Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard grew up in Bakersfield, California, where he developed the hard-edged West Coast country sound that made him famous. After time in San Quentin Prison, Haggard launched a recording career that produced hits like "Mama Tried," "Okie from Muskogee," and "The Fightin' Side of Me." His authentic songwriting drew from his own experiences of poverty and incarceration.