In November of 1997, a group of singers got together to perform a tribute to Merle Haggard. They asked him to sum up his life in just a few words. He said "I only need six words: A thirty-five year bus ride." That describes the life of Merle Haggard. Merle was a very private man and even though he wrote two autobiographies, it was hard to get to know the real man, the real Merle Haggard. It is said that if you wanted to know Merle Haggard, just listen to his music. It's all right there.

One of the best country singers of the past 50 years has to be Merle Haggard, growing up in California, spending time in prison and finally getting his life together to produce some of the best country music ever recorded.

This is a tribute to the great Merle Haggard.

Inside you will find:

Growing Up In California - His birth and early years growing up
First Paying Gig and Prison Time - The first time he plays for pay and his time in prison
San Quentin - Details on the 27 months Merle spent in prison
Buck Owens - How he got his first big break
Bonnie Owens - His second wife, Bonnie, and how she affected the rest of his life
Capitol Records - The story of his first major record contract
Superstar Status - Becoming a great star of country music
"Mama Tried" - the story of one of Merle's greatest hits
Two Live Albums - He continues with live albums
A Flood of Music - Between 1970 and 1976, Merle Haggard produced a ton of music
If We Make It Through December - Another major album in his career
A Period of Drought - The hits are further apart and not so big. Is it all ending?
The Eighties - Merle bounces back in the Eighties
George Jones - George Jones is one of Merle's biggest fans and a collaborator
Pancho & Lefty - Another collaboration, this time with Willie Nelson
Dry Spell - Another period of weak sales. Is it really over for good this time?
The Nineties and Beyond - Merle struggles through the Nineties and into the 2000's
The Loss of a Great Man - We reach the end of the book with the loss of the great Merle Haggard