Merle Ronald Haggard was an American country music performer, composer, guitarist, and fiddler (he passed away on April 6, 2016).
Haggard was born in Oildale, California. After his father passed away, his boyhood was rocky, and he spent some time in jail as a young man. After leaving San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he was able to rebuild his life and begin a lucrative career in country music.
Merle Haggard parents: Meet James Francis Haggard, Flossie Mae Harp
James Francis Haggard and Flossie Mae (née Harp) Haggard were Haggard’s parents (1899–1946). After their barn burnt in 1934, the family left their home in Checotah, Oklahoma, and relocated to California during the Great Depression.
They moved into an apartment in Bakersfield with their two older children, James “Lowell” (1922-1996) and Lillian, while James started working for the Santa Fe Railroad. A woman in Oildale, a neighbouring town, spoke to Haggard’s father about the potential of turning her boxcar into a home.
Merle Ronald Haggard was born there on April 6, 1937. He later moved in after remodelling the boxcar and buying the land. A bathroom, a second bedroom, a kitchen, and a breakfast nook were ultimately added to the property in the neighboring lot.
