Long-Rumored Unheard Merle Haggard Songs Could Be On The Way

Ever since Merle Haggard’s passing on his 79th birthday on April 6th, 2016, there’s been talk of some 300 to 400 unreleased songs sitting in an archive somewhere in the bowels of the Merle Haggard estate. The idea that a treasure trove of Merle Haggard tracks yet to be released has intrigued country fans ever since.

The source of the information is none other than Merle Haggard himself. He told radio DJ Broadway in May of 2015, “I’ve probably got 300 to 400 songs that I haven’t released that I collected over the years. We call it ‘The Archive.’ And we haven’t released anything from that. When I get unable to record or sing anymore, or get killed or something, well they’ll probably put it out.”

With the upcoming release of the first of three Waylon Jennings archival albums called Songbird on October 3rd, there’s been a lot of buzz about what else might be swirling out there from country legends still waiting to be heard. Well it turns out that The Hag might be the next one we get to hear new stuff from.

While on the Drifting Cowboy Podcast recently, Merle’s son Ben Haggard said, “Oh yeah. There’s some stuff we’ve been messing around with in the studio. There’s stuff of his, you know, a good amount of archive. Live shows and stuff… my mother will probably end up doing something with. Getting some stuff out there.”

Okay, live shows would be cool. But what about new, original songs we’ve never heard before? “There’s stuff that has never been heard, new songs and stuff out there, for certain,” Ben Haggard confirms. “Which need to find a way out, if you ask me.”

But it doesn’t seem like it’s up to Ben Haggard. It’s up to his mother and Merle’s widow, Theresa Haggard, who has been very guarded with the Merle Haggard estate over the years. Along with keeping any archival songs close to the vest, a long-rumored biopic also has never seemed to make it out of the planning stages. A plan to open a Merle Haggard museum in the same building as the Johnny Cash Museum on Lower Broadway also got the kibosh in 2019.

But there might actually be a reason this time to finally let loose of some of the Merle Haggard archive material. Last week, it was announced that a Willie Nelson tribute album to Merle Haggard will be released in November. It appears the album was recorded some years ago since Willie’s long-time drummer Paul English appears on it. English passed away in 2020.

Also as part of the Willie Nelson album announcement, it was revealed that a career-spanning documentary on Merle Haggard called Highway 99: A Double Album directed by Ethan Hawke premiered last week at the Telluride Film Festival. Willie Nelson is featured as a primary interview subject in the film.

With the new documentary coming out, this might be the perfect opportunity to rekindle efforts to bring the Merle Haggard legacy back into focus. It can’t be easy for Merle’s family to go through old stuff that reminds them he’s gone. But coming up on the 10 year anniversary of his passing in 2026, it could be the perfect opportunity to restart efforts to make sure the memory of Merle Haggard doesn’t fade.

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