Merle Haggard’s Church of Christ mama tried to raise him right

Country music legend Merle Haggard, who died Wednesday on his 79th birthday, had Church of Christ roots, according to media reports.

In its front-page obituary, The New York Times reported that Haggard’s mother, the former Flossie Mae Harp, was “a strict and pious member” of the Church of Christ.

According to CMT.com, his mother’s church background “led to her forcing her husband to stop playing the honky tonks.”

Did Haggard’s “Sunday learning” — which he referenced in his No. 1 hit “Mama Tried” — ever kick in? GetReligion.org has the answer.
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