Merle Haggard's son, Scott, to honor his dad in Llano

The Llano Country Opry presents a Tribute To Merle Haggard by Scott Haggard on Saturday, February 13, at 2:30 p.m. at the Lantex Theater in downtown Llano, Texas. Tickets are now on sale at www.heartoftexascountry. com or by calling the Llano Chamber at (325) 247-5354.

Scott Haggard was born in Opp, Alabama, to Lanorah Margaret Bowden, a jailer for Covington County. Bowden had met Merle Haggard in the spring of 1968, and the two had a brief relationship which was among the musician’s five marriages.

Years later, someone had gotten the word to Merle that he had a baby boy, but the superstar never responded.

Encouraged by his parents, Scott Haggard learned to play guitar when he was 8 years old. It came easy, and he quickly learned every chord in the book.

“I was raised by my stepdad,” said Scott Haggard, “and I never had any contact with Merle until 2004, when I met him at a concert and told him who I was.”

Merle brought Scott back to his tour bus to hear more about him and his life.

“He kind of held his head down and said, ‘yeah, I remember that,’” Scott Haggard recalled about he and Bowden’s encounter. “He excused himself and went to the back of the bus.”

“I have always found comfort in my guitar and find it to be a great stress reliever,” Haggard recalled. “As I grew up, I learned several other instruments including drums, saxophone, and along with my guitar, played in the High School Band.”

A DNA test proved his lineage to the Country Music icon. His striking appearance and vocal resemblance to his father cemented his determination to do something in the music industry.

After graduation, he set the music career aside and went to work as a professional truck driver and worked hard raising his family. He always considered himself as a common person and strived to make ends meet just like everyone else in today's world.

In 2004, Scott decided to return to his music and has been working on that part of his life ever since. Listening to his Dad's music gave him the inspiration to write his own songs. His first successful composition was “Living in The Shadow of Merle” which came very quickly as it describes his feelings about his legendary Country Music Hall of Famer father. He followed that with a beautiful love ballad titled “Do You Love Me.”

In May of 2008, Scott won the Horizon Award from the Mobile Alabama Country Music Association, which states “Presented to Scott Haggard in recognition of your outstanding talent and continued hard work promoting country music.”

“I am working several tribute shows to my father throughout the country,” Scott Haggard said. “I primarily do my dad’s songs with a few of mine. His fans love to hear his material, and I am proud to help keep his memory alive.”

Other entertainers on the show will include Kaye Tolson, Benny Fred Kothmann, Charley Walton, Bode Barker, Bucille Snotgrass and Tom Tolson. Tracy Pitcox will MC the show.