Merle Haggard (1937-2016)

Merle was born on this day in Oklahoma to farming parents. When their barn burned down during the Great Depression his family joined the exodus to California and they settled just down the dusty road from here in Bakersfield. When his folks acquired a boxcar in Oildale his dad turned it into the family home.  As a teenager he was, by every definition, a juvenile delinquent who spent lots of time in lock-up. He got his first taste of performing when Lefty Frizzell heard him singing backstage at one of Frizzell's concerts and allowed him to sing on stage. But that didn't change his criminal ways. Hearing Johnny Cash perform in San Quentin prison was a turning point. Merle joined the prison band and when he was finally released he dug ditches, wired houses and began performing and recording around Bakersfield.  Eventually he made it to Las Vegas where he played with Wynn Stewart and in 1964 he made a recording of Stewart's composition "Sing a Sad Song" and the single received a lot of radio airplay. Two years later he had his first nationwide hit "All My Friends are Gonna Be Strangers" and then he had a #1 song "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive."

Today on American Pastimes we'll be listening to some of his early recordings - Merle's original Bakersfield Sound. He died today just up the road from here at his home in Shasta County.

Today's Playlist:

Laurie Lewis and The Right Hands “The Golden West” from The Golden West

Jim and Jesse “The Light of the River” from A Gift For Keith

Bryan Bowers “Old Joe Clark” from Friend for Life on Flying Fish

Wynn Stewart “Sing a Sad Song” from Sing a Sad Song

The Brains Behind Pa “Ain't No Cane” from Old Hat

John Hartford and Bob Carlin “Shortening Bread” from The Fun of Open Discussion

Merle Haggard “Sing a Sad Song” from Sing a Sad Song

Merle Haggard “Branded Man” from 60's Capitol Singles

Merle Haggard “The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde” from 60's Capitol Singles

Merle Haggard “The Fugitive” from 60's Capitol Singles

Del McCoury Band “California Gold” from Del and Woody

Crowe, Lawson and Williams “Blue Memories” from Standing Tall and Tough

Jeff White “Pretty Saro” from Right Beside You

Antsy McClain “Right Side of the Dirt” from The Beige Album

Kenny Hall and the Sweets Mill String Band “Little Rabbit” from Kenny Hall and the Sweets Mill String Band

Merle Haggard “California Blues” from California Blues

Merle Haggard “Loneliness Is Eating Me Alive” from Loneliness Is Eating Me Alive

Merle Haggard “Mama Tried” from Mama Tried

Pat Flynn with the Isaacs “Kingdom COme” from ReNew

Pure Prairie League “I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle (Live)” from Alive in America

John Prine and Mac Wiseman “Pistol Packing Mama” from Pistol Packing Mama

Glen Simpson “Short Way to Go” from 13 Stories High on Tomato Gravy

Tennessee Mafia Jug Band “Lester's Loafin' Lounge” from Lester's Loafin' Lounge

The Zinc Kings “Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy” from The Zinc Kings on Modern Primitive Music

Highwoods String Band “Dance All Night” from Feed Your Babies Onions on Rounder

Merle Haggard “Working Man Blues” from Working Man Blues

Merle Haggard “The Bottle Let Me Down” from The Bottle Let Me Down

Merle Haggard “Silver Wings” from Silver Wings

Merle Haggard “Sing Me Back Home” from Sing Me Back Home

Merle Haggard and George Jones “C.C. Waterback” from A Taste of Yesterday's Wine

Merle Haggard and Carl Jackson “Must You Throw Dirt In My Face?” from Livin', Lovin' and Losin' - Louvin Brothers Tribute

Merle Haggard and Jerry Lee Lewis “Just a Bummin' Around” from Last Man Standing