What about future writing projects? Any next book in mind?
“No,” he said emphatically. “I’ve no intentions on writing anything further. Writing is exhausting work and I’m too damn lazy. It took me four years to write the book. I had immense help in the editing department from my son, Benjamin McDonald, who’s a writer, and my lifelong friend Rebecca Shearin, who put the entire book together, and my older sister, Connie McDonald, a retired school teacher. Had it not been for their assistance, the book wouldn’t have been possible.”
It’s a must-read for fans of Haggard because McDonald had a unique view. We learn, for instance, where the inspiration for Merle’s first No. 1 song, “The Fugitive,” came from. We also hear about how McDonald was in the recording studio during the recording of “The Bottle Let Me Down,” which happened to feature Glen Campbell singing backup.
McDonald saw country music history being made right before his eyes.