Merle Haggard – $40 million
Greatest Hits: Okie from Muskogee, The Fightin’ Side of Me
Merle Haggard is considered one of the country genre’s founding fathers, as well as Bakersfield sound. Born during the Great Depression in California, he finally embarked on a country music career after his father died. His songs became popular and he was able to turn his life around with songs about the working class, American patriotism, Vietnam War, and more. He had thirty-eight numbers—one hits on the country charts, and others even crossed the charts of Billboard.
Merle Haggard
Buddy Holly – $1 million
Greatest Hits: That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue
Buddy Holly was an influential singer-songwriter born during the Great Depression in Texas, becoming a central figure in American rock’n roll emerging in the 1950s. He was also inspired by other genres, including gospel, R&B, and western, and he began playing in high school. After opening a show for the late great Elvis Presley, he decided to take music seriously. He joined a band of Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch and hit the road. He’s called the twin guitars, drums, and bass lineup pioneer favored by many bands today.
Buddy Holly