POP/ROCK - Jan. 4, 1991

Mr. Country Music: Merle Haggard, a country music icon for three decades, will receive the Award of Merit during the American Music Awards ceremony on Jan 28. The award, given for outstanding contributions to the music industry over a long period of time, will be presented during the awards ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium and will be broadcast by ABC. Previous Award of Merit winners include Bing Crosby, Irving Berlin, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.