# On This Day in 1980, Merle Haggard “Dragged” a Hollywood Icon to the Top of the Country Chart With a Song That Almost Went to George Jones

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/on-this-day-in-1980-merle-haggard-dragged-a-hollywood-icon-to-the-top-of-the-country-chart-with-a-song-that-almost-went-to-george-jones/
- Published: 2026-07-26T15:15:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-26T16:07:05+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/on-this-day-in-1980-merle-haggard-dragged-a-hollywood-icon-to-the-top-of-the-country-chart-with-a-song-that-almost-went-to-george-jones/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Film, Music

## Key points

- Haggard and Eastwood hit No. 1 with "Bar Room Buddies" on 26 July 1980
- George Jones was the original planned duet partner, not Haggard
- Both stars later downplayed the song in later interviews

## Summary

On 26 July 1980, Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood topped the US country chart with "Bar Room Buddies", a duet from the soundtrack of Eastwood's film Bronco Billy, which held the No. 1 spot for a week. The pairing is notable because the song was originally intended for a duet between Eastwood and George Jones, widely regarded as country music's greatest vocalist, before scheduling conflicts forced producer and co-writer Snuff Garrett to turn to Haggard instead.

Haggard was already a well-established star by 1980, having built roughly two decades of hits, including "Ramblin' Fever" and "The Roots of My Raising", and had opened the year with the No. 2 single "The Way I Am". Both men later spoke candidly about the collaboration: Eastwood told Rolling Stone in 1985 that Haggard "had a hit and sort of dragged me along", while Haggard admitted to Newsweek that he "almost prostituted" himself with the song, jokingly telling Eastwood he was a better actor than singer.

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