Merle Haggard (1937–2016)
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country singer-songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler whose music helped define the “Bakersfield sound”—a sharper, more honky-tonk style that stood apart from the smoother “Nashville sound.” He was born in Oildale, California, near Bakersfield, and grew up in a family marked by hardship; his father died when Merle was still a child, and his teen years became increasingly turbulent. As a teenager and young adult, Haggard repeatedly got into trouble with the law. In 1957, he was convicted of burglary; after an escape attempt, he was transferred to San Quentin State Prison, where he served time and experienced prison life firsthand—an experience that later shaped some of his best-known songs and themes. After being released in 1960, Haggard committed himself to music, working around Bakersfield and recording in California as the local scene pushed a tougher, dancehall-ready country sound. He broke nationally with “Sing a Sad Song” (a hit in 1964), and his career took off. Backed by his band, the Strangers, he developed a crisp, driving style—twangy guitar, strong rhythm, and plainspoken vocals—that became a Bakersfield hallmark. Haggard’s first No. 1 country hit was “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive” (1966), and he went on to an extraordinary chart run. Over his career he earned 38 No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country charts. His signature songs include “Mama Tried,” “Sing Me Back Home,” “Okie from Muskogee,” “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” and “Workin’ Man Blues." Recognition followed: Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1994), received a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), and was honored at the Kennedy Center (2010). He continued recording and touring late into life, including a 2015 collaboration album with Willie Nelson, Django and Jimmie. Haggard died in California on April 6, 2016, his 79th birthday.
To Log this geocache you must:
1. Send me a message with what is written on the back of his left boot heel (DO NOT POST).
2. Post a picture of you at the location or post a screen shot from the "Hagcam" halfway down the OK Music Hall page.
Huge shout out to joytoy1963 for the recon
Virtual Rewards 5.0 - 2026-2027
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2027. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 5.0 on the Geocaching Blog.