1960s

Lead guitarist Roy Nichols had previously played with the Maddox Brothers and Rose, Lefty Frizzell, Wynn Stewart, and Johnny Cash before playing with the Strangers from 1965 until 1987, when health problems forced him into retirement.^[3] Duncan, Oklahoma-born steel guitarist Ralph Mooney (September 16, 1928 - March 20, 2011) had previously played with Wynn Stewart and written the song "Crazy Arms", and after leaving the Strangers recorded a duo album with James Burton and then joined Waylon Jennings band.^[4]

Norm Hamlet joined the Strangers on steel guitar in 1967 and, shortly afterward, became its bandleader.^[5] Howard "Jerry Ward" Lowe was the Strangers original bass player and George French (March 6, 1926 - August 14, 1992) played the piano.^[6] But when Ward left, Willard "Gene" Price (February 27, 1944 - August 13, 2013) from Shamrock, Texas, replaced him on bass just in time for the Okie from Muskogee album in 1969, on which he also sang lead vocals.^[7] Tulsa, Oklahoma-born Roy "Eddie" Burris (October 27, 1931 - April 19, 2011), the drummer for the Strangers, co-wrote the title track "Okie From Muskogee" with Merle Haggard.^[8]

1970s

Clair "Biff" Adam replaced Burris as the Strangers drummer in 1970 and also served as Merle's publicist and bus driver.^[9] On the album, The Fightin' Side of Me, the Strangers added rhythm guitarist Robert "Bobby Wayne" Edrington (December 11, 1941 - September 21, 2009) from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and they got their own showcase on the instrumental "Stealin’ Corn".^[10] A second rhythm guitarist, Marcia "Nichols" Ashcraft (May 23, 1950 - October 1976), also joined the band ^[11]

Gordon Terry, fiddle player for the Strangers.

After Bobby Wayne and Marcia Nichols left, Ronnie Reno of Reno and Smiley and the Osborne Brothers joined the Strangers on rhythm guitar, and he also produced Merle's duo album with Mac Wiseman as well as Merle's The Bluegrass Sessions.^[12] Ronnie would also sing lead vocals on albums like Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album.^[13] Johnny Meeks, previously a member of Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, the Champs, and Michael Nesmith and the Second National Band, played bass with the Strangers in the early 1970s and later got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[14] After Meeks left, Jimmy Tittle played bass with the band.^[15] After leaving the Strangers, Tittle would go on to play with his father-in-law Johnny Cash.^[16] He was replaced by bassist Sherman "Wayne" Durham.

Saxophonist Don Markham, who had played with Sly & the Family Stone, the Ventures, the Bakersfield Brass, and Johnny Paycheck played with the Strangers from 1974 to 2013.^[17] In the mid-1970s, former Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys guitarist Estel "Eldon" Shamblin was invited to join the Strangers.^[18] After retiring from the Strangers, Eldon Shamblin would continue to perform with them whenever they played in Tulsa.^[19] Electric mandolinist Billie "Tiny" Moore also joined the Strangers during the 1970s.^[20] Like Eldon Shamblin, Tiny Moore had also been a member of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.^[21]

In the late 1970s Decatur, Gordon Terry joined the Strangers on fiddle.^[22] Terry had previously played with Bill Monroe, Faron Young, and Johnny Cash.^[23]

1980s

After Gordon Terry left the band, fiddler Jimmy Belken joined.^[24] Belken had previously played with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys as well as Mel Tillis and the Statesiders.^[25] In addition to serving as Strangers bassist, Dennis Hromek would also sing some lead vocals at Strangers shows.^[26] When Hromek left Bobby Wayne returned to the Strangers, this time playing bass.^[27]

Other noteworthy members of the band included trumpet player Gary Church and keyboardist Mark Yeary, who also served as Merle's co-producer on his records.^[28] Clint Strong, who had studied under Stan Kenton, joined the Strangers on lead guitar during the mid-1980s.^[29] Sheril Rodgers, co-wrote with Merle and singer/songwriter Freddy Powers. Sheril toured with the Strangers as backup singer from 1983 to 1984 and co-wrote "Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room Tonight".

Albums credited to the Strangers

Singles credited to the Strangers

Albums credited to Merle Haggard and the Strangers

Singles credited to Merle Haggard and the Strangers

Albums credited to Bonnie Owens and the Strangers

Singles credited to Bonnie Owens and the Strangers

Albums credited to Leona Williams and the Strangers

The Strangers as Backing Band

Songwriting

Production

Lead Vocal

Liner Notes

Merle call-outs

Merle Haggard famously called out members of the Strangers by name on his records prior to their solos. He sometimes prefixed their name with “Brother,” as in the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" when he called out “Brother Don” Markham. For 20 years (1969–1989) he regularly called out 16 different members of the Strangers and 14 guest musicians on 70 songs on 31 different albums. Roy Nichols received the most call-outs (42), followed by Norm Hamlet (24), Tiny Moore (13), Mark Yeary (10), and Don Markham (9). Below is a list of all the songs and Stranger call-outs Merle made over his career. Not listed are callouts the Strangers received by others than Merle, such as when Leona Williams called out Roy Nichols during “Yes Ma’am This One Can” on her 1976 Strangers-backed album “San Quentin’s First Lady,” or when Rose Maddox called Roy Nichols out prior to his “Downtown Modesto” solo on her 1983 Strangers-backed album “Queen of the West.”

Academy of Country Music Band of the Year Awards

Music City News Band of the Year Awards

Academy of Country Music Awards Won With Merle Haggard

Country Music Association Awards Won With Merle Haggard

Academy of Country Music Individual Nominations

Members in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Merle Haggard’s poem for the Strangers

For the back cover of their 1973 album Totally Instrumental...With One Exception, Merle wrote the following poem for the Strangers:

When Hag passes on

To the great unknown

They'll find written on the front

Of my headstone

“Here lies a man

Who had a hell-of-a-band

And who would never had made it alone.”