Profile via TMDB · Courtesy of TMDB
Merle Haggard
Sign in to saveAlso known as Merle Ronald Haggard, Merle R. Haggard
American country music songwriter, singer, and musician (1937–2016)
OverviewAI-generated
Merle Ronald Haggard was an American singer, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist. Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1937, he began his work period in 1963. He performed country music, classic country, outlaw country, and americana, singing in English. His instruments included the guitar and voice. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was married to Bonnie Owens.
Haggard received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the California Hall of Fame honor, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He recorded for Capitol Records. He died of pneumonia in Palo Cedro in 2016. His death was due to natural causes. He is recognized in the Kennedy Center Honors collection.
Synthesized by Vinony from 37 facts across 6 sources: Wikidata, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, TMDb, Firecrawl, Vinony collections. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Film & TV
Oildale, California, USA
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
Known for
- Willie Nelson Presents: King of the Roadies — Self (archive footage)2025
- Merle Haggard: Salute to a Country Legend — Self (archive footage)2020
- The American Epic Sessions — Self2016
- Merle Travis: Guitar Man2016
- Johnny Cash: American Rebel — Self2015
- Country: Portraits of an American Sound — Self2015
- A Kentucky Treasure: The Osborne Brothers Story — Self (archive footage)2014
- Merle Haggard: In Performance — Performer2014
- Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah — Self - Songwriter2011
- Merle Haggard: Learning to Live With Myself — Self2010
via TMDB
Music · MusicBrainz
- Type
- Person
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
- Active from
- 1937
- Active to
- 2016
Discography
via MusicBrainz · CC0
Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 559,873
- Total plays
- 8,074,736
Tags
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. He was a key figure in the development of the Bakersfield sound and had a career spanning more than five decades, achieving 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also appeared on the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard grew up in a challenging environment and spent time in prison before beginning his music career. <a href="https://www.last
Key facts
- Born
- Merle Ronald Haggard , ( 1937-04-06 ) April 6, 1937, Oildale, California , U.S.
- Died
- April 6, 2016 (2016-04-06) (aged 79), Palo Cedro, California , U.S.
- Genres
- Country outlaw country Bakersfield sound
- Occupations
- Singer, songwriter, musician
- Instruments
- Vocals guitar fiddle
- Years active
- 1961–2016
- Labels
- Capitol MCA Epic Curb ANTI- Vanguard
- Formerly of
- The Strangers
- Children
- 6, including Marty and Noel Haggard
- Website
- merlehaggard .com
via Wikipedia infobox
Official website
The Official website and store of recording artist Merle Haggard – Merle Haggard Official Store
The Official website and store of recording artist Merle Haggard
merlehaggard.com →Link to the official site · 7,587 chars · not written by Vinony
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Ronald
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Bakersfield
- Place of death
- Palo Cedro
- Spouse
- Bonnie Owens
- Occupation
- recording artist
- Political party
- Democratic Party (United States)
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Genre
- country music
- Instrument
- voice
- Record label
- Capitol Records
- Official website
- merlehaggard.com
- Image
- MerleHaggardJun09.jpg
Show 11 more facts
- date of birth
- 1937-04-06
- Commons category
- Merle Haggard
- date of death
- 2016-04-06
- cause of death
- pneumonia
- manner of death
- natural causes
- birth name
- Merle Ronald Haggard
- start of work period
- 1963-00-00
- time period
- 20th century
- social media followers
- 193078
- name in native language
- Merle Haggard
- copyright representative
- Broadcast Music, Inc.
Sources (8)
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield sound. With a career spanning over five decades, Haggard had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart.
Haggard overcame a troubled childhood, criminal convictions and time in prison to launch a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class; these occasionally contained themes contrary to the anti–Vietnam War sentiment of some popular music of the time.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Merle Haggard” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.