Jimmy Webb – $10 million
Greatest Hits: Wichita Lineman, MacArthur Park
Songwriter Jimmy Webb was inducted into the 1986 Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s got “Wichita Lineman,” “All I Know,” “MacArthur Park,” and more. He collaborated with names like Linda Ronstadt and Art Garfunkel. Webb discussed his songwriting career and the type of music he aspired to, claiming it was a kind of “crushed lonely hearts.” In 2017, he released widely acclaimed his memoirs, The Cake and The Hurricane.
Jimmy Webb
Merle Haggard – $40 million
Greatest Hits: Okie from Muskogee, The Fightin’ Side of Me
Merle Haggard is considered one of the founding fathers of the country genre and Bakersfield sound. Born amid California’s Great Depression, he eventually started a country music career after his father died. His songs became popular and he was able to turn his life around with work-class albums, American independence, Vietnam War, and more. He had thirty-eight numbers—one hits on country lists, and others crossed Billboard’s tables.
Merle Haggard
