Merle Ronald Haggard was an American country music performer, composer, guitarist, and fiddler (he passed away on April 6, 2016).
Near the conclusion of the Great Depression, 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.
What was Merle in jail for?
Merle Haggard served his time at San Quentin jail in California for burglary before breaking new ground in country music.
Haggard said that he began using marijuana in 1978, at the age of 41. He acknowledged purchasing “$2,000 (worth) of cocaine” in 1983 and used it recreationally for five months before realizing his problem and quitting permanently.
In 1991, he stopped smoking cigarettes, and in 1995, he stopped using marijuana. However, it was revealed in a 2009 interview with Rolling Stone that he had resumed frequent marijuana use.
