Merle Haggard Net Worth

Merle Haggard's Quotes

• Willie Nelson's the one who told me the reason it costs so much to get divorced is because it's worth it.
• When George Jones died, we lost the greatest country singer who ever lived. Every time he stepped in front of a mike, he knocked me out. "She Thinks I Still Care' is my favorite. Then there's 'White Lightning', and the list goes on forever. His delivery on 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' is comparable to a fine opera. He's conveying something there about as well as it can be conveyed. I think he's with the Lord, probably having a great time , him and old Hank Williams and all the rest. ( Wait a minute now, Hank may not be there.) George was real .. the most down-to-earth old country boy - didn't want anything special. He was just George Jones and we loved him.

Interesting Facts about Merle Haggard

1. Inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.
2. As an inmate at San Quentin from 1958 to 1960, Merle Haggard saw Johnny Cash play at the prison on January 1, 1959. It changed his life. Haggard was later granted a pardon by Ronald Reagan when the former actor was Governor of California.
3. Has been vocal in his opposition to the state of current country radio programming, which he has said focuses more on younger, pop-country oriented acts rather than traditional stars.
4. Has scored 38 No. 1 hits on Billboard magazine's country singles charts between 1967 to 1988. Among his biggest hits included "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (1967); "Sing Me Back Home," "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" and "Mama Tried" (all 1968); "Hungry Eyes," "Working Man Blues" and "Okie From Muskogee" (all 1969); "The Fightin' Side of Me" (1970); "If We Make it Through December" (1973); and "Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Star" (1988). He's also had duet hits with such performers as Leona Williams, Clint Eastwood, George Jones, Willie Nelson and Jewel Kilcher.
5. Son of James Frances Haggard and Flossie Mae Harp. Merle had 6 children: Dana, Marty, Kelli, Noel, Jenessa, and Ben.
6. Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Paul McCartney, and Bill T. Jones.
7. Bore a resemblance to actor Warren Beatty during the 1960s & '70s.
8. Famous country & western singer
9. Hospitalized with double pneumonia in December 2015 and March 2016.
10. Underwent surgery for lung cancer in November 2008.
11. Died on his 79th birthday, due to complications from pneumonia, at his California residence.
12. Supported Hillary Clinton's bid to win the Democratic nomination in 2016.
13. Born on exactly the same date as Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian from the "Star Wars" movies).