Merle Haggard

Widely regarded as country music's most famous bad boy, Merle Haggard came from a poverty-stricken childhood, served time in a maximum-security prison, but ultimately emerged as a respected singer and performer. Following multiple jail sentences and a three-year stint at San Quentin State Prison in California, Haggard turned his life around with the help of music as well as sound advice from his lifelong friend, music icon Johnny Cash. Haggard scored multiple No. 1 hits on Billboard's country music charts for several decades, including his signature tracks "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (1967), "Okie From Muskogee" (1969), and "If We Make it Through December" (1973). Through his music, Haggard opened up about his troubled past, provided a voice for America's working class, and inspired artists from all genres to tell stories with songs. In 1994, Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, a testament to his compelling personal journey from outlaw to music legend. Touring and recording well into his 70s, Haggard became one of the key bridges between country's outlaw past and the bad boys of the contemporary scene. Merle Haggard died of complications from pneumonia on his 79th birthday, April 6, 2016.