He was born in Oildale, California back in 1937 to James and Flossie. His father died of a brain hemorrhage in 1945 which affected him during his childhood and for the rest of his life. To help him cope with the loss his brother gave him his used guitar.
He committed several criminal offenses like theft and writing bad checks. When he was 14 he ran away hitching rides on freight trains and hitchhiking to Texas with a friend. He returned the same year where he was arrested for robbery. After his release, he worked at several odd jobs, driving a potato truck, short order cook and a hay pitcher to name a few.
In 1957 he tried to rob a Bakersfield roadhouse and sent to Bakersfield jail, he tried to escape at which time he was sent to San Quentin Prison in 1958. While in prison he learned, his wife was expecting a child by another man. This caused him to start gambling and brewing racket (illegal brew) which caused him more trouble.
Anyway, after being released from prison he started digging ditches however that didn’t last long for you see while he was in prison Johnny Cash came to do a performance. Remember the old guitar well that was his salvation for you see he began to perform and as they say the rest is history. I’m writing about the one and only Merle Haggard. Only now you know the rest of the story.
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