Country Legend Tours with Parker Fly Classic, Fly Deluxe and Fly Artist

(Parker | Posted 2003-08-24)

Legendary country music star Merle Haggard has signed an exclusive endorsement contract with Parker Guitars. The announcement was made today by Parker Guitars CEO, Drew Hannah. Haggard has three Parkers with him during his current tour in support of his latest release, Country Legend: a black Fly Deluxe, a Fly Classic and a Fly Artist. The Fly Artist, specially customized for Haggard by the Parker Custom Shop, is one-of-a-kind.

“I knew about Parker but never really thought to try one. You know, after five decades of performing and recording, the last thing on my mind was finding a better guitar,” said Haggard. “But after a friend of mine bought a Parker, he started telling me that there is a better guitar. And so I played around with his and realized he was absolutely right.”

Haggard believes he will never need another guitar. “These are the most versatile guitars ever made—period. My Parker lets me play any style, anytime. And for someone who spends as much time performing on stage as I do, the lightness of a Parker is a godsend. I feel as good at the end of the show as I do during the opening song.”

“It is an honor to have one of the legendary figures of American music joining the family of Parker artists,” said Parker Guitars President and CEO Drew Hannah.

Haggard has been nominated 44 times for CMA awards—more than any other male country entertainer—and is the only country performer ever featured on the cover of jazz bible Downbeat Magazine. According to Salon.com, Haggard is “the quintessential country artiste, rural America’s Renaissance man, whose caliber will long provide a standard for all country artists who follow.”

Merle Haggard represents an unusual intersection in American music: a crossroad where folk, pop, jazz and blues traditions are used to create his own soul-baring form of expression. The 66-year old Haggard has always set his own trends: he’s the only California-born singer in the Country Music Hall of Fame and the only artist to have done stints both at the White House as an invited entertainer and in San Quentin's infamous solitary confinement “hole.”

Haggard’s upcoming album, “Haggard Like Never Before,” will be released this fall.

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About Parker Guitars Founded by legendary innovators Ken Parker and Larry Fishman, the goal of Parker Guitars has always been to create the most versatile, responsive, dependable and beautiful instruments possible. Developing the original Fly Guitar was a painstaking process during which the company created new manufacturing approaches to making guitars. Parker’s complete line of guitars is sold through independent music retailers throughout the world and includes the Parker Fly, the NiteFly, the P Series, the Standard Series, and the Parker Select line as well as the Parker Fly Bass.

To meet the ongoing demand from players for a customized Parker guitar, the Parker Guitars Custom Shop opened its doors on January 1, 2003. Consumers can place Parker Guitars Custom Shop orders with authorized Parker dealers for the Parker Select line as well as custom models with a variety of options available including the choice of special woods, pickups, frets and tuners. Custom Shop details are available on the company's website.

Parker Guitars is headquartered in Wilmington, MA. The address is PO Box 388, Wilmington, MA 01887. The telephone number is 978-988-0102. The website is

Country Legend Tours with Parker Fly Classic, Fly Deluxe and Fly Artist

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