2 minutes | Friday, November 21, 2025
Going back to November 21, 1987 - Merle Haggard released his final #1 single, “Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star” from his Chill Factor album, ending his incredible two-decade streak of chart-topping hits
It marked an end to an era. The neo-traditional wave with a more pop-country style, like Randy Travis and George Strait, was taking over the genre. Crazy right? I wouldn’t put George Strait in a “pop-country” category now, but for the 80s, honky tonks, small towns, and drinking themes dominated new music with fiddles and steel guitars front and center.
But back to Merle Haggard, “Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star” showed he could still write a #1 hit despite the culture change. Can I just play some classic Merle right now? How about his 1968 single, Mama Tried?