Merle Haggard

Biography

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

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

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 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.

Haggard's last recording, a song called "Kern River Blues", described his departure from Bakersfield in the late 1970s and his displeasure with politicians. The song was recorded February 9, 2016, and features his son Ben on guitar. This record was released on May 12, 2016.

Haggard endorsed Fender guitars and had a Custom Artist signature model Telecaster. The guitar is a modified Telecaster Thinline with laminated top of figured maple, set neck with deep carved heel, birdseye maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, ivoroid pickguard and binding, gold hardware, abalone Tuff Dog Tele peghead inlay, 2-Colour Sunburst finish, and a pair of Fender Texas Special Tele single-coil pickups with custom-wired 4-way pickup switching. He also played six-string acoustic models. In 2001, C. F. Martin & Company introduced a limited edition Merle Haggard Signature Edition 000-28SMH acoustic guitar available with or without factory-installed electronics. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

"(My Frends Are Gonna Be)" Strangers

F, C, A#

"Place To Fall Apart" [Live from Austin, TX]

D, A, E

"Ramblin´ Fever"

G, C, D, Gm, Dm

C, F, G, Cm

(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You

C, F, G, E, D

C, F, G, Gm, A#, A, D#, B

A Bar in Bakersfield

A#, D#, F, Fm, A#m

A Place to Fall Apart

A, D, E

C, Gm, F, A#, D, Am

After Loving You

D#, G, G#, C#, E, D, A

All I Want to Do Is Sing My Song

G, Bm, Am, D, C, B, Em, A, D#, G#, Cm, A#m, C#, Fm, A#, E, C#m, F#m, F, Dm, Gm, F#, D#m

A, D, E, B

Always Late (With Your Kisses)

D, Am, A, E, B

Always Wanting You

Am, C, D, G, F

E, A, B

Amber Waves of Grain

A, D, E, B, C#m

C, F, G, E

Anniversary Blue Yodel

C, B, A#, F, G, Dm, Cm

Apart for a While

E, A, B, F#, Bm, F#m

Are the good times really over for good

C, G, F, Bb

Back to the Barrooms Again

G#, C#, D#, E, A, D

G#, D#, A#, G#m, F, Fm, Cm

D, Em, G, A, E, C#

Because of Your Eyes

D, C, G, A, Bm

Better Off When I Was Hungry

A, D, E

E, A, B

Big Time Annie's Square

D, A, G

A, D, E, Bm

Blue Suede Shoes

A, D, E, Bm, Em

Blues for Dixie

A#, D#, G, Gm, C, F

Blues Stay Away From Me

E, A, Em, B

G, C, D, A

California Blues

C, F, A#

California Cottonfields

C, G, A#, F, D, Dm, D#, Gm

California on My Mind

F, A#, C, Cm, G

D, G, A, E, Em

C, Am, D, G, Bm, G#

Cotton Patch Blues

C#, D#, A#, G, C, F, Gm, G#, Cm, A, F#, Fm

Bm, D, A, G, E, A#, D#, Cm, G#, F, Gm

Dealing With The Devil - Rare Studio Version

A#, F, D#, Gm

Don't Seem Like We've Been Together All Our Lives

D#, A#, F

Down at the End of the Road

C, F, G

Down on the Houseboat

D, A, C, G, B, E, F#m

Down The Old Road To Home

F, C, Bm, G

Drink Up and Be Somebody

G, C, Dm, D

Easy Come, Easy Go

A#, D#, F, C, Gm, Dm

Every Fool Has A Rainbow

G, D, Em, A, Am, E

Fightin' Side of Me

B, E, A, C, F, A#

Folsom Prison Blues

E, Em, A, B, Bm, F#

A#, Dm, D#, F, D#m, G#

A, D, E, B

G, D, Am, C, A

Going Where the Lonely Go

A, D, E, B

Got Lonely Too Early This Morning

E, A, B

Green, Green Grass of Home

C, G, D

C, Dm, A#, Bm, G, F, A

Bm, E, A, F#, B, C#, D, Cm, G#, C#m, F#m, D#, C

Hag's Dixie Blues #2

D, G, Bm, E, A, B

Haggard (Like I've Never Been Before)

A#, D#, D, Gm, C, Dm, F

Harold's Super Service

G, D, C

Heartbreak Hotel

C, F, G

Hobo Bill's Last Ride

C, F, D, G, A#

Am, E, C, D, Dm, G, Em, F, G#, F#

D, G, A

I Always Get Lucky With You

C, E, F, D, G, A#, Dm, A, Cm

A, D, E

I Can't Be Myself

D, A, G, E

I Can't Get Away

F#, G#, C#, D#, D#m

I Didn't Mean To Love You

D, G, A, Gm, Am

I Dreamed You Didn't Love Me

D, G, E, A, C

I Hate to See It Go

C, A#, F, G, Dm

I Never Go Around Mirrors

D#, G#, A#

I Saw The Light

A, G, C, D

I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am

C, Dm, G, F, Am

I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink.

A, D, E, Am

I Think I'll Stay

C, F, G, Cm, Am, D, A#, Gm, A, Fm

I Think I'm Gonna Live Forever

G, C, D, Am

I Think It's Gone Forever

B, F#, E, C#

I Threw Away The Rose

G#, C#, D#, A#

I Wonder Where I'll Find You at Tonight

D, A, G, Bm

I'd Rather Be Gone

E, A, Em, G, B

I'm A Lonesome Fugitive

G, C, D, Gm, Am, A

I'm a White Boy

A, G#, F#, B, D, E

I'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall

C, F, Dm, G, Em, Am, D

I'm Bringing Home Good News

C, F, G, Gm

I'm So Tired Of It All

F, C, G

I'm Still Your Daddy

A, E, D, B

I've Done It All

A, D, G, C, F, Dm, Cm

I've Got a Darlin' (For a Wife)

D, G, A

A, E, D, F#m, Bm

If I Could Only Fly

E, A, B

If We Make It Through December

C, Dm, G, A#, F, Em, Am

If We Never Meet Again

F, A#, C, G, Gm

If We're Not Back In Love By Monday

C#, D#m, G#, B, F#, D#, G#m, Fm

In My Next Life

C, F, G, A, D

A#, Dm, D#, F, D

C, G, F

It Always Will Be

C, F, G

It's All In The Movies

Am, E, A, Bm, F#m, D, C#m

It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)

C, G, D

A#, D#, F, F#, A#m, A

Jesus, Take a Hold

D, A, G, Bm, Dm

Jimmie Rodgers' Last Blue Yodel

G, D, Gm, C

D, Bm, G, E, A, Em, A#, D#, G#, Cm, F

Just Between the Two of Us

C, G, F

Keep on the Sunny Side

D#, G#, A#, D#m

Kentucky Gambler

G#, C#, D#, A#

A, D, E, C#, C#m

Kern River Blues

D#, G#, A#, Cm

Learning To Live With Myself

G, C, D, Bm

Leavin's Not The Only Way To Go. wmv

D, G, A, E, Edim, B, F#, Bm, Gm, F#m

D, A, G, Bm

Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room

A#, F

C#, C#m, F#

Life of a Rodeo Cowboy

G, C, F, D

Life's Railway To Heaven

D, A, G, E

Loneliness Is Eating Me Alive

E, C#, F#m, B, A, Am, F#, C#m, Bm

Long Black Limousine

A, D, E

Lord Don't Give Up on Me

G, C, D, Gm

Losin' in Las Vegas

B, E, F#, C#

Love Keeps Hanging On

G, D

A, E, D, G#, B, F

Lucky Old Colorado

A#, F, D#, Cm, Dm, F#, B, D#m, C#m, E

Make-Up and Faded Blue Jeans

D#, G#, A#, C#

D, G, A, Bm, Dm

Mama Tried (1968 live TV performance)

D, G, A, Bm

Mama Tried (1968)

D, G, A, Bm, Dm

Mama's Hungry Eyes ()

D#, G#, A#

E, A, B

Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December (1974)

C, Dm, G, Bb, F, Fm, Am, D, A, Edim, Em

D, A

Miss the Mississippi and You

D, G, C, A, B, Em, E, Gm, Bm

Moanin' the Blues

G, C, D, A, Gm

Mom and Dad's Waltz

C, G, F, Cm

More Than This Old Heart Can Take

F, A#, G, C

My Carolina Sunshine Girl

F, A#, C, D#, G, Cm, Gm

My Favorite Memory

D, G, A

My Hands Are Tied

D, A, G

My Life's Been Grand

F, A#, G, Cm, D#, Dm, A, Fm, C

E, A, D, G, Bm

No Hard Time Blues

D, G, A, F

No One to Sing For (But the Band)

A, Bm, E, D, C#m, F#m, Dm, C#

C, G, Am, F, D, A, Bm, E, F#, F#m

Nobody's Darlin' but Mine

F, A#, Gm, C, G

Oil Tanker Train

C, G, F, D

Okie From Muskogee

Bm, A, D, Em, Bb, Eb

Okie From Muskogee (live)

D#, A#, E, B

Old Fashioned Love

D, A, G, F#, Bm, E

Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You

D, F#m, G, A, C, Bm, A#, D#, C#, G#, B, Fm, A#m, G#m

One Day at a Time

F, A#, D#

Our Paths May Never Cross

B, E, C#, G#m, C#m, F#, D#m, Bm, D#, Fm, G

Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia

F, D, C, A, Dm, G, E, Am

Please Mr. D.J.

F#, B, C#

Precious Lord Take My Hand

G, D, A, C#

Put Me in Your Pocket

C, F, A, D, G, A#, B, Am, E, Fm

E, A, D

Ramblin Fever (Live)

G, C, D, Em

G, C, D

Ab, F#, Eb, Bb, Ebm, F

Return to San Francisco

G, Em, C, D, A, Am

Roots of My Raising

D#, G#, F, A#

Roses in the Winter

D, F, G, A, Em, Am, Dm

D, G, A, Dm

D, G, A, Dm

G, C, D

San Antonio Rose

D, G, E, A, F, A#, D#, G#, C#

Santa Claus And Popcorn

A#, F, D#

September in Miami

C, F, G

Shelly's Winter Love

A, D, E, F, A#, D#

Shores of Jordan

D, G, A, E

F#, C#m, B, C#, G#, G#m, D#, A#m

E, F#m, B, Em, F#

Silver Wings (1969)

E, F#m, F#, B, G#m, A

Silverthorn Mountain

E, A, B

Sing Me Back Home

A, E, D, B

G, A, C, D

So Long Train Whistle

A, C, Em, F

Softly and Tenderly

D#, G#, F, A#, Fm

Someday When Things Are Good

G, C, A#, F, Dm, A

Sometimes I Dream

D, G, A, E

Somewhere Between

A, E, D

Somewhere Down the Line

E, A, B, F#

Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp

C, F, G

Stop the World and Let Me Off

C, G, A#, B, D

F, Bb, Gm, Dm, C, Ddim, Cm, Bbm, Fm

Take Me Back and Try Me One More Time

G, C, F

Take These Chains From My Heart

A, D, G, E

C, F, G, Cm

That's the Way Love Goes

D#, G#, G#m, A#, F, A#m, Cm

The Bottle Let Me Down

D#, F, D, A

The Bottle Let Me Down (Live)

A, D, Dm

The Coming and the Going of the Trains

G#, A, E, D, F#m, G, A#, F, D#, Gm

The Family Bible

C, F, G, Am, D, A#

The Farmer's Daughter

D, G, A, Bm, E

The Fightin' Side of Me

E, A, C#, B, C, F, A#

F#m, F#, B, C#

The Okie From Muskogee's Comin' Home

D#, G#, A#, G, Cm, F

The Old Rugged Cross

F, A#, Gm, C, Dm, Cm

The Running Kind

D, G, C

The Show's Almost Over

F, G, Gm, A#, C, C#, F#, B

The Train Never Stops (At Our Town)

C, F, G, A#, D

The Waltz You Saved for Me

F, A#, D#, D, G, C, Gm, A

F#, B, C#, E

The Way It Was in '51

A, E, B

The Wild Side of Life

A, D, G, Bm

There's Just One Way

D, A, Dm, G, Gm

There's Somebody Else on Your Mind

Dm, G, C, F, Em, A, Am

Today I Started Loving You Again

G, C, D

Tonight the bottle let me down

A, D, Bm

C, G, F, Dm, Em

D, G, A, E, Am, Em

D, G, C, C#, Am, Dm

Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Star

E, F#, F#m, B, A, C, Em, C#m

Under the Bridge

D#, G#, Cm, F, A#, C#

C#, E, C, Em, Am, Dm, G, F

A, D, E

Walk On The Outside

G, C, D, Am, Cm, F#, Dm

Way Back in the Mountains

Bm, G, D, A

We Never Touch at All

E, A, B, F#

What Have You Got Planned Tonight, Diana

D, G, A, Em

G, C, D

Whatever Happened to Me

F, A#, C, G, A#m

When It Rains It Pours

C, G, F

When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again

F, C, A#

When My Last Song Is Sung

C, F, G, D, Am

Where No One Stands Alone

G#, D#, C#, A#m, C, Fm, Cm

Whippin' That Old T.B.

D, G, Dm

White Christmas

A#, Cm, Dm, A#m, F, D#, C, D#m, E, Gm, Fm, G#

White Line Fever

C, F, G, Gm

White Man Singin' the Blues

A, D, E, Em

Wine Take Me Away

A, D, E, B

Workin' Man Blues

A, D, E, Am

Working Man Blues

G#, C#, G#m, D#, D#m, F#

Wouldn't That Be Something

A, E, D, F#m, B, Am

G, Gm, D, Em

You Take Me for Granted

E, B, A, F#, F#m, D

You'll Never Love Me Now

G, C, D

You're Not Home Yet

G, D, C, A, Em