One of The Hag’s most autobiographical songs, indeed. On this date in 1966, Merle Haggard released his single “The Fugitive,” which would later be know as “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive,” which ultimately became his first #1 hit. Written by Liz Anderson and Casey Anderson (parents of country music singer Lynn Anderson), it was the lead single and title track from the album I’m a Lonesome Fugitive, and topped the U.S. country singles chart, spending one week at number one and fifteen weeks on the chart. Of course, it was incredibly similar to Merle’s own story, as he sings about a man constantly on the run from the law, capturing the lonely  life of a fugitive. Merle’s parents moved to California from Oklahoma as Dust Bowl migrants, and his father died when he was only nine years old. In his youth, he ended up in juvenile detention, and eventually, found himself at San Quentin prison. The famous story goes that he saw Johnny Cash play there, and the rest, as they say, is history, and when Merle released “The Fugitive,” wasn’t too far removed from his time in prison. It was released in 1966, and Merle had left San Quentin on November 3, 1960, where he was serving a term for burglary. And in an interview with Prime Time Country back in the day, Merle recalled Liz showing up to one of his concerts in Sacramento, and asking him to go out and listen to some of the songs she had written, in hopes he might cut out. Merle admitted he didn’t want to, but his brother talked him into it, and I’m sure he was thankful for that when the song topped the country charts: “I was playing Sacramento one night and I’d had a couple of hit records that went into the top five but I hadn’t had a #1 record yet. This lady came to the show and she had these songs. She wanted us to go out and hear these songs and cut records for her and I didn’t want to go. My brother talked me into it. We got out there and she sang me about five #1 songs and ‘The Fugitive’ was one of them. Her name was Liz Anderson, and her husband Casey Anderson, they were songwriters, and so she was responsible for giving me my first #1 song.” He explained that the song took his career to the next level: “It sure did. Like you said, it’s one level to the next, and that made a whole new day for me, to have that under your belt, to be able to perform a #1 record, at your concert.” It’s pretty wild to think that Merle almost stopped himself from getting his first hit country song, but luckily, there were people in his life that thought better of it and helped him get there, even if against his own will a little bit… you just never know what song will become a hit. Merle reflected on how that song jumpstarted his country music career, humbly saying that never stopped being a surprise when he got a hit single or reached a huge career milestone: “I guess you could say that. I don’t know… it’s been a journey and a wonderful trip, and every time I ring the bell, I’m just as surprised as I was the first time. I wish I knew how to do it so I could do it again.” Merle’s career was like something out of a movie, and he became one of the most beloved and iconic artists in country music thanks to his first #1 song, “The Fugitive.” This live performance is amazing: “The Fugitive” And the interview where he talks about the song: The post Merle Haggard Almost Didn’t Record His First #1 Hit Single, “The Fugitive” – “Made A Whole New Day For Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.