Buck Owens
bakersfield-soundtelecasterhonky-tonkhee-haw
Buck Owens (1929-2006) was the architect of the Bakersfield sound — a raw, electric, Telecaster-driven alternative to the polished Nashville sound of the 1960s. His music stripped country to its essentials: twanging electric guitars, a driving beat, and Owens' distinctive nasal tenor. He had 21 number-one country hits between 1963 and 1972, including Act Naturally (later covered by the Beatles), Together Again, Love's Gonna Live Here, and Tiger by the Tail. Don Rich, his lead guitarist, was one of the greatest Telecaster players in country history and integral to the Buckaroos' sound. Owens co-hosted Hee Haw from 1969 to 1986, becoming one of America's most recognizable television personalities. His influence on country music is enormous — Dwight Yoakam, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban all cite him as essential.
Subgenres
Classic Country
Listen
Key Albums
Buck Owens1961 ·
On the Bandstand1963 ·
Together Again / My Heart Skips a Beat1964 ·
I've Got a Tiger by the Tail1965 ·
Carnegie Hall Concert1966 ·
Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in Japan!1967 ·