Merle Haggard honored with stretch of road

When the time arrived to honor country music legend Merle Haggard, no tribute album or collectible figurine was good enough, at least not for the residents of his hometown.

The board supervisors in Oildale, Calif., held an open meeting on December 19 and voted 4-1 to honor Haggard with the original gift that keeps on giving—that’s right, his very own road.

A 3.5 mile stretch of asphalt on 7th Standard Road between Highway 99 and North Chester Avenue will be newly dubbed Merle Haggard Drive as soon as his fans raise the estimated $41,500 necessary to change the street signs. Haggard was born in Oildale in 1937 and inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

In early February, Merle will hit the road (no, not Merle Haggard Drive) with George Jones in support of their 2006 collaboration, titled Kickin' Out the Footlights... Again.

Tour dates include:

February
7 - Bakersfield CA @ Fox Theatre
8 - Jackson CA @ Jackson Rancheria Casino
9 - Oakland CA @ Paramount Theatre
10 - Portland OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
11 - Seattle WA @ Paramount Theatre
12 - Spokane WA @ Opera House at INB Performing Arts Center
14 - Billings MT @ Alberta Bair Theatre
15 - Helena MT @ Civic Center
16 - Wendover NV @ Peppermill Casino
17 - Wendover NV @ Peppermill Casino