Linden, Texas—Merle Haggard has sung his way along a lot of miles since April of 1937, and a trip to Linden, Texas, will add more notes to the legend he’s built in the music world.

The country legend plays Music City Texas Theater on Sunday, Aug. 3. Considering how many years he’s logged writing songs, he has a vast array of them to draw from for his show here in Northeast Texas.

Haggard, a Bakersfield, Calif., native whose parents moved there from Oklahoma, was one of the proponents of the honky tonk-honed Bakersfield sound in country music.

After being arrested for attempted burglary, he’d landed in San Quentin, where he practiced guitar and saw Johnny Cash perform. That was inspirational for a young singer.

In a roundabout way, the soul searching must’ve done some good.

Haggard is still releasing new and valuable work into his seventh decade.

Two recent albums are “Chicago Wind,” which contains a song critical of the Iraq war while not taking care of problems at home called “America First,” and a bluegrass album called “The Bluegrass Sessions.” Released last year, “The Bluegrass Sessions” includes contributions from both Alison Krauss and Marty Stuart.

Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Few musicians have influenced country music as extensively as Haggard.

In songs as diverse as “Okie From Muskogee” and “Today I Started Loving You,” he’s shown a knack for a masterfully crafted tune delivered in a powerful voice.

And it’s clear from clips of Haggard playing recent live shows, he can still command a stage with great presence and musical authority. In the intimate live setting of Music City Texas Theater, he should be right at home.

Richard Bowden, MCT president, said it’s pretty much accepted across the board that the Hag, as he’s known, has set the standard for country music.

“I feel like this is kind of a coup for the theater. We’ve had some of the biggest rock icons perform here and now have the biggest country icon coming to the theater,” said Bowden.



(Haggard plays MCT Theater at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets: $100 or $50. Seating is reserved. More info and tickets: www.musiccitytexas.org or 903-756-9934.)