Saw him perform with Marty Robbins, Merle, a great fiddle player as well along with writing some of the greatest country songs ever. IMHO, there are not many who wrote songs the caliber of “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive” and many others. “Turn me loose” and so on.
Swingin’ Doors, yes, Emmylou sang it too along with many others.
“I made the prison band” was written by Tommy Collins; but Haggard’s version is great, that’s the Bakersfield sound as was Tommy Collins too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3KzVqLPEA0
The song is a bit of a hoot; the prisoner has to put off his escape because he made the prison band, a lesser known song.
Merle was in prison and pardoned by? Not sure who, Gov. Reagan?
He did a good imitation of Johnny Cash too.