Merle Haggard Country Musician - Born April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California, USA

Died April 6, 2016 in Redding, California, USA (double pneumonia)

Birth Name Merle Ronald Haggard

Nicknames Okie From Muskogee, The Poet of the Common Man, Hag, Mighty Merle

Height 5' 9" (1.75 m)

Mini Bio (1) Merle Haggard was born on April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California, USA as Merle Ronald Haggard. He was married to Theresa Ann Lane, Debora J Parret, Leona Bell Williams, Bonnie Owens and Billie Leona Hobbs. He died on April 6, 2016 in Redding, California.

Theresa Ann Lane (11 September 1993 - 6 April 2016) (his death) (2 children)

Debora J Parret (1 June 1985 - 1991) (divorced)

Leona Bell Williams (7 October 1978 - 3 December 1984) (divorced)

Bonnie Owens (28 January 1968 - 27 September 1978) (divorced)

Billie Leona Hobbs (16 April 1956 - 1964) (divorced) (4 children)

Inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

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.

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.

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.

Son of James Frances Haggard and Flossie Mae Harp, children: Dana, Marty, Kelli and Noel Haggard.

Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Paul McCartney, and Bill T. Jones.

Bore a resemblance to actor Warren Beatty during the 1960s & '70s.

Famous country & western singer

Hospitalized with double pneumonia in December 2015 and March 2016.

Underwent surgery for lung cancer in November 2008.

Died on his birthday, after complications with pneumonia at his home in California. He was 79.

Supported Hillary Clinton's bid to win the Democratic nomination in 2016.

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.