1960’s country music superstar Buck Owens was born on this day in 1929. Buck died in 2006 at the age of 76.  Buck Owens, along with Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash ruled the country music charts in the 1960’s.  During Buck’s career he had 21 #1 songs on the country chart. His peak years were from the early 1960’s until the early 1970’s

The decision to be the co-host of Hee Haw may have been a great decision financially for Buck but I think it hurt his image. People now think of Buck and Hee Haw. They tend to forget how great his music was. They called the sound of his music the “Bakersfield Sound” When I was a little kid the records I loved were those of Johnny Cash and  Buck Owens.  I loved Buck Owens so much that my grandparents would take me to the Wheeling Jamboree to see him when he came to town. The first song I can remember liking was Buck Owens “Tiger By The Tail”

Although joining Hee Haw was a bad decision for his image but what was the turning point was the death of Buckaroo guitarist and his best friend Don Rich in 1974 in a motorcycle accident. Buck would say it was never the same after that. Don Rich was a key to that Buck Owens sound. Buck’s was quoted in the 1990’s of saying about Don Rich and his death “Something I never said before, maybe I couldn’t, but I think my music life ended when he did. Oh yeah, I carried on and I existed, but the real joy and love, the real lightning and thunder is gone forever.”