The country singer Don Henley said had a voice “just like gold”

Don Henley named Merle Haggard his favourite country singer, praising his voice as “just like gold”. The admiration reflects a musical connection between the Eagles’ country roots and California’s Bakersfield sound, which Haggard helped bring to prominence.

Haggard grew up in California after his family moved west from Oklahoma and became a leading country artist after leaving San Quentin prison in 1960. He was known for songs about working-class life and for traditional political views that set him apart from some country peers. Henley met him in his Texas hometown, and Haggard later sang on Henley’s 2015 track “The Cost of Living”.