Merle Haggard's time in prison is fundamental to his larger story. It's no secret that Johnny Cash performing at San Quentin Prison made a profound impact on Haggard. Even though he didn't necessarily like him at first and found him "corny," it didn't take long for him to gravitate towards him.
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"[Johnny Cash] had the right attitude. He chewed gum, looked arrogant and flipped the bird to the guards - he did everything the prisoners wanted to do," Merle explains in an old interview. "He was a mean mother from the South who was there because he loved us... it set a fire under me that hadn't been there before."
Obviously, this moment helps inform Haggard's decision to pursue country music. However, his time at San Quentin prison certainly had its lows as well. One moment in particular saw him caught up in trouble, putting him "next to death row."
In an interview with Spin Magazine in 1988, Merle opens up about his reckless life to prison at 19 years old to his illustrious country career. One moment in particular sees Haggard in solitary confinement during his time at San Quentin Prison. Why? The rumor was he was brewing beer in his cell. However, this isn't completely true. Merle depicts the prison as a deep ecosystem that has all the components of making beer. But he wasn't the one putting it all together.
Merle Haggard Lands "Next to Death Row" for This Incident at San Quentin Prison
"But, the deal is, I wasn't brewing the beer — I was the one selling it. I was selling cigarettes and beer on the black market in prison, so I was a pretty big deal and a rich guy. It was a good deal: My cell partner was making the beer and I was selling it. I was also getting some of the things needed to make beer, like sugar and big tin cans from the laundry. Sometimes, I'd even be able to get him some apples or oranges which was great because fruit beer is really good," Merle explains.
However, one moment sees Haggard drunk out of his mind on his own supply. Consequently, officers at San Quentin threw him in solitary confinement accordingly. "Well, I was on my way up from the lower yard when this guard in one of the towers puts a .33 on me and yells, "Stop right there!" I was drunk and I guess he noticed. So, they put me in solitary for seven days," Merle recalls.
"At San Quentin, isolation is right next to death row. I spent seven days there, all by myself. While I was in there, I had a chance to think about what I was doing and that was when I decided that when they let me out, I was going to make a line for the door."
