The Story of Merle Haggard

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Be part of a special evening dedicated to one of the greatest artists in country music history - Merle Haggard. In “The Story of Merle Haggard”, JUNO-nominated singer Jess Lee will take you on a journey through Haggard’s incredible life and times through stories and songs. With a career spanning six decades, Haggard rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs, the heartbroken and the hard-living. Haggard wrote songs for the working class to drink to, dance to, and cry to. He notched 40 No. 1 hits including ”Working Man Blues”, “Mama Tried”, “Silver Wings” and one of the most famous country songs of all time, “Okie From Muskogee”. The show also includes the stories from Haggard’s life that echo the songs he sang; he was born poor, raised in a converted railway boxcar and turned 21 in prison before turning his life around.

Jess Lee rose to fame as the lead singer of the Midnite Rodeo Band, charting 14 singles and numerous awards in the '80's before Lee went solo with songs like "Crowhill Road". Praised by Country Music News as the best pure country voice in Canada, Lee effortlessly emulates the rich, smooth baritone of Merle Haggard.