The audio history lesson tracked America's story from the Revolution through the Civil Rights era.
Merle Haggard performing at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas on Feb. 13, 1976.
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When America approached its Bicentennial in 1976, the country’s celebrations included the Freedom Train, two locomotives that visited all 48 contiguous states to give citizens a close-up view of important documents and artifacts.
In a nod to the attraction, Merle Haggard recorded “Here Comes the Freedom Train,” a song steeped in two centuries of history, on April 1, 1976. It entered Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart dated May 22 at No. 59, and would peak at No. 10 on the July 4 list.
