Idaho artist selected for Merle Haggard statue

Oct. 26—Sculptor Benjamin Victor says he's quite familiar with classic country great Merle Haggard.

"He's such a huge star and wonderful person that changed country music forever," he said. "I grew up in Bakersfield, California, not far from where Merle grew up. I was born in the same hospital he was born in."

"I was raised listening to Merle's captivating songwriting and remarkable voice as far back as I can remember," said Victor, who was reared in Bakersfield, California, where Haggard lived.

Such familiarity helped the Merle Haggard Statue Committee select Victor as the artist to create a bronze statue of Haggard at Muskogee Civic Center.

"I can't wait to get out there and set up some stuff," Victor said. "And could there be a better place than Muskogee, the 'Okie From Muskogee.' Everyone knows that song, so it's like I'm on Cloud 9 and can't think of a more fun project to do."

Victor, who has a studio in Boise, Idaho, was high on every committee member's list, said Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Executive Director Tony Corbell.

"The more we talked about it and the more we looked at the submissions, we felt this was the right guy," Corbell said. "He was very clear in his thought and in his ideas and how he grew up in Bakersfield, right around the corner from Merle Haggard. And that makes the story even better."

Statue committee member Max Boydstun said he admires Victor's ability to "capture the faces of his subjects."

"When you're doing a sculpture of a person that's fairly famous, like Mr. Haggard, the likeness of that person becomes paramount, it's the most important thing," Boydstun said. "We had a lot of artists that had submitted information and bios and all of that. This gentleman was hands down the best we had to pick from."

According to Victor's website, the sculptor is known for crafting "expressive features, exquisite detail and thought-provoking content."

Victor received his first major commission when he was 23. In 2019, he became the only living artists with three works in National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. He has created numerous memorials across the country, as well as statues of Alexander Hamilton, Rosie the Riveter and Omaha Chief Big Elk.

The Haggard statue is to be erected at Muskogee Civic Center, where Haggard did a live recording of "Okie from Muskogee" in 1969. It is to enable people to see "Old Glory at the courthouse," which is referenced in the song.

Statue Committee Chairman Derek Gibson said the statue had been a dream of the committee since its formation in 2015.

"We are proud to have raised the funds privately by like-minded 'Okies' and are ready to roll," Gibson said. "In my opinion, Ben Victor is the finest sculptor today to capture Merle in a way that will honor Merle for generations to come."

Boydstun said Victor already has started researching Haggard.

"He will be coming to Muskogee sometime in the next few weeks," Boydstun said, adding that Victor and committee members will walk around Civic Center grounds "so we can start nailing down the exact location for it."

He said the work is expected to take about a year.

Victor said he hopes to get a scale model done before he comes.

Haggard will not be the only figure to be immortalized with a statue in Muskogee.

Three Rivers Museum is getting closer to finding an artist for a statue of lawman Bass Reeves, said Ann Barker Ong, who is on the Reeves statue committee. Ong said the committee is looking at two proposals and is to make a recommendation to the museum board in late November. That statue is to be placed at the corner of Elgin and Second Streets, Reeves' beat as a Muskogee Police officer in the early 20th century.