shore once in the 80s, I saw a Man with brown hair and a beard. I couldn't quite place Him as I was new in N. Cal. I thought about if I saw Him in S./W. Mt, but I didn't ask as I was busy getting both trailers unloaded. When I got back to the truck yard in Yuba City and was handing in My "bill of lading", etc. The truck boss asked how I liked delivering the lumber to Merle Haggard as He was building a bar in His new place‼ Yup❗ G-G ~ 🪶

[@Totalclassicrock]

very cool story

[@zentume2531]

Did you go back to meet him?

[@johndavidson5228]

Good biography of Merle but unfortunately the video often didn't match what was being talked about at the moment. It would also have been nice to hear what was being said by eveyone in the video.

[@judithboucher2902]

LOVE YOU FOREVER.YOU ARE MY BEST..💖💖🙏🙏🙏R.I.P

[@AbleGoodman]

If George Jones was a slightly better singer (more ornamentals, etc) than Merle, Merle was head and shoulders a better and more prolific songwriter. What an amazing catalog of songs. Merle was Vince Gill's all-time favorite. That's good enough for me!

[@MrYatesj1]

A shame the audio is jacked up on this story of one the greatest

[@backtrackdadventure73]

Love you dad. Miss you heaps. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@mikelebouef1023]

Great video but the audio is off

[@Totalclassicrock]

Yeah I know

[@ryandavis9391]

what do u men audio is off

[@musicfanhawk4523]

@@ryandavis9391 the sound doesn't match the mouths as the ppl speak.

[@tjdinfl]

@@Totalclassicrock why not upload it again and fix it?

[@bobbydee1187]

Yelp

[@DebraRife-f9b]

🔥 Merle 🔥 Haggard 🔥 Never 🔥 Ceased 🔥 To 🔥 Amaze 🔥 Me 🔥.. God 🔥 awful 🔥 Never 🔥 Ending 🔥 Success 🔥 Story 🔥 Of 🔥 Indistinguishable 🔥 HAG 🔥...🔥

[@chrisliles1668]

awesome

[@tomrobe8375]

Omg he looks just like noel here Fantastic singer

[@KylesRV]

Unwatchable due to audio synchronization.

[@HarveyHodson]

A musical genius

[@bettylumpkin3099]

He was born in a Hospital then went home which his Father. Bought Amen

[@aaronclark7587]

I think I watch these because or the narrator

[@pastureexpectationsfarm6412]

The audio sync ain't right.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

What's with the silence starting at 1:09?? Wassupwid the sound track not in sync with the lips of the people talking??? It is no wonder why you have so few subs. Bye.

[@Totalclassicrock]

I wish we could figure out how to fix it

[@MrYatesj1]

@@Totalclassicrock Dam give me the password of your YT and I will fix it for you. You can do all the editing within the YT editor. Just cut out the dead air starting at 1:09 and everything synchs back up

[@jamesyoreilly5442]

You don't need to be so mean

[@mstycrk]

I loved Merle, This video was edited terribly.

[@corir1045]

Wow looked for so many vids like this on Merle. Where is this from?

[@Totalclassicrock]

CMT, years ago

[@cowboyfifties]

Ciao ottimo video! Ho un problema,non riesco ad accoppiarvi il mio Midland BTX2 PRO2. Tu sapresti aiutarmi? Grazie

[@DebraRife-f9b]

He Looked Allot like His MOTHER. 🙏

[@DebraRife-f9b]

He was Bigger than George Jones.

[@johnharter4599]

way more talent

[@DebraRife-f9b]

@@johnharter4599 True.

[@rosemarygilbert4968]

Wow,

[@ronaldgavlick732]

Why does this have video of people talking but no sound ?

[@Craig_KCfan]

Such a good documentary however the editing was terrible.. the voice and video lagged so the two stopped matching up later in the video 🙄

[@Totalclassicrock]

Sorry for that

[@Singersavannah0]

Glad I’m not the only one that noticed that

[@garyheld7717]

Long live Oildale!

[@Totalclassicrock]

100%

[@George-bj5ki]

Merle has made many contradictory comments on Ojie from Muscogee(Okie)

[@WayneClark-u3e]

❤

[@Dennis-xr7gs]

lov u big man,,,i saw ever concert u ever played w.in driving distance of lou,my BIG BRO DON put my 2nd wife on WILLIE

[@MrBorisbones]

Fabulous but needs vocals synconised

[@Totalclassicrock]

true

[@mwilliamshs]

What's synconised mean?

[@Newfoundmike]

As a Janitor at a TRUCK Stop he let me Mop between his Cowboy boots /1974

[@plisskenationbackfromthede3657]

I got some friends whose last name is haggard. When i met them over 20 yrs ago, i jokingly asked if they were related to merle. My buddy said yea kinda sorta but not close. I always assumed it was bs. But man i saw the thumbnail and i was like omg thats him and his dad 🤣 like spittin image lol. Its crazy how much they all look alike. Then i hear merles story and damned if theirs isnt an awful lot like his too lol. Few divorces, buncha times in the joint etc. Its uncanny lol. I guess its just a haggard thing

[@cliffordwooten5980]

The audio is terrible

[@SK-qj2tj]

How can people watch this with the audio and video.all.messed up.

[@johnwinkler5373]

HAG IS NO DOUBT THE GREATEST

[@ruthgunneson-poling1571]

Wow, the audio is terrible.

[@clinthanson9828]

Too bad the sound isn't in sync with most of this video...

[@haroldhayes883]

Get the sound n picture of this in sync

[@christianheidt5733]

👍

[@Totalclassicrock]

thanks

[@winter4953]

🖤

[@dianemorton2222]

Imteresting

[@kmaher1424]

Great material but oddly produced. Why show people being interviewed as backup to the narrator droning on? When Okie came out, not all his fans were righties. We knew he did not smoke marijuana...in Muskogee What a pity his double album tributes to Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills were omitted. He introduced a bew generation to these seminal artusts

[@GARRYLREID]

not bad for a milker,good vid

[@melissaburns622]

Merle's WONDERFUL!!!! But people are talking, in an interview, maybe???? Then there is a narrator yacking!!! Also, the lips don't match what he's saying!!! This was VERY POORLY DONE AND MERLE DESERVED A WHOLE LOT BETTER!!!!!🤬🤬🤬

[@kerickwalters2749]

The sound is off track

[@brt-jn7kg]

We wont see his likes again

[@hazzachannel1]

WHO CORRUPTED THE INTERVIEWS/VOICES ON THIS.

[@octoman511]

FIX THE AUDIO!!!!!!!!

[@danielmoose1273]

Un-Synchronised Soundtrack Ruins What Was Probably Otherwise An Excellent Video.

[@brendendavis8596]

He was from oildale? Thats the most low down white city ever

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

1962 BAKERFIELD CA OK