Country

youtu.be/C3EP60fshaw?si=RBsHkO3svIqSU8jf
Merle Haggard was born in Oildale, California. At the age of nine his father died of a brain hemorrhage. From that point on his childhood was troubled. He became a juvenile delinquent, in and out of one detention facility or another. He was a known escape artist. He got jailed in Bakersfield, California in 1957 on an attempted robbery charge. After an attempt to escape he was transferred to San Quentin prison. It was there on New Years Day 1959 Johnny Cash put on a show. Haggard, who was 21 or 22 at the time, was inspired by the performance and Johnny Cash himself. After his release in 1960 he pursued a music career. He was one of many who developed the Bakersfield sound. During an appearance on Cash's t. v. show in 1969 the subject of prison came up. Johnny Cash learned for the first time Haggard was in the audience back in 1959. He didn't recollect Haggard being there in the audience. It was the first time Haggard addressed his prison time in front of a national audience. Cash had told him to be open about it. Haggard was always afraid for it to come out thinking it may harm his career but instead, being open about it, actually enhanced his career. Cash felt that if Haggard kept it quiet and it came out later it would harm his career. Hag, as he was called, and Cash were lifelong friends.