The Strangers (American band)

The Strangers
Origin	Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Genres	Country, Western, Outlaw Country, Bakersfield Sound
Years active	1960s–Present
Labels	Capitol, MCA, Epic, Curb, ANTI, Vanguard
Members	Renato Caranto Doug Colosio Jim Christie Floyd Domino Ben Haggard Dana Haggard Noel Haggard Theresa Haggard Norman Hamlet Scott Joss Taras Prodaniuk
Past members	Merle Haggard Biff Adam Johnny Barber Jimmy Belkin Eddie Burris James Burton Glen Campbell Eddie Curtis Iris DeMent Terry Domingue George French Dennis Hromek Joe Manuel Abe Manuel Will McGregor Randy Mason Tiny Moore Don Markham Marcia Nichols Bonnie Owens Fuzzy Owen Ralph Mooney Roy Nichols Clint Strong Gordon Terry Jerry Ward Bobby Wayne Redd Volkaert Mark Yeary Red Lane

The Strangers is an American country band best known as the back-up band for singer-songwriter Merle Haggard. Formed in 1965 in Bakersfield, California, the band continued to tour with original co-founding member Norman Hamlet, as well as Haggard's children Dana and Ben.

The group mainly served as the backup band for Haggard. However, from 1969 to 1973, it issued several records independent of Haggard, released by Haggard's label, Capitol Records. While most of the performers were contemporaries of Haggard in age or younger, some performers, including Tiny Moore, were older performers in the country or western swing genres. Glen Campbell, who had a solo career as a singer and a short career leading a television variety show, was a member of the storied Hollywood group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew" and played on some of Haggard's Capitol recordings as did session greats James Burton and pedal steel guitarist Ralph Mooney. Pianist Mark Yeary penned many songs for Haggard. Horns joined the group for the first time in 1969 with Don Markham playing tenor saxophone and trumpet, yet instrumentation mainly consisted of guitars, bass guitar, keyboard and drums.

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