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44-658: Alvis Edgar " Buck " Owens Jr. (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and band leader. He was the lead singer for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos , which had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music chart. He pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound , named in honor of Bakersfield, California , Owens's adopted home and the city from which he drew inspiration for what he preferred to call "American music". While

88-492: A "Buck Owens signature Telecaster," and after his death paid tribute to him. In 2003, Paisley blended creative styles with this guitar and his own Paisley Telecaster, creating what became known as the Buck-O-Caster. Initially, only two were made; one for Paisley himself and the other presented to Owens during a New Year's celebration that Paisley attended in 2004. Following the death of Rich, Owens' latter trademark became

132-527: A 2007 authorized biography Buck , historian Kathryn Burke gives a positive account of Owens. In Buck Owens: The Biography (2010) investigative journalist Eileen Sisk offers a critical account of Owens and the shortcomings in his private life. The Buckaroos Don Rich , Doyle Holly , Tom Brumley and Willie Cantu were the original members of the Buckaroos during the 1960s. The 1970s version included Don Rich, Jerry Wiggins, Jerry Brightman , Doyle Curtsinger, and Jim Shaw. Various sidemen throughout

176-418: A Capitol recording artist in the early 1970s and appeared with his father numerous times on Hee Haw ), Johnny, and Michael Owens. Owens successfully recovered from oral cancer in the early 1990s, but had additional health problems near the end of the 1990s and the early 2000s, including pneumonia and a minor stroke in 2004. These health problems had forced him to curtail his regular weekly performances with

220-618: A Tiger By the Tail " and "Act Naturally". Long before Owens became the famous co-host of Hee Haw , his band became known for their signature Bakersfield sound, later emulated by artists such as Merle Haggard , Dwight Yoakam , and Brad Paisley . Buck inspired indie country songwriter and friend Terry Fraley, whose band "The Nudie Cowboys" possessed a similar sound. This sound was originally made possible with two trademark silver-sparkle Fender Telecaster guitars, often played simultaneously by Owens and longtime lead guitarist Don Rich. Fender had made

264-519: A country music's version of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In , went on to run in various incarnations for 231 episodes over 24 seasons. Creedence Clearwater Revival mentioned Owens by name in their 1970 single " Lookin' Out My Back Door ". Also between 1968 and 1970, Owens made guest appearances on top TV variety programs, including The Dean Martin Show , The Ed Sullivan Show , The Jackie Gleason Show and seven times on The Jimmy Dean Show . In

308-409: A gold plaque with the name of the recipient. Some of these guitars cost $ 1000 and up. Owens was married four times, three ending in divorce and one in annulment. He married country singer Bonnie Campbell Owens in 1948. The couple had two sons, one of whom was Buddy Alan, and separated in 1951, and later divorced. In 1956 Owens married Phyllis Buford with whom he had a third son. In the 1970s he had

352-683: A music teacher at Centralia College . While there, he tutored on the side but continued playing local venues. In December 1960, however, he left to rejoin Owens in Bakersfield. "Above and Beyond" hit No. 3. On April 2, 1960, Owens performed the song on ABC-TV 's Ozark Jubilee . In early 1963, the Johnny Russell song " Act Naturally " was pitched to Owens, who initially didn't like it. His guitarist and longtime collaborator Don Rich, however, enjoyed it and convinced Owens to record it with

396-573: A number one song Owens and the Buckaroos finally had another No. 1 hit, " Made in Japan ", in 1972. The band had been without pedal steel since late in 1969 when Maness departed. In April he added pedal steel guitarist, Jerry Brightman , and Owens returned to his grassroots sound of fiddle, steel, and electric guitars, releasing a string of singles including "Arms Full of Empty", "Ain't it Amazing Gracie" and "Ain't Gonna Have Ole Buck (to Kick Around no More)". Owens' original version of "Streets of Bakersfield"

440-428: A red, white and blue acoustic guitar, along with a 1974 Pontiac convertible "Nudiemobile", adorned with pistols and silver dollars. A similar car, created by Nudie Cohn for Elvis Presley and later won by Owens in a bet, is now enshrined behind the bar at Owens' Crystal Palace Nightclub in Bakersfield. Owens would hand out replicas of his trademark acoustic guitar to friends, acquaintances, and fans. Each would contain

484-489: A relationship with Hee Haw "Honey" Lisa Todd and appeared with her as "Buck Owens and his gal Lisa" on the TV game show Tattletales . In 1977 he wed Buckaroos fiddle player Jana Jae Greif . Within a few days he filed for annulment, then changed his mind; the couple continued the on-and-off marriage for a year before divorcing. In 1979 he married Jennifer Smith. Owens had three sons: Buddy Alan (who charted several hits as

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528-590: The Academy of Country Music in eight consecutive years, winning the award four times, 1965–1968. The Buckaroos were also nominated as "Instrumental Group of the Year" in the Country Music Awards for five consecutive years, 1967–1971, winning the honor in 1967 and 1968. In 1970, Doyle Holly received "Bass Player of the Year" award from the Academy of Country Music as a member of the Buckaroos. He left

572-653: The Dust Bowl and Great Depression . While attending school in Arizona, Owens found that while he disliked formal schoolwork, he could often satisfy class requirements by singing or performing in school plays. As a result, he began to take part in such activities whenever he could. A self-taught musician and singer, Owens became proficient on guitar, mandolin, horns, and drums. When he obtained his first electric steel guitar, he taught himself to play it after his father adapted an old radio into an amplifier. Owens quit school in

616-560: The 1980s he was no longer recording, instead devoting his time to overseeing his business empire from Bakersfield. He left Hee Haw in 1986. Country artist Dwight Yoakam was largely influenced by Owens' style of music and teamed up with him for a duet of " Streets of Bakersfield " in 1988. It was Owens' first No. 1 single in 16 years. In an interview, Yoakam described the first time he met with Owens: We sat there that day in 1987 and talked about my music to that point, my short career, and what I'd been doing and how he'd been watching me. I

660-494: The 1990s, Owens was co-owner of the country music network Real Country , of which, the Owens-owned station KCWW was the flagship station. In 1998, Owens sold KCWW to ABC / Disney for $ 8,850,000 and sold KNIX-FM to Clear Channel Communications , but he maintained ownership of KUZZ until his death. Owens established Buck Owens Enterprises and produced records by several artists. He recorded for Warner Bros. Records , but by

704-580: The Buckaroos at his Crystal Palace. Owens died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack at his ranch just north of Bakersfield on March 25, 2006, only hours after performing at his club. He was 76 years old. Owens was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. He was ranked No. 12 in CMT 's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003. In addition, CMT also ranked the Buckaroos No. 2 in

748-455: The Buckaroos originally featured a fiddle and retained pedal steel guitar into the 1970s, their sound on records and onstage was always more stripped-down and elemental. The band's signature style was based on simple story lines, infectious choruses, a twangy electric guitar, an insistent rhythm supplied by a prominent drum track, and high, two-part vocal harmonies featuring Owens and his guitarist Don Rich . From 1969 to 1986, Owens co-hosted

792-579: The Buckaroos, sang with them on Hee Haw and recorded one Buck Owens record "Let Jesse Rob the Train" with the group. Drummer/singer Rick Taylor replaced Jerry Wiggins in 1978, when he left the band to manage his wife, Susan Raye. Rick performed his first appearance at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas "winging it" as there was no time for rehearsals before the sold-out performances. Rick had seen Buck and

836-448: The Buckaroos. Laid down on February 12, 1963, it was released on March 11 and entered the charts of April 13. By June 15 the single began its first of four non-consecutive weeks at the No. 1 position, Owens' first top hit. The Beatles recorded a cover of it in 1965 with Ringo Starr as lead singer. Starr later recorded a duet of it with Owens in 1988. The 1966 album Carnegie Hall Concert

880-609: The Romo Buffet. In the late 1940s, Owens became a truck driver, a job which took him through the San Joaquin Valley of California, where he first experienced and was impressed by the town of Bakersfield. He and his first wife eventually settled there in 1951. Soon, Owens was frequently traveling to Hollywood for session recording jobs at Capitol Records , playing backup for Tennessee Ernie Ford , Wanda Jackson , Tommy Collins , Tommy Duncan , and many others. Using

924-427: The Year 1981 for the single, "Love In The Meantime". Nightstreets featured female vocalist, Joyce Hawthorne, met Rick while recording as a background singer with the Buckaroos in the 1970s. Nightstreets toured with George Jones and Tammy Wynette from 1981 through 1982. Rick retired from the music industry in 1986. Known for their signature red, white and blue colored guitars and fiddles, the Buckaroos in 1966 became only

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968-481: The Year award from the Academy of Country Music the year before and served as co-lead vocalist (along with Don Rich) of the Buckaroos. Holly went on to record two solo records in the early 1970s, both were top 20 hits. Owens and Rich were the only members left of the original band, and in the 1970s they struggled to top the country music charts. However, the popularity of Hee Haw was allowing them to enjoy large crowds at indoor arenas. After three years of not having

1012-460: The country music charts in 1969, "Tall Dark Stranger" and "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass". In 1969, they recorded a live album, Live in London , where they premiered their rock song "A Happening In London Town" and their version of Chuck Berry 's song " Johnny B. Goode ". During this time Hee Haw , starring Owens and the Buckaroos, was at its height of popularity. The series, originally envisioned as

1056-489: The country. Many of those records (still in the shrinkwrap) were stored by Owens for decades. He often gave them away as gifts and sold them at his nightclub for a premium price some 35 years later. In August 1999, Owens brought back together the remaining members of his original Buckaroo Band to help him celebrate his 70th birthday at his Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. Owens, Doyle Holly , Tom Brumley , and Wille Cantu performed old hits from their heyday including " I've Got

1100-471: The early 1970s, Owens and the Buckaroos enjoyed a string of hit duets with his protege Susan Raye , who subsequently became a popular solo artist with Owens as her producer. In 1971, the Buckaroos' bass guitarist Doyle Holly left the band to pursue a solo career. Holly was known for his booming deep voice on solo ballads. His departure was a setback to the band, as Doyle had received the Bass Player of

1144-565: The finest steel guitar solos in the history of country music." His unique steel guitar sound was known as "The Brumley Touch", and he was recognized by the Academy of Country Music as the top steel guitarist. He was inducted into both the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame . Brumley died in 2009. Don Rich died in a motorcycle accident in 1974. At

1188-553: The group the next year to pursue a solo career, in which he released two Top 20 hit albums. He is honored in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and received a block in the walkway of stars at the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980. Holly died in 2007. Tom Brumley left the Buckaroos in 1969 to join Ricky Nelson 's band, where he was a member for over a decade. His performance on "Together Again" has been considered "one of

1232-480: The label. His albums had been out of print for nearly 15 years when he released a retrospective box set in 1990. Encouraged by brisk sales, Owens struck a distribution deal with Sundazed Records of New York, which specializes in reissuing obscure recordings. The bulk of his Capitol catalog was reissued on CD in 1995, 1997 and in 2005. Sometime in the 1970s, Owens had also purchased the remaining copies of his original LP albums from Capitol's distribution warehouses across

1276-631: The network's 20 Greatest Bands in 2005. He was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame . The stretch of US Highway 82 in Sherman, Texas, is named the Buck Owens Freeway in his honor. In November 2013, Buck Owens's posthumous autobiography Buck 'Em! The Autobiography of Buck Owens by Buck Owens with Randy Poe was released. The book has a foreword by Brad Paisley and a preface by Dwight Yoakam. In

1320-402: The ninth grade in order to help work on his father's farm and pursue a music career. In 1945, he co-hosted a radio show called Buck and Britt. Co-host Theryl Ray Britten and Owens also played at local bars, where owners usually allowed them and a third member of their band to pass the hat during a show and keep 10% of the take. They eventually became the resident musicians at a Phoenix bar called

1364-463: The original Buckaroos live in Omaha when he was 13 years old and dreamed of performing with Buck on Hee Haw. At age 19 he made his way to Nashville and 5 years later, he was performing in a rock cover group at a Nashville night club when Buck himself came to watch him at the urging of Hee Haw music director, Charlie McCoy, and Hee Haw staff band players, Leon Rhodes , and Tommy Williams. Buck hired Rick on

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1408-416: The popular CBS television variety show Hee Haw with Roy Clark (syndicated beginning in 1971). According to Owens' son Buddy Alan , the accidental 1974 death of Don Rich, his closest friend, devastated him for years and impacted his creative efforts until he mounted a comeback in the late 1980s. Owens is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame . Owens

1452-875: The pseudonym "Corky Jones" to prevent the recording of a rock 'n' roll tune from hurting his aspiring Country Music career, Owens recorded a rockabilly record called " Hot Dog " for the Pep label . Some time in the 1950s he lived with his second wife and children in Fife, Washington , where he sang with the Dusty Rhodes band. In 1958 Owens met Don Rich in Steve's Gay 90s Restaurant in South Tacoma, Washington . Owens had observed one of Rich's shows and immediately approached him about collaborating, after which Rich began playing fiddle with Owens at local venues. They were featured on

1496-455: The real joy and love, the real lightning and thunder is gone forever." Owens would never fully recover from the tragedy, either emotionally or professionally. Before the 1960s ended, Owens and manager Jack McFadden began to concentrate on Owens' financial future. He bought several radio stations, including KNIX (AM) (later KCWW) and KNIX-FM in Phoenix and KUZZ-FM in Bakersfield. During

1540-763: The second country music band to appear at Carnegie Hall in New York City . The recording of this performance, released as Carnegie Hall Concert , is considered one of the greatest live country music albums. They also recorded and released live albums from appearances in London , Norway , Australia , New Zealand , and Las Vegas . The Buckaroos also appeared on the Buck Owens Show. The Buckaroos recorded eight albums from 1967 to 1970, all of which were top sellers. They also earned numerous awards, including Grammys . They were nominated as "Band Of The Year" by

1584-806: The spot and invited him to the Hee Haw set the next day where his dream became a reality. Rick's first taping was the Hee Haw 10th Anniversary Show taped at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tn in October 1978. He was with the Buckaroos until leaving in 1981, following the band's nomination and win as "Touring Band of the Year" at the ACM Awards, to join the Epic Records vocal group Nightstreets, voted Billboard Magazine's Vocal Group of

1628-573: The time Rich was the only original member still with the Buckaroos and the band was struggling to find their way back at the top of the Country Music Charts. His death marked the end of the Buckaroos reign as the top Country Music band. Jerry Brightman left in 1975 and migrated into the business side with his involvement with WWVA Jamboree and Jamboree in the Hills . KSTW Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1672-432: The weekly BAR-K Jamboree on KTNT-TV 11 . In 1959, Owens' career took off when his song "Second Fiddle" hit No. 24 on the Billboard country chart. Soon after, " Under Your Spell Again " made it to No. 4 on the charts and Capitol Records wanted Owens to return to Bakersfield, California. Following their success, Owens tried unsuccessfully to convince Rich to accompany him to Bakersfield. Instead, Rich opted to go to become

1716-411: The years included JayDee Maness , Wayne "Moose" Stone, Jay McDonald, Ken Presley, and very early on, Merle Haggard . Haggard, who worked a short time with Owens in 1962, suggested the group's name. Fiddle player Jana Jae became the group's first female member after being invited onstage with Buck Owens to play " Orange Blossom Special ". Vocalist Victoria Hallman (a.k.a. Jesse Rose McQueen) toured with

1760-448: Was a smash hit and further cemented Buck Owens as a top country band. It achieved crossover success on to the pop charts, reinforced by R&B singer Ray Charles releasing cover versions of two of Owens' songs that became pop hits that year: " Crying Time " and " Together Again ". In 1967, Owens and the Buckaroos toured Japan, a then-rare occurrence for a country act. The subsequent live album, Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in Japan ,

1804-543: Was an early example of a country band recording outside the United States. Owens and the Buckaroos performed at the White House for President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, which was later released as a live album. Between 1968 and 1969, pedal steel guitar player Tom Brumley and drummer Willie Cantu left the band, replaced by JayDee Maness and Jerry Wiggins. Owens and the Buckaroos had two songs reach No. 1 on

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1848-641: Was born on a farm in Sherman, Texas , United States, to Alvis Edgar Owens Sr. and Maicie Azel (née Ellington) Owens. In the biography About Buck ., Rich Kienzle writes: "'Buck' was a donkey on the Owens farm." "When Alvis Jr. was three or four years old, he walked into the house and announced that his name also was "Buck." That was fine with the family, and the boy's name became "Buck" from then on." He attended public school for grades 1–3 in Garland, Texas . Owens' family moved to Mesa, Arizona , in 1937 during

1892-419: Was really flattered and thrilled to know that this legend had been keeping an eye on me. Owens also collaborated with Cledus T. Judd on the song "The First Redneck On The Internet" in 1998, in which Owens also appears in the music video. The 1990s saw a flood of reissues of Owens' Capitol recordings on compact disc, the publishing rights to which Owens had bought back in 1974 as part of his final contract with

1936-549: Was released in 1972. On July 17, 1974, Owens's best friend, the Buckaroos' guitarist Don Rich , was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a guard rail on Highway 1 in Morro Bay , where he was to have joined his family for vacation. Owens was devastated. "He was like a brother, a son and a best friend," he said in the late 1990s. "Something I never said before, maybe I couldn't, but I think my music life ended when he died. Oh yeah, I carried on and I existed, but

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