The Strangers (American band)
The Strangers were an American country band that formed in 1966 in Bakersfield, California. They mainly served as the backup band for singer-songwriter Merle Haggard, who named them after his first hit single "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers".[1] In addition to serving as his backing band, members of the Strangers also produced many of Haggard's records, sang lead vocals on select tracks, and co-wrote many of Haggard's songs with him, including the No. 1 singles, "Okie From Muskogee" and "I Always Get Lucky with You".
The Strangers
1966–2016
Merle Haggard
Biff Adam
Paul Anastasio
Johnny Barber
Jimmy Belken
Eddie Burris
James Burton
Glen Campbell
Renato Caranto
Jim Christie
Gary Church
Doug Colosio
Eddie Curtis
Iris DeMent
Terry Domingue
Floyd Domino
Wayne Durham
George French
Johnny Gimble
Ben Haggard
Dana Haggard
Noel Haggard
Theresa Haggard
Norman Hamlet
Dennis Hromek
Sidney Hunter
Jeff Ingraham
Scott Joss
Red Lane
Abe Manuel
Joe Manuel
Don Markham
Randy Mason
Will McGregor
Johnny Meeks
Eugene Moles
Ralph Mooney
Tiny Moore
Marcia Nichols
Roy Nichols
Fuzzy Owen
Bonnie Owens
Gene Price
Taras Prodaniuk
Joe Reed
Ronnie Reno
Sheril Rodgers
Eldon Shamblin
Clint Strong
Gordon Terry
Jimmy Tittle
Kenny Vernon
Redd Volkaert
Jerry Ward
Bobby Wayne
Mark Yeary
From 1969 to 1973, they issued several records independent of Haggard, released on Capitol Records, and even had their own Top 10 hit single called "Street Singer" on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart. Three members of the Strangers would go on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Between 1969 and 1987, the Strangers were voted Band of the Year by the Academy of Country Music eight times—more than any other group in history.[2]