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“She Was the Reason Behind the Music: Merle Haggard Reveals the Woman Who Helped Create His Greatest Songs”

Merle Haggard Actually Didn't Want To Release Hit Classic Hit “I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink” As A Single | Whiskey Riff

Introduction:

There are songs that touch our hearts, and then there are songs that live within them forever. One such song is “Today I Started Loving You Again,” a timeless country classic penned by the legendary Merle Haggard. But what many may not know is that this heartfelt anthem of love and loss was not merely a product of Haggard’s songwriting genius — it was born from a deeply personal chapter of his life, and from the steadfast support of a woman who understood his creative soul like no one else did.

Merle Haggard found himself in a remarkable streak of inspiration shortly after marrying Bonnie Owens. During this heated period of creativity, he admits he was writing “pretty good,” and much of that had to do with her unwavering presence. If he so much as hinted that he was about to write, Bonnie would be right there with a pen and pad, ready to catch every word. Her dedication wasn’t casual — it was essential. As Haggard once said, without her, songs like “Mama Tried” or “Workin’ Man Blues” may never have made it to paper, let alone history.

The couple’s shared rhythm was so strong that in 1968 or 1969, they had six BMI awards in one year — all songs transcribed by Bonnie. One of the most iconic, “Today I Started Loving You Again,” was written for her. It started with a quiet moment during a layover at the L.A. airport. After a long tour in Texas and another 45 dates ahead, Haggard turned to Bonnie and said, “Today I’ll start loving you again.” Her response? “What an idea for a song.”

Three weeks later, after a long night playing at Dewey Groom’s Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, and an argument that left him emotionally frayed, Merle found himself back in the hotel room — tired, in his shorts, asking Bonnie for a hamburger. When she returned, he had written the entire song on a paper bag. Like something out of a Roger Miller story, that song, scribbled in the middle of a raw moment, would go on to become one of his most financially successful and emotionally resonant works.

And while Haggard initially gifted her half of the royalties as a token of love, fate later dictated that she’d receive even more following their divorce. Despite their marriage ending, they remained close. Their friendship endured long past their romantic chapter — all the way to her final years. Even when Alzheimer’s disease clouded Bonnie’s mind, she never forgot the man who wrote that song. During one visit, she led Merle to her room, pointed at a photograph of them above her bed, and told her guests with childlike clarity, “He’s my favorite.”

“Today I Started Loving You Again” isn’t just a ballad — it’s a living memory of a love that outgrew marriage and matured into lifelong companionship. And at its heart is a woman who never missed a word, never missed a moment, and helped a legend turn fleeting thoughts into timeless music.

Video:

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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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