Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.

Merle Haggard was a smooth singer, adept guitarist, insightful songwriter, and Country Music Hall of Fame member. His legacy includes "Okie From Muskogee," "Workin' Man Blues," "Big City," "Mama Tried" and "Today I Started Loving You Again"

Haggard was born in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class that occasionally contained conformist and jingoistic themes contrary to the prevailing anti-Vietnam War sentiment of much popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, he had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.

He received many honors and awards for his music, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), a BMI Icon Award (2006), and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Country Music Hall of Fame (1994) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997). He died on April 6, 2016—his 79th birthday—at his ranch in Shasta County, California, having recently suffered from double pneumonia.

LIVE FROM FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. 05/04/1984

Setlist:

(Intro) Air Mail Special
I Think I'll Stay
I Think I'll Just Stay Here (And Drink)
Swingin' Doors
All My Friends Are Gonna Be (Strangers)
What I'm I Gonna Do (With The Rest of My Life)
Mama Tried
Today I Started Lovin' You Again
Back To The Barrooms
Workin" Man Blues
Always Late (With Your Kisses)
I Never Go Home Anymore
Looking For A Place (To Fall Apart)
Faded Love
Bill Cheatum
That's The Way Love Goes
Okie outro

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