Before he was a pioneering figure of the outlaw country movement, Merle Haggard was just a plan old outlaw. In 1958, after a life of petty crime, a botched jail attempt landed the 19-year-old new father in one of California’s most infamous prisons—San Quentin. Fortunately for Haggard—and generations of country music fans—he turned his life around upon his release, building one of the most storied careers in history. On this day (March 14) in 1972, the “Okie From Muskogee” singer officially received a second chance when Ronald Reagan—then governor of California—granted him a full pardon for his past crimes.
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How Ronald Reagan Changed Merle Haggard’s Life
On Nov. 3, 1960—after nearly three years behind bars for attempted robbery—a 23-year-old Merle Haggard walked out of San Quentin a free man. Unfortunately, he would soon learn that his newfound “freedom” was largely nominal. An international superstar, Haggard had to declare his legal history any time he traveled out of the country for performances.
No amount of No. 1 hits, it seemed, could erase the stigma of being a convicted felon—until March 14, 1972, when Reagan officially pardoned him. His friends and family members had been working on this behind the scenes, but kept the 20-time ACM Award winner in the dark until the last minute, according to Saving Country Music.
For Haggard, this day 54 years ago marked the second-most significant of his life (behind only his father’s death when he was 9).
“Well, you can imagine yourself, you got this tail hanging on you, and suddenly you don’t have it anymore,” he said. “It’s just wonderful not to have to walk up and say, ‘Pardon me, before I do this I want to tell you that I’m an ex-convict.’ You have to do that with any sort of legal transaction, while leaving the country, with anything of that nature. All those things went away when Ronald Reagan was kind enough to look at my case and give me a pardon. He didn’t have to do that. He could have just snubbed his nose and went on to lunch.”
Reagan’s decision “meant everything,” Haggard said. “He gave me a second chance.”
He Got to Thank Reagan in Person
Ten years after the decision that changed his life, Merle Haggard performed for Ronald Reagan—now president of the United States—at the latter’s Sierra Grande Ranch in California in March 1982.
Before performing songs like “Okie From Muskogee” and “Are the Good Times Really Over?” Haggard said, “I hope the president will be as pleased with my performance today as I was with his pardon 10 years ago.”
Featured image by Bettman/Getty Images
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