Producer, director and actor Peter Billingsley puts the nearly 40 years of boozing, brawling and broken spirits of outlaw country legend Merle Haggard's career-spanning retrospective collection Down Every Road into perspective for the modern era.

Much like with the story of America, a look back on the life of outlaw country legend Merle Haggard reveals as much pain and hardship as it does hope and inspiration. But without the harsh realities of growing up poor and spending time in prison to shape him, the world might find itself sorely lacking the hard-bitten truths and forlorn beauty of that classic Bakersfield Sound he spent nearly forty years shaping with his music, to which the 1994 release of roughly 100 songs from every period of his career Down Every Road is an eternal testament. The same might be said of one of Merle's biggest fans: director, producer and actor Peter Billingsley, whose humble beginnings in yogurt commercials and after school specials led him to not only star in one of the most beloved holiday films of all time, A Christmas Story, but also helped bring to life hit movies and televisions series such as The Break Up, Sullivan & Son, and F is for Family.

The 500 is a production of Native Creative Podcasts.

For show notes, guest playlists, complimentary documentaries, and audiobooks about the music go to The500Podcast.com.

New Artist/Song influenced by Merle Haggard:

Mick Fury "Front Porch of America"(YouTube)

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477 - Merle Haggard - Down Every Road - Peter Billingsley