Friendship with Johnny Cash
Initially, Merle was no Johnny Cash fan. He even thought that Cash’s music was corny. But in 1954, he saw the singer come into their San Quentin prison and performed on New Year’s Day. Merle was impressed and made Cash his goal to better himself.
Fast forward in 1963, before a TV appearance in Chicago, he bumped into Johnny in the men’s room. They struck a short talk and Merle told Johnny he was one of the inmates who’ve heard him in San Quentin.
True to his goal, Merle worked hard and advanced in his career. But, success could not balm the fear of his criminal past getting uncovered. Cash talked him out of it and convinced him to come out clean instead. So in 1969, Merle Haggard revealed his past on Cash’s TV segment. The decision proved to be fruitful because after owning up to his faults, Merle was regarded a hero.