This 1971 album is a departure from Haggard's usual fare, featuring a collection of country gospel standards. It showcases a different side of his artistry, moving beyond his signature outlaw persona.
- The album features Merle Haggard and The Strangers performing country gospel standards. It was released in 1971 on Capitol Nashville. The album reached number 15 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.
- The album consists of traditional gospel songs, with Haggard putting his own spin on them. Some of the songs included are "I Saw the Light" and "One Day at a Time."
- This album was a commercial success, demonstrating Haggard's versatility beyond his typical honky-tonk anthems. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Merle Haggard was a Bakersfield country singer-songwriter and guitarist. He emerged in the mid-1960s as a leading figure of the Bakersfield sound, a reaction against the polished Nashville sound. In 1971, Haggard released *The Land of Many Churches*, a collection of gospel songs, midway through a period of immense commercial success and creative output for the artist.
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