Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell is circling the role of iconic country singer Merle Haggard in a biopic setup at Amazon Studios. Rockwell will do his own singing of some of Haggard’s famous numbers.
The story will focus on his tumultuous rise from inmate who served three years at San Quentin to the clubs in his Bakersfield hometown, to Capitol Records in Los Angeles and becoming “single most influential singer-songwriter in country music history” according to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The film also focuses heavily on Merle’s complicated love affair with singer Bonnie Owens – his singing partner and eventual wife. Haggard’s notable songs include “Okie From Muskogee,” “The Fightin’ Side Of Me,” “Sing Me Back Home,” “The Fugitive,” “Workin’ Man Blues,” “Mama Tried” and “Today I Started Loving You Again”.
Robin Bissell (“The Best of Enemies”) will direct the film and write the script with Merle’s widow, Theresa Haggard, based on the memoir “Sing Me Back Home”. Bissell and Haggard will produce.
Source: Deadline
