When Tammy Wynette & Merle Haggard Shared the Stage It Was Pure Magic

American singer-songwriters Merle Haggard and Tammy Wynette performing a duet on stage at the International Festival Of Country Music at Wembley Arena, London, April 1988. — David Redfern/Redferns

What To Know

April 6 marks the anniversary of the deaths of country music legends Tammy Wynette (1998) and Merle Haggard (2016), who both shaped the genre with their emotionally honest music.
Wynette, known as the “First Lady of Country Music,” and Haggard, a pioneer of the Bakersfield Sound, achieved numerous No. 1 hits and became iconic figures through their distinct styles and storytelling.
Their careers intersected through George Jones and a memorable 1988 duet at Wembley Arena, highlighting their mutual respect and lasting influence on country music.

April 6 marks the loss of two voices that helped define country music: Tammy Wynette in 1998 and Merle Haggard in 2016. Wynette was just 55 when she died, while Haggard passed on his 79th birthday, but the timing connects them in a very interesting way. Both artists built careers on emotional honesty, whether it came through Wynette’s deeply personal ballads or Haggard’s working-class storytelling. They also connected through an unlikely source and sang together in a lovely duet.

Wynette became known as the “First Lady of Country Music,” largely due to songs like “Stand by Your Man,” which captured the complicated, often painful dynamics of relationships in a way that resonated with many fans. She scored 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country charts, cementing her place as one of the genre’s most successful female artists.

Haggard, meanwhile, emerged from California’s Bakersfield scene with a tougher, more stripped-down sound, delivering songs like “Okie from Muskogee” and “Mama Tried” that spoke directly to everyday life. He recorded 38 No. 1 country hits and became one of the defining voices of the Bakersfield Sound.

Their connection also runs through George Jones, Wynette’s former husband and a frequent collaborator of Haggard. Haggard and Jones recorded the 1982 duet album A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine and often spoke about their admiration for one another, describing themselves as mutual fans and longtime friends.

Wynette and Haggard also shared the stage. One of the most notable moments came in 1988, when Haggard invited Wynette to join him during a concert at Wembley Arena in London. Together, they performed his song “Today I Started Loving You Again,” a track Haggard originally released in 1969, blending their distinct styles into a beautiful rendition, funnily enough, inspired by Jones.

It’s a rare moment where two artists from different corners of country music history briefly crossed paths, and it still holds up decades later, as we honor both of their lives and careers on the anniversary of their deaths.