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Alternative Title: Merle Ronald Haggard
Merle Haggard, in full Merle Ronald Haggard, (born April 6, 1937, Oildale, California, U.S. died April 6, 2016, near Redding, California), American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, one of the most popular country music performers of the late 20th century, with nearly 40 number one country hits between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s.
Haggard’s parents moved from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to the Bakersfield area of California, and he grew up in a converted boxcar. His father died when he was 9 years old, and, by the time he was 14, he was engaged in a life of petty crime and truancy, with frequent stays in juvenile facilities. His escapades eventually led to incarceration (1957–60) in the California State Prison at San Quentin. (Singles that reflect that experience include “Branded Man” [1967] and “Sing Me Back Home” [1968].)