If We Make It Through December - Music

Merle Ronald Haggard April 6 1937 – April 6 2016 Was An American Country Singer Songwriter Guitarist And Fiddler. Haggard Was Born In Oildale California During The Great Depression. His Childhood Was Troubled After The Death Of His Father And He Was Incarcerated Several Times In His Youth. After Being Released From San Quentin State Prison In 1960 He Managed To Turn His Life Around And Launch A Successful Country Music Career. He Gained Popularity With His Songs About The Working Class That Occasionally Contained Themes Contrary To The Prevailing Anti-Vietnam War Sentiment Of Much Popular Music Of The Time. Between The 1960s And The 1980s He Had 38 Number-One Hits On The US Country Charts Several Of Which Also Made The Billboard All-Genre Singles Chart. Haggard Continued To Release Successful Albums Into The 2000s. He Received Many Honors And Awards For His Music Including A Kennedy Center Honor 2010 A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 2006 A BMI Icon Award 2006 And Induction Into The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame 1977 Country Music Hall Of Fame 1994 And Oklahoma Music Hall Of Fame 1997 . He Died On April 6 2016 — His 79th Birthday — At His Ranch In Shasta County California Having Recently Suffered From Double Pneumonia. Haggard's Last Recording A Song Called "Kern River Blues" Described His Departure From Bakersfield In The Late 1970s And His Displeasure With Politicians. The Song Was Recorded February 9 2016 And Features His Son Ben On Guitar. This Record Was Released On May 12 2016. Haggard Endorsed Fender Guitars And Had A Custom Artist Signature Model Telecaster. The Guitar Is A Modified Telecaster Thinline With Laminated Top Of Figured Maple Set Neck With Deep Carved Heel Birdseye Maple Fingerboard With 22 Jumbo Frets Ivoroid Pickguard And Binding Gold Hardware Abalone Tuff Dog Tele Peghead Inlay 2-Colour Sunburst Finish And A Pair Of Fender Texas Special Tele Single-Coil Pickups With Custom-Wired 4-Way Pickup Switching. He Also Played Six-String Acoustic Models. In 2001 C. F. Martin & Company Introduced A Limited Edition Merle Haggard Signature Edition 000-28SMH Acoustic Guitar Available With Or Without Factory-Installed Electronics. Read More On Last.Fm. User-Contributed Text Is Available Under The Creative Commons By-SA License Additional Terms May Apply. read less