“BOXCAR BRILLIANCE” – by Des Kelly

Merle Ronald Haggard was born in a converted boxcar at Oildale California on the 6th of April 1937.

At the tender age of 3 months, his dad & mum noticed him “keeping time” to the radio music outside his bassinet. It was obvious that he already had music on his brain and in his heart. His dad passed on before Merle was even ten years old, leaving his mum to look after the family.

Merle turned out to be a little musical rebel, who quickly picked up an old guitar, left by his dad, disobeyed his mum, and, in his early teens, got involved in various unlawful escapades with other young teenagers, getting themselves

frequently into trouble with the police and even into jail on several occasions, prompting him to then also become an “escape specialist”, until finally, he really got into big trouble via armed robbery, which earned him a sentence in San Quinton prison, where he was advised by an older inmate, not to try to escape, but to serve his term, get out and earn money as an entertainer, because Merle was still strumming his guitar, singing, and also writing songs, even in prison. This same older prisoner did try to escape, in the process, shooting a prison guard, was recaptured and was given a death sentence. He then pleaded with Merle to write him a song before he died, and Merle wrote and sang his composition “Sing me back home”, even as this prisoner mate of his, was being led to the gallows, past the cell which held Merle. A while later, Johnny Cash, another legend of Country music, gave a special concert at this jail that was supposed to be escape-proof, also met Merle Haggard there and promised to help him after he got out.

Merle did serve his term, now a handsome young teenager, he was 19 when he met and married his first wife, Leona Hobbs with whom he had 4 children, Dana, Marty, Kelly, and Noel. They parted company after 8 years. He then married Bonnie Owens, divorced wife of yet another Country Star, Buck Owens, and it was Bonnie who not only was one of his main back-up vocalists, but actually helped him become a Star. They were very close, and although they did not have any children between them, she did look after his previous 4 children, whenever needed to do so.

Merle Haggard was now the Star of his era, then getting attracted by another female Country vocalist Leona Williams, and carried on a courrship with her, even though he was still married to Bonnie. This affair went back and forth for many years, until finally, Bonnie divorced him in 1978, although she still continued to be his main back-up singer and fond nanny to his children who were all becoming adults now, but still very fond of her, as well.

It was then, that Merle married another songwriter, Debbie Parett in 1985, who helped him write a song called “Thank you for keeping my house”, then parted company with her boss in 1991.

Finally, it was Therese Ann Lane, who married Merle. It ended up as the longest marriage for “The Hag” as he was known, (23 years), producing 2 other children, Janesse and Ben, who was sometimes mistaken as the grandson of the the man with the Boxcar Brilliance, because Merle was about 20 years older than his final wife.

This, in a nutshell, is the story of one of the greatest Icons of Country Music in America. He was not only a STAR, he was a COUNTRY-CASANOVA as well.

Desmond Kelly