In October 1978, Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard officially ended their 13-year marriage. But what happened next was almost unheard of in country music.
That same month, Bonnie Owens stood as a bridesmaid when Merle Haggard married fellow country singer Leona Williams.
For most former couples, a wedding like that would have marked the beginning of separate lives. For Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard, the personal relationship had changed, but the musical connection was far from over.
And nearly nine years later, one telephone call would bring that connection back to the stage.
Before Merle Haggard Became a Legend, Bonnie Owens Was Already Making Music
Bonnie Owens had a remarkable place in Bakersfield country music long before marrying Merle Haggard.
Bonnie Owens had previously been married to Buck Owens, another defining figure of the Bakersfield Sound. After that marriage ended, Bonnie Owens continued building a career as a singer, appearing in clubs, on local television, and on records.
When Bonnie Owens met Merle Haggard in Bakersfield in the early 1960s, Merle Haggard was still working toward national recognition.
Bonnie Owens recognized the talent immediately. Merle Haggard later recalled that Bonnie Owens helped introduce Merle Haggard to nightclub opportunities outside Bakersfield, encouraging promoters to book the young performer.
The partnership became romantic, and Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard married in June 1965.
But Bonnie Owens was never simply a famous musician’s wife. Bonnie Owens had an established musical identity, an award-winning voice, and a gift for understanding how a country song should sound.
The Love Song That Began With an Ordinary Conversation
One of the most enduring results of the partnership was “Today I Started Loving You Again.”
Merle Haggard later explained that the inspiration came after spending months traveling and performing. During a break at home, Merle Haggard looked at Bonnie Owens and suddenly felt a renewed sense of affection.
Merle Haggard expressed the feeling in a simple remark about starting to love Bonnie Owens again.
Bonnie Owens immediately recognized the possibility of a song.
According to Merle Haggard’s account, the melody and words came together a few days later, with the song written in roughly ten minutes on hotel stationery.
Released in 1968, the composition eventually became a country standard, recorded by performers including Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Connie Smith, and numerous others.
Bonnie Owens shared songwriting credit. Just as importantly, Bonnie Owens often helped capture, organize, and refine Merle Haggard’s creative ideas.
The collaboration extended beyond songwriting. Bonnie Owens also encouraged Merle Haggard to address personal experiences more directly in songs such as “Branded Man.”
When the Marriage Could No Longer Survive
Despite the musical success, the marriage became increasingly difficult.
Merle Haggard’s constant touring and relationships outside the marriage created serious strains. By the mid-1970s, Bonnie Owens had grown weary of life on the road and the instability surrounding the relationship.
Bonnie Owens filed for divorce in 1976. The divorce became final in October 1978.
Merle Haggard married Leona Williams that same month, with Bonnie Owens participating in the wedding as a bridesmaid.
It was an extraordinary development, but it did not mean everything had been easily forgotten or that the former spouses continued working together without interruption.
By 1981, Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard had stopped performing together professionally.
The Telephone Call in 1987 That Changed Everything
In a 1990 interview with The New Yorker, Bonnie Owens remembered receiving a telephone call from Merle Haggard around June 1987.
Merle Haggard wanted Bonnie Owens to return to the touring band.
The invitation was deeply personal.
“Bonnie, as long as I’m up there on a bandstand, I want you to be with me.”
Those words, as Bonnie Owens recalled them, revealed how important the musical partnership remained to Merle Haggard.
Bonnie Owens accepted the invitation and returned to performing with Merle Haggard.
In the same 1990 interview, Bonnie Owens spoke candidly about the changed relationship. Bonnie Owens acknowledged that the former spouses were friends but no longer shared the closeness of married life.
Yet Bonnie Owens also expressed appreciation for another opportunity to make music together, describing how years of experience had enriched their voices.
Merle Haggard’s Remarkable Admission in 1996
In 1996, during an appearance on Prime Time Country, Merle Haggard reflected warmly on Bonnie Owens and the years of musical and personal history they shared.
“I still love Bonnie.”
It was a short statement, but one that carried considerable meaning after everything that had happened.
By then, Merle Haggard had built another family life with Theresa Lane. The affection expressed for Bonnie Owens did not mean the former marriage had resumed.
Instead, the continuing respect and musical connection showed that the relationship had developed into something different.
A Harmony That Outlasted the Marriage
Bonnie Owens died on April 24, 2006, at the age of 76. Merle Haggard died on April 6, 2016, on Merle Haggard’s 79th birthday.
Today, the story of Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard remains unusual even by country music standards.
Bonnie Owens helped build the early sound of Merle Haggard, contributed to classic recordings, and returned to the stage years after the marriage ended.
Perhaps the most lasting reminder of that partnership is “Today I Started Loving You Again.”
The song began with a moment of affection between two married musicians. Decades later, the song continued reaching listeners who knew nothing about the complicated relationship behind it.
The marriage ended in 1978. The music they created together endured long after both artists were gone.