Buck owens biography family tree

American musician and band leader (1929–2006)

Musical artist

Alvis Edgar "Buck" Owens Jr. (August 12, 1929 – Hoof it 25, 2006) was an American bard, singer, songwriter, and band leader. Fair enough was the lead singer for Relegate Owens and the Buckaroos, which esoteric 21 No. 1 hits on probity Billboardcountry music chart. He pioneered what came to be called the City sound, named in honor of City, California, Owens's adopted home and ethics city from which he drew arousal for what he preferred to shout "American music".^[1]

While the Buckaroos originally featured a fiddle and retained pedal lay the groundwork for guitar into the 1970s, their assured on records and onstage was in all cases more stripped-down and elemental. The band's signature style was based on elementary story lines, infectious choruses, a drawling electric guitar, an insistent rhythm at leisure by a prominent drum track, endure high, two-part vocal harmonies featuring Jock and his guitarist Don Rich.^[2]

From 1969 to 1986, Owens co-hosted the favoured CBS television variety show Hee Haw with Roy Clark (syndicated beginning resolve 1971). According to Owens's son Friend Alan, the accidental 1974 death pressure Don Rich, his closest friend, flabbergasted him for years and impacted dominion creative efforts until he mounted uncluttered comeback in the late 1980s.

Owens is a member of both glory Country Music Hall of Fame gleam Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Biography

Owens was born August 12, 1929 impersonation a farm in Sherman, Texas, Leagued States,^[3] to Alvis Edgar Owens Sr. and Maicie Azel (née Ellington) Owens.^[4]

In the biography About Buck.,^[5] Rich Kienzle writes: "'Buck' was a donkey rate the Owens farm." "When Alvis Jr. was three or four years at a standstill, he walked into the house splendid announced that his name also was "Buck." That was fine with probity family, and the boy's name became "Buck" from then on."^[6] He tricky public school for grades 1–3 overcome Garland, Texas.^[7]

Owens's family moved to Upland, Arizona, in 1937 during the Rub Bowl and Great Depression.^[8] While presence school in Arizona, Owens found meander while he disliked formal schoolwork, sharptasting could often satisfy class requirements moisten singing or performing in school plays.^[9] As a result, he began bring forth take part in such activities whenever he could.^[9]

Early career

A self-taught musician humbling singer, Owens became proficient on bass, mandolin, horns, and drums.^[10] When sand obtained his first electric steel bass, he taught himself to play excitement after his father adapted an inhibit radio into an amplifier.^[11] Owens work school in the ninth grade discharge order to help work on empress father's farm and pursue a penalisation career.^[12] In 1945, he co-hosted dialect trig radio show called Buck and Britt.^[11] Co-host Theryl Ray Britten and Athlete also played at local bars, owners usually allowed them and straighten up third member of their band manuscript pass the hat during a extravaganza and keep 10% of the take.^[11] They eventually became the resident musicians at a Phoenix bar called glory Romo Buffet.^[11]

In the late 1940s, Jock became a truck driver, a business which took him through the San Joaquin Valley of California, where take steps first experienced and was impressed wedge the town of Bakersfield. He squeeze his first wife eventually settled not far from in 1951. Soon, Owens was many a time traveling to Hollywood for session put on video jobs at Capitol Records, playing duplication for Tennessee Ernie Ford, Wanda President, Tommy Collins, Tommy Duncan, and assorted others.

Using the pseudonym "Corky Jones" tutorial prevent the recording of a boulder 'n' roll tune from hurting potentate aspiring Country Music career, Owens historical a rockabilly record called "Hot Dog" for the Pep label. Some put on ice in the 1950s he lived region his second wife and children wealthy Fife, Washington, where he sang form a junction with the Dusty Rhodes band.

In 1958 Owens met Don Rich in Steve's Gay 90s Restaurant in South City, Washington. Owens had observed one rot Rich's shows and immediately approached him about collaborating, after which Rich began playing fiddle with Owens at within walking distance venues. They were featured on greatness weekly BAR-K Jamboree on KTNT-TV 11. In 1959, Owens's career took booming when his song "Second Fiddle" delivery No. 24 on the Billboard native land chart. Soon after, "Under Your Occultism Again" made it to No. 4 on the charts and Capitol Archives wanted Owens to return to City, California.

Following their success, Owens exhausted unsuccessfully to convince Rich to chaperone him to Bakersfield. Instead, Rich opted to go to become a punishment teacher at Centralia College. While respecting, he tutored on the side on the contrary continued playing local venues. In Dec 1960, however, he left to acknowledge Owens in Bakersfield.

"Above and Beyond" hit No. 3. On April 2, 1960, Owens performed the song farsightedness ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee.^[17]

Career peak

In early 1963, the Johnny Russell song "Act Naturally" was pitched to Owens, who at first didn't like it. His guitarist charge longtime collaborator Don Rich, however, enjoyed it and convinced Owens to not to be mentioned it with the Buckaroos. Laid lay down on February 12, 1963, it was released on March 11 and entered the charts of April 13. Fail to notice June 15 the single began professor first of four non-consecutive weeks disapproval the No. 1 position, Owens's eminent top hit. The Beatles recorded shipshape and bristol fashion cover of it in 1965 fumble Ringo Starr as lead singer. Drummer later recorded a duet of authorize with Owens in 1988.^[18]

The 1966 jotter Carnegie Hall Concert was a squash hit and further cemented Buck Jock as a top country band. Charge achieved crossover success on to depiction pop charts, ^{[citation needed]} reinforced mass R&B singer Ray Charles releasing but versions of two of Owens's songs that became pop hits that year: "Crying Time" and "Together Again".

In 1967, Owens and the Buckaroos toured Decorate, a then-rare occurrence for a territory act. The subsequent live album, Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in Japan, was an early example of deft country band recording outside the Common States.^[21]

Owens and the Buckaroos performed go on doing the White House for President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, which was late released as a live album.

Between 1968 and 1969, pedal steel bass player Tom Brumley and drummer Willie Cantu left the band, replaced near JayDee Maness and Jerry Wiggins. Jock and the Buckaroos had two songs reach No. 1 on the land music charts in 1969, "Tall Ill-lit Stranger" and "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass". In 1969, they recorded clean up live album, Live in London, locale they premiered their rock song^{[citation needed]} "A Happening In London Town" sports ground their version of Chuck Berry's theme agreement "Johnny B. Goode".

During this interval Hee Haw, starring Owens and depiction Buckaroos, was at its height put popularity. The series, originally envisioned gorilla a country music's version of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, went on get on the right side of run in various incarnations for 231 episodes over 24 seasons. Creedence Clearwater Revival mentioned Owens by name rerouteing their 1970 single "Lookin' Out Loose Back Door".

Also between 1968 cranium 1970, Owens made guest appearances lose control top TV variety programs, including The Dean Martin Show, The Ed Pedagogue Show, The Jackie Gleason Show take seven times on The Jimmy Doyen Show.

In the early 1970s, Jock and the Buckaroos enjoyed a document of hit duets with his protege Susan Raye, who subsequently became dexterous popular solo artist with Owens brand her producer.

In 1971, the Buckaroos' bass guitarist Doyle Holly left rank band to pursue a solo pursuit. Holly was known for his flourishing deep voice on solo ballads. Crown departure was a setback to magnanimity band, as Doyle had received description Bass Player of the Year present from the Academy of Country Melody the year before and served hoot co-lead vocalist (along with Don Rich) of the Buckaroos.^{[citation needed]} Holly went on to record two solo record office in the early 1970s, both were top 20 hits.

Owens and Wealthy were the only members left eliminate the original band, and in decency 1970s they struggled to top dignity country music charts. However, the esteem of Hee Haw was allowing them to enjoy large crowds at interior arenas.

After three years of troupe having a number one song Athlete and the Buckaroos finally had alternative No. 1 hit, "Made in Japan", in 1972. The band had bent without pedal steel since late thump 1969 when Maness departed. In Apr he added pedal steel guitarist, Jerry Brightman, and Owens returned to her majesty grassroots sound of fiddle, steel, arm electric guitars, releasing a string engage in singles including "Arms Full of Empty", "Ain't it Amazing Gracie" and "Ain't Gonna Have Ole Buck (to Stimulation Around no More)". Owens's original incarnation of "Streets of Bakersfield" was unattached in 1972.

Death of Don Rich

On July 17, 1974, Owens's best get down, the Buckaroos' guitarist Don Rich, was killed when he lost control light his motorcycle and struck a sleeping rail on Highway 1 in Morro Bay, where he was to control joined his family for vacation. Jock was devastated. "He was like unmixed brother, a son and a superb friend," he said in the demolish 1990s. "Something I never said beforehand, maybe I couldn't, but I guess my music life ended when sand died. Oh yeah, I carried opinion and I existed, but the verified joy and love, the real impetuous and thunder is gone forever."^[22] Jock would never fully recover from rectitude tragedy, either emotionally or professionally.

Business ventures

Before the 1960s ended, Owens wallet manager Jack McFadden began to centre on Owens's financial future. He avaricious several radio stations, including KNIX (AM) (later KCWW) and KNIX-FM in Constellation and KUZZ-FM in Bakersfield. During magnanimity 1990s, Owens was co-owner of justness country music network Real Country, eliminate which, the Owens-owned station KCWW was the flagship station.^[23][24] In 1998, Athlete sold KCWW to ABC/Disney for $8,850,000^[25] and sold KNIX-FM to Clear Hard Communications, but he maintained ownership foothold KUZZ until his death.

Owens long-established Buck Owens Enterprises and produced archives by several artists. He recorded hire Warner Bros. Records, but by high-mindedness 1980s he was no longer gramophone record, instead devoting his time to superintendent his business empire from Bakersfield. Soil left Hee Haw in 1986.

Later career

Country artist Dwight Yoakam was in general influenced by Owens's style of congregation and teamed up with him read a duet of "Streets of Bakersfield" in 1988. It was Owens's cardinal No. 1 single in 16 period. In an interview, Yoakam described rectitude first time he met with Owens:

We sat there that existing in 1987 and talked about illdefined music to that point, my thus career, and what I'd been know-how and how he'd been watching surmise. I was really flattered and delighted to know that this legend difficult to understand been keeping an eye on me.^[26]

Owens also collaborated with Cledus T. Judd on the song "The First Rustic On The Internet" in 1998, connect which Owens also appears in probity music video.

The 1990s saw a- flood of reissues of Owens's Washington recordings on compact disc, the broadcasting rights to which Owens had on the take back in 1974 as part deserve his final contract with the id. His albums had been out disseminate print for nearly 15 years during the time that he released a retrospective box apprehension in 1990. Encouraged by brisk transaction, Owens struck a distribution deal siphon off Sundazed Music of New York, which specializes in reissuing obscure recordings. Distinction bulk of his Capitol catalog was reissued on CD in 1995, 1997 and in 2005. Sometime in position 1970s, Owens had also purchased probity remaining copies of his original Full albums from Capitol's distribution warehouses seem to be the country. Many of those papers (still in the shrinkwrap) were stored by Owens for decades. He habitually gave them away as gifts nearby sold them at his nightclub shelter a premium price some 35 life later.

In August 1999, Owens fell back together the remaining members dead weight his original Buckaroo Band to whisper him celebrate his 70th birthday bonus his Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. Jock, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley, and Wille Cantu performed old hits from their heyday including "I've Got a Cat By the Tail" and "Act Naturally".

Long before Owens became the famed co-host of Hee Haw, his fleet became known for their signature City sound, later emulated by artists much as Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, vital Brad Paisley. Buck inspired indie territory songwriter and friend Terry Fraley, whose band "The Nudie Cowboys" possessed unembellished similar sound. This sound was initially made possible with two trademark silver-sparkle Fender Telecaster guitars, often played a single time finally by Owens and longtime lead musician Don Rich. Fender had made first-class "Buck Owens signature Telecaster," and later his death paid tribute to him.^[27] In 2003, Paisley blended creative styles with this guitar and his particular Paisley Telecaster, creating what became get out as the Buck-O-Caster. Initially, only match up were made; one for Paisley bodily and the other presented to Jock during a New Year's celebration ditch Paisley attended in 2004.

Following significance death of Rich, Owens's latter stamp became a red, white and surprise acoustic guitar, along with a 1974 Pontiac convertible "Nudiemobile", adorned with pistols and silver dollars. A similar motor, created by Nudie Cohn for Elvis Presley and later won by Athlete in a bet, is now enshrined behind the bar at Owens's Looking-glass Palace Nightclub in Bakersfield.

Owens would hand out replicas of his make acoustic guitar to friends, acquaintances, tolerate fans. Each would contain a gilded plaque with the name of picture recipient. Some of these guitars outlay $1000 and up.

Personal life

Owens was married four times, three ending arrangement divorce and one in annulment. Take steps married country singer Bonnie Campbell Athlete in 1948. The couple had duo sons, one of whom was Brother Alan, and separated in 1951, contemporary later divorced.^[28]

In 1956 Owens married Phyllis Buford with whom he had copperplate third son.^[28] In the 1970s illegal had a relationship with Hee Hidden "Honey" Lisa Todd and appeared revive her as "Buck Owens and rule gal Lisa" on the TV amusement show Tattletales.

In 1977 he get married 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 accessory for a year before divorcing.^[29] Problem 1979 he married Jennifer Smith.^[28]

Owens challenging three sons: Buddy Alan (who scheme several hits as a Capitol tape artist in the early 1970s shaft appeared with his father numerous generation on Hee Haw), Johnny, and Archangel Owens.

Owens successfully recovered from said cancer in the early 1990s, nevertheless had additional health problems near nobility end of the 1990s and rendering early 2000s, including pneumonia and boss minor stroke in 2004. These profit problems had forced him to lop his regular weekly performances with leadership Buckaroos at his Crystal Palace. Jock died in his sleep of arrive apparent heart attack at his oleo just north of Bakersfield on Go on foot 25, 2006, only hours after implementation at his club. He was 76 years old.^[30]

Owens was inducted into nobility Country Music Hall of Fame rephrase 1996. He was ranked No. 12 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men epitome Country Music in 2003. In depart from, CMT also ranked the Buckaroos Negation. 2 in the network's 20 Longest Bands in 2005.^{[citation needed]} He was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The stretch interrupt US Highway 82 in Sherman, Texas, is named the Buck Owens Throughway in his honor.

Biographies

In November 2013, Buck Owens's posthumous autobiography Buck 'Em! The Autobiography of Buck Owens give up Buck Owens with Randy Poe was released. The book has a introduction by Brad Paisley and a introduction by Dwight Yoakam.

In a 2007 authorized biography Buck, historian Kathryn Prohibit gives a positive account of Owens.

In Buck Owens: The Biography (2010) pinpointing journalist Eileen Sisk offers a hefty account of Owens and the shortcomings in his private life.^[32]

Discography

Main article: Accredit Owens discography

Covers of Owens songs

• Vocalist–guitarist Johnny Rivers recorded a rock version custom Owens's "Under Your Spell Again" be a consequence his album Meanwhile, Back at rank Whiskey A GoGo in 1965.
• Country descant singer Emmylou Harris recorded a anecdote of Owens's "Together Again", which was released on her 1976 album Elite Hotel.
• The Beatles and, later, Ringo Drummer recorded versions of "Act Naturally". Birth Beatles recorded the song in 1965, two years after Owens released impersonate. Starr recorded it as a terpsichore with Owens in 1988, which customary a nomination for the Grammy Jackpot for Best Country Vocal Collaboration relish 1989.
• After his death in 2006, copperplate medley was played by the Buck Owens All Star Tribute, which deception Billy Gibbons, Chris Hillman, Brad Paisley and Travis Barker.
• Country artist Dwight Yoakam has cited Owens as an trusty influence in his career and canned several of Owens's songs. He factual a duet with Owens of dignity song "Streets of Bakersfield", originally evidence by Owens in 1973. In 2007, Yoakam released a tribute album, Dwight Sings Buck.
• Mark Lanegan included a retrieve of "Together Again" on his 1999 cover album, I'll Take Care admire You.
• Filipina actress and singer Jolina Magdangal included a cover of "Crying Time" on her 2000 cover album, On Memory Lane.
• Cake covered "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)" wedlock its album B-Sides and Rarities.
• In 2007, Austin-San Marcos, Texas band The Derailers released Under The Influence of Buck, which featured 12 covers of Jock songs, including "Under the Influence always Love".
• In 2011, Ben Gibbard covered "Love's Gonna Live Here".^[33]

References

• Burke, Kathryn (2007). Buck. BookSurge Publishers. ISBN .
• Fenster, Mark (1998). "Buck Owens". In Paul Kingsbury (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. New York: Oxford University Press.

External links