Looking Back On Merle Haggard's MerleFest Debut

He was one of country music's most successful singers. The legendary Merle Haggard died Wednesday at his home in California at the age of 79, and musicians across the Piedmont and around the world are remembering him. 

Steve Johnson has been involved in the music industry since the 1970s. For the past three years, he has overseen artist relations for MerleFest (no relation to Merle Haggard), and he says that after several attempts, the festival finally brought him there in 2014.  

According to Johnson, a longtime Haggard fan, the charismatic baritone country singer, known as a poet of the common man, did not disappoint.

"He rolls in with three buses, which created a little bit of a carnival atmosphere to begin with because very few times do you see that many buses come in particularly for one artist. It changed the whole tenor of the backstage. All of the other artists were peering over the edge of the backstage to try and catch a glimpse of Merle Haggard. I could just tell it was going to be a special day."

Thirty-eight of Haggard's singles reached No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with seven of them crossing over to the pop charts. His song "Today I Started Loving You Again,” has been recorded by more than 400 artists worldwide. Among the thousands of musicians and bands strongly influenced by Merle Haggard are Elvis Costello, The Byrds, and the Grateful Dead. 

Johnson says that even though Haggard was a country music legend and a huge star, the thing that resonated most was the fact that the singer was so relatable. "It seemed like every song he penned and just the way he lived his life was something I think a lot of people could relate to," says Johnson.

Haggard's life wasn't always fortunate. His father died when he was nine, and he spent several years in California's San Quentin State Prison following an attempted robbery conviction as a teenager. Haggard drank excessively and eventually wrote many songs about the darker chapters of his life, but Johnson recalls a very different side of the man. 

"He sang his songs like he meant it, and based on the interactions I had with him, it seemed like he felt he was just one of the people who had been fortunate enough to be able to make a living doing what he loved to do anyway."

He adds that MerleFest audiences can expect many musical tributes to Merle Haggard this year.