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On This Day in 1966, Merle Haggard Recorded His First No. 1 Hit—Written by Another Country Star’s Parents
On 1 August 1966, Merle Haggard recorded “The Fugitive”, released as “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”, which became his first US country chart-topper. The song marked a turning point in his career, helping establish him as one of country music’s leading artists during the late 1960s.
The song was written by Liz and Casey Anderson, the parents of singer Lynn Anderson, and reflected Haggard’s own experience of briefly escaping custody after a burglary arrest. Before it, Haggard had achieved several top-five hits but no No. 1; afterwards, he gained nine further top-five singles before the decade ended, including seven chart-toppers. Haggard initially hesitated to hear Liz Anderson’s songs, but she also supplied “(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers”, his first top-10 hit.
In short
- Haggard recorded his first No. 1 hit on 1 August 1966.
- “The Fugitive” drew on his own brief escape from custody.
- Liz Anderson also wrote one of his earlier breakthrough songs.
Explained simply
Merle Haggard was an American country singer and songwriter whose early life included time in prison. By the mid-1960s, he had scored several successful country singles, but none had reached the top of the US country chart.
Liz and Casey Anderson wrote “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”; Liz was the mother of country singer Lynn Anderson. The song draws on the perspective of someone fleeing the law, a subject that connected with Haggard’s own past.
Its success helped establish Haggard as a major country artist, and he went on to have more hit singles later in the 1960s. The song also linked his rise to the work of songwriters beyond the performers who recorded their material.
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