Merle Haggard’s Life in Pictures
Legendary country singerMerle Haggard diedWednesday on his 79th birthday, after a battle with double pneumonia, which forced him to cancel a string of shows in recent months.
Known for tunes like “Okie from Muskogee” and “Mama Tried,” the California-born star got his start after seeing Johnny Cash perform while he was serving time in San Quentin State Prison for breaking and entering a local roadhouse.
After decades in the music industry and honors from the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center, Haggard leaves behind a long and stunning legacy.
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Merle Haggard in 1964
Merle Haggard in Los Angeles in September 1966
Merle Haggard on The Johnny Cash Show on August 2, 1969
Merle Haggard in 1970
Merle Haggard on The Johnny Cash Show on January 21, 1971
Merle Haggard in the Mid-1970s
Merle Haggard Performing for President Richard Nixon and His Family on March 17, 1973
Merle Haggard With Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond on Donny & Marie on January 14, 1977
Merle Haggard on The Merv Griffin Show in the Late 1970s
Merle Haggard With President Ronald Reagan on March 16, 1982
Merle Haggard in 1985
Merle Haggard at the Country Music Festival in London on April 1988
Merle Haggard Performing at the Oakland Coliseum on January 19, 1990
Merle Haggard and The Strangers at Tramps in New York City on June 23, 1993
Merle Haggard With Vince Gill and Jane Seymour at the 29th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on May 3, 1994
Merle Haggard on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on January 15, 1996
Merle Haggard With Marty Stuart Filming the “Farmer’s Blues” Music Video on August 31, 2003
Merle Haggard With Keith Richards, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and Kid Rock on May 5, 2004
Merle Haggard at the Willie Nelson 4th of July Concert in San Antonio, Texas on July 4, 2008
Merle Haggard at the 2nd Annual ACM Honors on September 22, 2009
Merle Haggard With Paul McCartney and Bill T. Jones at the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors on December 4, 2010
Merle Haggard With Jason Aldean at the 2014 CMT Artists Of The Year in Nashville on December 2, 2014
Merle Haggard Performing at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California on April 24, 2015
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