Merle Haggard Was a Friend of Mine

Author Raymond H. McDonald wrote this book as a tribute to his lifelong friend, Merle Haggard. Merle had millions of fans who were passionate about his music. This memoir chronicles the life a humble man from humble beginnings in California.

His legacy is well established in hundreds of articles written about him in major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, USA Today Newspaper, The Los Angeles Times, and dozens of others. His 50 plus year career garnered Merle the highest awards that are given to an artist, ie; Lifetime Grammy, Country Music Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors, Songwriters Hall of Fame.

This is a positive book that Merle's fans will enjoy. He was a kind and ornery man, very funny and very serious. He was a proud American and loved every State and the people in it. This memoir is meant as a tribute to a lifelong friend and country music icon, Merle Haggard.

I lived at Merle and Bonnie Owens' home my sophomore year of high school in Bakersfield, Ca. My friends Mike & Buddy Owens convinced them to let me live with them. this journey started in 1964. I was a close friend and confidant of Merle's for 52 years. I actually drove his personal tour bus the last years of his career.
Robert E Price, author of," The Bakersfield Sound " gave this review of " Merle Haggard Was a Friend of Mine": Merle Haggard was a storyteller with few peers but as it turns out that other guy on the bus, the one who was by his side for so many shows, so many tours, so many interactions with others, is a pretty good storyteller himself. Ray McDonald witnessed, and often participated in, hundreds of telling moments in the Hag's life. That McDonald was able to boil them down to these few dozen is an achievement in and of itself. " Merle Haggard Was a Friend of Mine" is a must-read for every fan of Haggard's, every country-music historian, every person who simply enjoys a good, entertaining read. ( Thanks Bob!! Raymond)