Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggardwas an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, fiddler, and instrumentalist. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band the Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the twang of Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound, new vocal harmony styles in which the words are minimal, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville sound recordings of the same era...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCountry Singer
Date of Birth6 April 1937
CityOildale, CA
CountryUnited States of America
Guitar playing is very important to me. It's like golf to some other people; it's important to me that I play good.
The guitar's not all that expensive either, when you compare it to gettin' a toothpulled or something.
There's just a few people that call themselves stars can actually sit down with a guitar and sing you a song.
There's two or three kids out there trying to make good music, and the rest of them sound like it's been strained through some kind of white toast or something. It all sounds just too neat and perfect, with no surprise to it at all. No story, no nothing. It's like building cars, like an assembly line. It doesn't sound like anything that came from a guitar.
I've smoked Camels for more years than I care to mention, but I haven't had a cigarette since '91. I haven't had a joint since '95.
Boys, we've done found the prettiest city in America. You've got to see it.
Buck influenced a lot of people, from The Beatles to me. Buck and I were in a lot of battles over the years, always on the same side. Over the last few years, we'd become closer. He even flew up to Portland to see me when I opened for Dylan last year. We were outlaws together.
We're going back to remember the forgotten ones,
Oh, I think I'm most proud of my music and my children, and my current wife. She's been very supportive and probably responsible for me being here.
That I'm a contrary old son of a bitch, I guess,
It's a wonderful thing to live as long as I have and to be appreciated and, well, just to be here for it.
We've been in many battles together (always on the same side). Over the last few years, we'd become closer than we ever realized ... We were outlaws together.
And then I have two children by Theresa, one boy 10 and one girl 13.
No, I had a back injury early on in my life.