Buck Owens 1929-2006

Buck Owens died today at the age of 76.

All of the wire service obituaries are leading by saying that Buck was the co-host of HEE HAW, but to me that sounds almost like marginalizing his importance to pop music.

Artists like the Byrds, Michael Nesmith, Gram Parsons and others were responsible for bringing elements of traditional country music into rock and roll. Conversely, Buck Owens was responsible for bringing elements of rock and roll into country. He bristled at the label "country," preferring to say that he played "American music." His best records (recorded in the early-mid 60s for Capitol!) fused the hard rhythmic, drums-and-guitar based sound of rock and roll with the swing and twang of country. Little wonder that the Beatles could cover his "Act Naturally" and make it sound at home in their repertoire; on tracks like "Gonna Have Love" and "I Don't Care" Buck had his own version of Liverpool going on.

The best boxed set I own is Rhino's 3-CD BUCK OWENS COLLECTION; the first two discs are, track for track, the best primer anyone could ask for in Why Buck Owens Mattered: just one great hard-driving, honky-tonk jukebox hit after another.

Favorite Buck Owens tracks (recommended downloads, if you please):
"I Don't Care"
"Hello Trouble"
"I Wouldn't Live In New York City If They Gave Me The Whole Danged Town"
"A-11"
"How Long Will My Baby Be Gone"
"Close Up The Honky Tonks"
"Second Fiddle"
"Before You Go"
and an obscure track from an album called ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR BUCK OWENS AND THE BUCKAROOS: "He Don't Deserve You Anymore."

Rest in peace, Buck.

I'll do a Buck Owens tribute on my rahdio show Monday (8-9 am EST) so listen if you can!