Bronze Statue of Merle Haggard Unveiled In Muskogee, Oklahoma
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Country Icon Merle Haggard’s Legacy Honored With Bronze Statue at Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
On Thursday, October 10, a new statue of Merle Haggard was unveiled in downtown Muskogee, OK. The celebration was even more special because it took place in the same city where Haggard recorded his 1969 live album Okie From Muskogee, featuring the iconic song that became one of his most popular hits and helped establish the city as a must-visit destination in country music.
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The studio recording of “Okie From Muskogee” quickly became a number-one hit for Haggard, topping the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for four weeks. The album and its title track later won the Country Music Association awards for Single and Album of the Year in 1970.
The Country Legend was Inspired to Write the Now-Classic Song After Witnessing the Wave of Protests During the Vietnam War.
Frustrated by the lack of respect for those fighting overseas, Haggard’s initial purpose in writing the song was to show support for the troops. In an interview with The Boot, Haggard explained why he felt compelled to write the song.
“When I was in prison, I knew what it was like to have freedom taken away. Freedom is everything,” Haggard said. “During Vietnam, there were all kinds of protests. Here were these [servicemen] going over there and dying for a cause.”
“These soldiers were giving up their freedom and lives to make sure others could stay free. I wrote the song to support those soldiers.”
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Nearly 30 years after the song’s release, Haggard was among the first performers inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, becoming a part of the inaugural class in 1997.
“Okie From Muskogee put this little town on the map. He was proud of this song, and we’re proud of him for creating it,” said Tony Corbell, executive producer of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, in an interview with local station News on 6.
Haggard sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 79 due to pneumonia. During the statue unveiling, his sons, Ben and Noel, accepted the honor on his behalf.
See the bronze statue of Merle Haggard below.
