Merle Haggard Stories 

I made this compilation to make it easier for people to find all of these stories. These are clips from interviews I've done over the years. Feel free to share it with your favorite Merle Haggard fan.

Merle was the greatest musician who ever lived, I got so emotional when I heard about his passing, I still get emotional at times when I am listening to his songs, I am so happy I had the opportunity to see him in concert in 1969. I miss Merle every day. Paul

I love Chris Scruggs' impression of Merle singing like Lefty. Dead on.

Merle was the first person I ever met who I considered a real icon . He was nice but he also had an intensity that seemed to say ' Don't f**k with me if you know what is good for you '. He put on a great show and I got to watch from the wings. My job allowed me to meet lots of musicians. The ones who stand out were Merle , Tom Jones, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Mark Farner, Tommy James, Mickey Dolenz , Pat Benetar , Travis Tritt , and Chuck Negron . Those were the coolest ones. The ones who weren't cool I just don't talk about. Merle was the first and the one who left the biggest impression, along with Tom Jones, who told me about hanging around with Elvis, which obviously got my attention. Thank You Otis for the vids

Chris Scruggs is a walking encyclopedia of Country Music history. Imagine what it'd be like to sit between him and Kenny Vaughn on the tour bus.

I got really choked up when Chris mentioned Merle died on his 79 birthday it took me right back to March 1995 when my dad passed away on his 79th birthday these are such great stories about Merle I could listen to this stuff for hours.

I'm 64, first heard Merle when I was about 10 from my father's collection, been a fan ever since, thanks Otis. ❤

Otis, I'm challenged to try and let you know how much I've enjoyed this. An incredibly real, accountable array of real people discussing those who brought us life in song. I've enjoyed this to no end.

Chris Scruggs is an amazing musician and singer in his own right. If you ever get a chance to see Marty and the Superlatives live, GO.

Bad Ass is Absolutely Right!!!! Fantastic stories. I love Peter Case.... whoa The Bakersfield Angles Chapter? that's some serious fellas I'll bet. I played the shit out of the 1986 "Peter Case" record. To this day one of my favorite records..... Man, I heard the Chris Scruggs interview when it was posted earlier. This is incredible. The whole thing about the Lefty Frizzell guitar and Merle singing Long Black Veil? Wow. So cool!!! Long Black Veil has to be one of my favorite songs. My wife and I play it all the time. Thanks so much for putting this Merle Haggard's "greatest hits." reel.

Great stories about the Hag! Always enjoyed the Workin Man Blues.

I can’t get enough of these- I must admit I have never dove to deep into country and its stories like these that gives me a whole new perspective. These things are little masterpieces, thank you!

Otis my friend, You are doing something very important with your interviews. I love that you just let those you interview just talk; no redirecting, I think it's so much more interesting to let a person "Tell their story" Also, I grew up a rock kid back in the sixties and seventies, my parents listen to country owd to their upbringing in eastern Pennsylvania, in the thirties and forties they listen to the grand ole Opry. I knew all the artists your interviewee's speak of, I know a lot about rock history, but these interviews bring back great memories of my parents. My mother especially loved all the characters of Country music, growing up without much my parents identified with the country Stars. Both mom and dad truly identified with the coal miner's Daughter, my parents grew up Irish in a coal mining community. Please keep up the good work, your doing the lord's work my friend.

I appreciate this, as I've said many times, he's my favorite artist and has been since I started singing his songs in the 60s.

For me, it's interesting the different observations the story tellers have of their own craft. They each have a unique and intricate grasp of what they are trying to do, and how they are doing it. Really rich stuff. Excellent material, thanks!

Wow, Otis! Doesn't 100K subscribers gets you one of those play button plaques? Congratulations! Thanks for curating all these wonderful stories. I first started tuning in to your videos on RU-vid back when you had the thumbnail image of a tape deck. I treasure your interviews. I could listen to guys like Kenny Vaughn and Chris Scruggs talk for hours, and thanks to you, I've been able to do just that. All of the others are just as golden. These aren't just stale old normal interviews; they're more like conversations among friends. Who better to tell these stories than the folks who lived them. Now, with 100K subscribers, you've created a whole community. I just met a new friend at a local music venue the other night, and we somehow got to talking about how we love road stories. At the same time, we both said, "Have you ever heard of Otis Gibbs?" ... and we knew we'd met a kindred soul. Thanks for capturing these great stories from life on the road and making them available to those of us who love what you love. 🧠💜🎶

When Merle passed I was at the Bungalow Bar in Dubois County Indiana and Guy it a hundred dollars of quarters in the jute box and played nothing but Hahgard

A wealth of good stories that will be saved for research and history of the music I enjoy. Otis is like Homer who leaves behind oral stories to be savored. 😉

Thanks for these long-form compilation videos, Otis. Very entertaining content.

I was able to catch a Merle and Bob Dylan show in Birmingham, AL maybe 2008-2010ish. Obviously, Dylan’s voice has changed much through the decades. He still put on one hell of a show and his band was great! But Merle was as smooth as ever. He was one of my dad’s musical heroes. And he got me and my wife tickets to go. It was so special to me. They don’t make them like Johnny Cash, Waylon, Willie, Dylan, Kristofferson, and Merle. We should make a new Rushmore with these guys on there. Just the greatest storytellers to ever walk the earth.

if anyone should have owned Lefty's guitar and Bob Wills' fiddle, it was Merle! thanks for sharing these stories about my favorite singer.

Lefty Frizzell handing his guitar to Merle ...! What a story!

Man you have been cranking out the videos loving it. Thanks always great content. 👍TCB⚡

Absolutely Amazing, I love hearing these stories from the sources

the monologue at the end was pretty great.

Songs that deserved more recognition. Girl Of The Century, Rosie Flores. Just For Tonight, Phoebe Hunt. Hometown, Sarah Jarosz. And on and on.

Yeah, the pioneer spirit and " Get 'er Done " attitude and vibe from early country and bluegrass bands was part of what made America Great ! Somehow, seems to me , everything about our free and independent way of life in the U.S.A. has been diluted or watered-down from the original....This is really apparent with music. Things have sounded pretty grim on the top 40 country stations! in recent years, thankfully we have an explosion of "indie-alt-country with the likes of Colter wall, The Dead South , Sturgill Simpson , The Drive-by Truckers just to name a few, things are definitely looking up...........love the content, Otis, thanks

Yeah man, I was just going there Otis. Wayne Hancock- Thunderstorms and Neon Signs

You Rock Otis! 🤘👽👽👽 Thank you for the upload! 👽🙏👽🙏👽

First off this was an epic collection of Merle stories. Was engaged start to finish!! Blows my mind how many iconic artists and moments he was involved in. Also, I too would also love to live in a world where dale Watson was on top! Junior brown too!! Between the both of them there’s so many amazing songs

thank you for these great stories....love the history....music...the US....MERLE is the man.

Not sure if Jason Isbell really qualifies as country, but I bet Merle would love his stuff. Jason’s latest song, “Cast Iron Skillet” is a must listen.

As a few others have mentioned I enjoyed your monologue at the end. I don’t even know where to begin with my own lists. I am a total nerd for the craftsmanship required to pen a great country song. However I also feel my soul is moved the most when paired with heartfelt emotion. Mike Cooley, Fred Eaglesmith, Mindy Smith, and many others I can’t pull up just now. Emerson said it best, “To be great is to be misunderstood.” And Thoreau said “Rather than fame, rather than money, rather than love, give me truth.” With each drop of blood that slips through the hourglass of life, so does the purest truth of the human experience.

wow thank you so much for this compilation! So good! I would to see these compilations for other artists too. I could listen to theses all day long 🙏🙏🙏

My God, this is entertaining. Merle all gangstered up, wow.

Great compilation! And congrats on hitting 75K!

Thanks again Otis. I really enjoyed this compilation of interviews. Job well done.

Otis you never disappoint I love your channel. The production the content everything

The last country music band that really made me pay attention was The Mavericks. They were legit

I'm loving these. Thank you, Otis and Peter.

Is a band name. 1100 Springs. Two songs-the only thing she left me was the blues. and the other song would be. I'm an Sob when I'm SoBe r. Great band from texas you'll have to check them out.

Love these stories. Thank for another great video, Otis!

Thank you Otis, Glad I got to buy my mom tickets to see Merle one last time.

Jim Herrington just oozes cool with every word and expression.

"A Dollar A Day", written by Scott Roberts, Salem, Oregon 29 years ago.

John R Miller - Faustina Current favorite. Much respect from Pickens SC Otis

This was so cool, thanks for doing this!

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Rarely hear anyone mention Uncle Bob. He was a trombone player too, in his early days.❤

35:40 Well of course he chooses the middle seat Otis. He's a real cowboy. He doesn't have to drive and he doesn't have to get in and out messing with the gates.

Buck Owens was one of my favorites and a gentleman all the way. Loved him with Roy Clark on Hee Haw.

Thanks , Otis.

I agree completely about Adam Carroll and Dale Watson! Here's another great song, in my opinion: I Was an Oak Tree- Jonathan Byrd

Thanks for runnin your mouth about Merle Otis! Well Done !

BR549? Yes, but you forgot to mention the Derailers, every bit as good, in my opinion.

Country-honkytonk vs Country-cosmopolitan

Jason Boland, Randy Rogers band, Cross Canadian ragweed. Charlie Robinson, stoney larue,Are all great underground Artists

You gotta hear Cast No Stones written by Ward Davis and Cody Jinks.

Buck was a real cowboy he didn't have to drive and he didn't have to open the gates

Hummingbirds- Willy Tea Taylor and Bull Riders And Songwriters.

❤

I love old merle

Diesel Town by Rick Todd out of Amarillo.

If We Were Vampires by Jason Isbell

Misplaced! Oh find them please!

Damn brother. You are an interesting fellow.

Stattt to finish wow……wow! Live Throwing Cooper hidden track Hkrse

Just look up "Stuck in a castle"

Look up Tyler Childers, very good modern country music.

Darrin Hacquard - Family History Blind Feline- Manic Bella White. Abbey Hamilton VNE - Son Of A Bitch Nathaniel rateliff the folk shit 🏴‍☠️

Real cowboys ride in the middle seat. That way you can get a couple extra minutes of sleep cause you don't have to get out and open the gate.

Does anybody have any stories about Dallas Producer Jim Beck ?

Creeker by Tyler Childers is as good as any country song ever written.

and no of course big trees close to each other

Cody Jinx Cast no Stones.

👍🏻🎯

Modern country, at least the stuff on the radio is terrible, I call it crap, country rap, just terrible in my opinion.

He did lots of coke and weed

This is sheer turn on

OTIS, love ya please listen to the Hacienda Brothers " Seven little Numbers " these guys are great , the two albums they made a few years ago playing a TEXAS COUNTRY BLUES SOUND IS WONDERFUL. It is my go too album I listen on Sunday's, along with Doug Sahms Texas blues double ALBUM. They are my albums I listen to after breakfast and during my few beers for desert , they take me away and let's me feel real again. Love guy you're the best keeping wonderful history alive.......