- As an inmate at San Quentin from 1958 to 1960, Merle Haggard saw Johnny Cash play at the prison on January 1, 1959. It changed his life. Haggard was later granted a pardon by Ronald Reagan when the former actor was Governor of California.
- Son of James Frances Haggard and Flossie Mae Harp. Merle had 6 children: Dana, Marty, Kelli, Noel, Jenessa, and Ben.
- Has scored 38 No. 1 hits on Billboard magazine's country singles charts between 1967 to 1988. Among his biggest hits included "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (1967); "Sing Me Back Home," "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" and "Mama Tried" (all 1968); "Hungry Eyes," "Working Man Blues" and "Okie From Muskogee" (all 1969); "The Fightin' Side of Me" (1970); "If We Make it Through December" (1973); and "Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Star" (1988). He's also had duet hits with such performers as Leona Williams, Clint Eastwood, George Jones, Willie Nelson and Jewel.
- Has been vocal in his opposition to the state of current country radio programming, which he has said focuses more on younger, pop-country oriented acts rather than traditional stars.
- Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Paul McCartney, and Bill T. Jones.
- Hospitalized with double pneumonia in December 2015 and March 2016.
- Died on his 79th birthday, due to complications from pneumonia, at his California residence.
- Bore a resemblance to actor Warren Beatty during the 1960s & '70s.
- Inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.
- Underwent surgery for lung cancer in November 2008.
- Famous country & western singer
- Supported Hillary Clinton's bid to win the Democratic nomination in 2016.
- Born on exactly the same date as Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian from the "Star Wars" movies).
- Merle Haggard's 1968 hit song "Mama Tried" was used in the final scene of the final episode (entitled "The Road Ahead") of the AMC TV series "Fear the Walking Dead", broadcast on November 19, 2023.
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