Merle Haggard to be Honored with Bronze Statue in Muskogee, Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) is planning to honor the late country outlaw Merle Haggard with a bronze statue that will be erected in the small Oklahoma town.

Haggard’s statue is set to stand outside the Muskogee Civic Center, the venue where he first recorded his 1969 classic “Okie From Muskogee” during a live concert.

“It is undeniable that to this day, over 50 years after the release of the record, people around the world still know Muskogee because of that song,” said Sue Harris, former president and CEO of the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce.

The statue will serve as a destination and photo-op for visitors to the town of Muskogee, Oklahoma, which is approximately 50 miles southeast of Tulsa. Set on the north lawn of the Civic Center, the statue will have two lines of site for photographs, including the flagpole at the Federal Courthouse in the background to go along with the “Okie from Muskogee” lyric, We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse, according to the OMHOF, and the Civic Center as another backdrop.

A Merle Haggard Statue Committee and OHHOF are seeking to commission a professional artist, or a team of artists, to create the bronze statue.

“Artists are encouraged to propose their unique perspective on what would best honor Merle Haggard, compliment the site, while being mindful of context, safety, and durability,” read an OMHOF statement. “The artwork should embody the cultural and musical history of the community while reflecting the musical mélange that has become synonymous with the city of Muskogee.”

The OMHOF continued, “The artwork has been envisioned as a life-sized statue, memorial. The age of Merle should reflect the time he recorded and released the song ‘Okie from Muskogee’ in 1969.”

A final artist rendering and casting will be approved by the OMHOF committee.

Co-written with Roy Edward Burris, “Okie From Muskogee” was the title track of Haggard’s first live album and hit No. 1 on the country charts, and won a CMA Award for Song of the Year in 1970. Haggard, who died in 2016, said he first wrote the song after becoming disheartened by watching the Vietnam War protests. 

“When I was in prison, I knew what it was like to have freedom taken away,” said Haggard. “Freedom is everything. During Vietnam, there were all kinds of protests. Here were these [servicemen] going over there and dying for a cause—we don’t even know what it was really all about. And here are these young kids, that were free, bitching about it. There’s something wrong with that and with [disparaging] those poor guys.” 

He added, “We were in a wonderful time in America, and music was in a wonderful place. America was at its peak, and what the hell did these kids have to complain about? These soldiers were giving up their freedom and lives to make sure others could stay free. I wrote the song to support those soldiers.”

Photo: Beth Gwinn/Getty Images