Ronald Reagan - Saving Country Music

Ronald Reagan

March 14, 2022

50 Years Ago: Ronald Reagan Pardons Merle Haggard

It’s one of the most legendary origin stories in country music history. Merle Haggard from Bakersfield, California was engaging in a life of petty crime while trying to make it as a guitar player and singer until he committed one petty crime too many, and a judge threw the book at him.

Merle Haggard, Ronald Reagan

February 19, 2022

Did Merle Haggard Really Escape From Jail 17 Times? (Country History X)

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Merle Haggard was one of country music’s most famous former convicts, though most of his crimes were petty. The reason he landed in the notorious San Quentin Prison was due to how many times he escaped from smaller facilities and local jails. But did he really escape 17 times?

Buck Owens, Caryl Chessman, Fuzzy Owen, Jimmie Rodgers, Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, Ronald Reagan, Tally Records