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“From Heartbreak to Harmony: Merle Haggard’s Moving Tale of How ‘Today I Started Loving You Again’ Emerged from a Marriage, a Divorce, and a Lifelong Bond with Bonnie Owens”

Bonnie Owens Fine-Tuned Merle Haggard's Iconic Sound

Introduction:

There are songs that rise from inspiration, and then there are songs that rise from life itself — born in moments so personal that they carry the heartbeat of the people who inspired them. For Merle Haggard, one of those songs was Today I Started Loving You Again, and behind it stood a woman who not only shared his life, but also helped capture the words that would become timeless.

Merle recalls a creative period shortly after marrying her. Whenever inspiration struck, she was there — pad and pen in hand — ready to write down every word before it slipped away. Without her, he insists, there would have been no Mama Tried or Workin’ Man Blues. In 1968 or 1969, the pair achieved a remarkable feat: six BMI awards in a single year, with her faithfully recording every song.

At Country Music Hall of Fame forum, Merle Haggard talks about Bonnie Owens - YouTube

The seed for Today I Started Loving You Again was planted after a long tour in Texas. They had been on the road for nine days, then faced another 45-day stretch after a short break. Landing in Los Angeles, Merle turned to her and said, “We haven’t had much time to say hello… today I’ll start loving you again.” She immediately saw it as a song idea.

Three weeks later, in Dallas at Dewey Groom’s Longhorn Ballroom, the moment came to life. After a long night — including a dispute with Groom himself — Merle returned to his room, sat on the bed in his shorts, and asked her to get him a hamburger. While she was gone, he tore open a paper bag and wrote the song right there. An extra verse was left unused, but the heart of the song was complete.

It went on to become one of his most enduring works — financially and emotionally. Merle says half his royalties come from all his other songs combined, and the other half comes from Today I Started Loving You Again. Though he gave her half the rights from the start, their eventual divorce meant she gained even more. Still, there was no bitterness. Their love simply transformed into a deep friendship, lasting until her death.

Country Icon Merle Haggard Dead At 79 | Here & Now

Even after the marriage ended, their bond remained strong. His children adored her, and Merle continued to hold her in high regard. Years later, when she was living with Alzheimer’s, Merle visited her. She took him to her room, where a large photo of the two of them hung above her bed. She looked at the picture, smiled, and said proudly, “He’s my favorite.”

In that moment, Merle realized something profound — even when memories fade, the emotions they leave behind can linger, untouched by time. Today I Started Loving You Again wasn’t just a hit song; it was a reflection of a connection that endured through marriage, separation, and the fading light of memory. It remains a reminder that love, once real, can never truly be forgotten.

Video:

https://youtu.be/WnppTjgwpO0?si=AGLRxdlV29k1O8MN

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Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

Merle Haggard rarely needed to invent heartbreak. He had known it since childhood. In 1946, when Merle was only nine years old, his father, James Haggard, died following a stroke. For a boy who deeply needed his father’s presence, the loss became a turning point. His mother, Flossie, worked to support the family. Merle, meanwhile, became increasingly restless. He skipped school, ran away, got into trouble, and began a long journey through juvenile institutions that eventually led somewhere far darker. Looking back at his life, it is difficult not to see that nine-year-old boy behind many of the adult Merle Haggard’s songs. People later called him a rebel, an outlaw and a survivor. But before any of those labels existed, there was simply a grieving boy who had lost his dad—and never seemed to completely outrun that loss.

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