Music

Music City Texas Theater has only 420 seats and is tucked away in the Piney Woods of Linden, a town whose population barely cracks 2,200. But since the music hall's founding in 2003, it has welcomed two members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The latest big name to adorn its marquee – joining previous headliners Jackson Browne and Linden native Don Henley of the Eagles – is country legend Merle Haggard, who will perform at a sold-out show Aug. 3.

The tickets at $50 and $100 disappeared soon after going on sale, says Richard Bowden, the president of Music City Texas Theater.

"This ranks right up there with Jackson Browne and Don Henley," says Mr. Bowden, who helped put together bands with Mr. Henley in college and played lead guitar for Linda Ronstadt.

"We sold out in record time, but I kind of expected that since it's Merle Haggard," who, as Mr. Bowden notes, is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and a winner of the Grammy lifetime achievement award.

Mr. Bowden has staged outdoor concerts at a larger venue in Linden – Suzy Bogguss and Michael Martin Murphey for the Piney Woods Cowboy Gathering – but not this time.

"It's too dad-burned hot," Mr. Bowden says.

Mr. Haggard, the author of classics such as "Okie From Muskogee," recently turned 71.

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