Introduction:
Some of country music’s greatest songs were never planned. They weren’t born in a recording studio or during a carefully scheduled songwriting session. Instead, they arrived unexpectedly—through a simple conversation, an honest emotion, and the remarkable connection between two people who understood each other better than words could express.
That is exactly how Merle Haggard’s beloved classic “Today I Started Loving You Again” came to life.
The story began in 1967, when Merle Haggard and his wife, fellow country star Bonnie Owens, found themselves standing together at the baggage claim area of Los Angeles International Airport after another demanding stretch on the road. Like many touring musicians of the era, their schedules left little room for rest or even meaningful conversation. They looked at one another, both visibly exhausted, and shared a quiet moment that spoke louder than any performance.
Breaking the silence, Merle smiled and said, “You know, we haven’t really even had time to say hello to each other.”
Then, almost as if the words had been waiting to be spoken, he added, “Today I started loving you again.”
Neither of them ever forgot that sentence.
A few weeks later, while traveling on tour, Merle asked Bonnie to pick up some hamburgers and bring them back to the hotel. When she returned, she found him sitting on the bed with nothing but his guitar and a notebook full of fresh ideas. Inspired by that unforgettable airport moment, Merle had already begun writing both the melody and the opening lyrics.
He looked up and simply said, “Bonnie, sit down and listen to this.”
Bonnie later recalled being completely speechless. Together, they carefully shaped the lyrics until every line felt just right. As she often did during their collaborations, Bonnie wrote down the finished words, helping transform a heartfelt conversation into one of country music’s most enduring love songs.
Interestingly, Merle never imagined the song would become one of his signature performances.
In fact, he believed it sounded more like something his close friend Marty Robbins should record. His original plan was to play it for Marty the next time they met. But before that opportunity ever arrived, Merle entered the studio to record his 1968 album The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde. Almost by circumstance, he decided to record the song himself.
Released as the B-side to his No. 1 single “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde,” Today I Started Loving You Again received little attention from radio and never became a chart hit for Merle. By conventional industry standards, it appeared to be just another album track.
Yet great songs often follow their own path.
Within months, artists including Waylon Jennings, Conway Twitty, and eventually Marty Robbins all recorded their own versions. Pop singer Al Martino introduced the song to an even broader audience with a Top 40 hit, while Charlie McCoy and later Sammy Smith found impressive chart success. Sammy Smith’s 1975 recording climbed all the way to No. 9, becoming the highest-charting version of the song.
Over the decades, hundreds of artists have interpreted Today I Started Loving You Again, each bringing a unique voice while preserving the emotional honesty at its heart.
Ironically, although the song never became a major hit for Merle Haggard himself, audiences came to expect it at every concert. It evolved into one of those unforgettable songs that simply had to be included whenever he took the stage. Fans embraced it not because of chart positions, but because of its timeless sincerity and universal message of rediscovered love.
Sometimes, the greatest legacy of a song cannot be measured by awards or rankings. Instead, it is measured by the generations who continue to sing it, the countless artists who choose to record it, and the emotions it still stirs decades after it was first written.
What began as a quiet exchange between Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens in an airport became one of country music’s most cherished classics—a beautiful reminder that the most unforgettable songs often begin with the simplest moments of real life.