Buck Owens

Buck Owens – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and legacy of Buck Owens (1929–2006), the pioneering country musician who crafted the Bakersfield sound, co-hosted Hee Haw, and left behind timeless songs and sayings.

Introduction

Buck Owens remains one of country music’s most influential figures. Born Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. in 1929, he rose from humble beginnings to become the leading voice of a more raw, electric, honky-tonk country style known as the Bakersfield sound—a counterpoint to the polished Nashville approach.

With more than 20 No. 1 hits, a long run as co-host of the popular TV show Hee Haw, and a reputation as both a stalwart traditionalist and an innovator, Owens’s life story is rich in musical triumph, personal struggle, and enduring influence.

In this article, we dive deeply into the life, music, and legacy of Buck Owens—his upbringing, his peak years, his contributions to country music, and the wisdom he left behind.

Early Life and Family

Buck Owens was born August 12, 1929 in Sherman, Texas, to Alvis Edgar Owens Sr. and Maicie Azel (née Ellington).

One oft-repeated anecdote explains how he came to be called “Buck”: the Owens family had a mule or donkey named Buck, and when young Alvis Jr., at age 3 or 4, declared his name was “Buck,” the family reportedly accepted it.

In 1937, when Buck was still a child, the Owens family relocated to Mesa, Arizona. This move was partly triggered by economic hardships during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, as many farming families sought relief farther west.

Growing up in Arizona, Buck showed an early disinterest in formal schooling and gravitated toward performance—singing in school plays, joining local radio programs, and teaching himself various instruments.

His formal schooling ended in the ninth grade, as he left school to help support the family and chase a musical career.

Youth and Education

Though his schooling was brief, Buck immersed himself in the sounds he heard around him—western swing, cowboy tunes, radio broadcasts from Mexican border stations, and early rhythm & blues.

By his mid teens, he had learned to play the mandolin, guitar, and horn instruments, largely self-taught.

While he lacked formal education, Buck’s schooling in life—through performances, observing other musicians, and frequent gigging—became his real training ground.

Career and Achievements

Beginnings and Breakthrough

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Owens worked as a truck driver to get by, eventually making his way into musical circles across California’s Central Valley and in Los Angeles, doing session work and playing live in bars and honky-tonks.

In 1951, he settled more permanently in Bakersfield, California, a fertile ground for country music and away from the Nashville establishment.

Early singles such as “Second Fiddle” and “Under Your Spell Again” gave him traction on the country charts.

His breakthrough came in 1963 with “Act Naturally,” a song that reached No. 1 on the country chart. Interestingly, The Beatles (with Ringo Starr) later covered it.

From the early 1960s onward, Owens and his backing band The Buckaroos delivered a string of hits. The duo of Buck Owens & The Buckaroos recorded over 20 No. 1 hits on country charts.

The Bakersfield Sound

Buck Owens is credited as one of the pioneers of the Bakersfield sound—a raw, electric, energetic take on country, often with twangy Telecaster guitars, strong backbeat drums, minimal adornment, and straightforward storytelling.

This style stood in contrast to the smoother, more orchestral “Nashville sound” of the era. Owens’s approach preserved the spirit of honky-tonk but amplified it with rock’s energy.

His band’s signature tight harmonies, prominent drum rhythms, and the interplay between Owens and guitarist/fiddler Don Rich became defining features.

Television and Popular Culture

In 1969, Buck Owens became co-host (with Roy Clark) of the country variety television show Hee Haw, which combined musical performances with rural humor sketches. The show ran for many years and introduced him to a broader mainstream audience.

The show ran (in various forms) for 24 seasons and appeared in syndication in many U.S. households.

Tragedy and Decline

In July 1974, tragedy struck: Don Rich, Buck’s friend, guitarist, and right-hand man in The Buckaroos, died in a motorcycle accident. This event had a profound impact on Owens both personally and musically. Owens later lamented that “my music life ended when he died.”

After Rich's death, Buck struggled to maintain the spark and success he once had. His later albums did not reach the same heights, and he gradually shifted focus toward his business interests.

By 1979, he largely ceased active touring, although he remained connected to music and television.

Comeback & Later Years

In 1988, Buck collaborated with Dwight Yoakam, a younger country artist heavily inspired by the Bakersfield sound, on a revived version of “Streets of Bakersfield.” This duet became Owens’s first No. 1 hit in 16 years, reigniting interest in his music.

He also recorded with Ringo Starr, re-imagining “Act Naturally” as a duet, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Owens oversaw reissues of his catalog, managed business ventures, and performed at his own venue in Bakersfield.

In 1996, he opened Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace—a combination music hall, restaurant, and museum, dedicated to his life and to the Bakersfield music tradition.

Owens remained active there until near the end of his life.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Country Music in Transition: In the 1950s and 1960s, Nashville’s “countrypolitan” sound grew increasingly lush—with orchestration and pop sensibilities. Buck Owens championed a more stripped, rootsy alternative.

• Cross-genre Reception: Owens’s hits crossed genre boundaries. Ray Charles covered “Crying Time” and “Together Again,” bringing Owens’s songwriting to broader audiences.

• International Reach: In 1967, Owens and the Buckaroos toured Japan—one of the first country acts to record a live album outside the U.S.

• Television Influence: Hee Haw helped country music reach farm and small-town television audiences nationwide, cementing Owens’s role as a cultural icon.

• Business & Media Ventures: Beyond music, Buck invested in radio stations, publishing, and other enterprises—securing financial stability and control over his catalog.

Legacy and Influence

Buck Owens’s impact on country music endures in multiple ways:

• Inspiration for later artists: Dwight Yoakam, Brad Paisley, and others have cited Owens as a central influence.

• Preservation of the Bakersfield sound: The style is still celebrated in Americana and alternative country circles.

• Institutional honors: Owens was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

• Cultural memory: The Crystal Palace remains a symbol of his life and legacy and a site of homage to country music history.

• Ongoing Reissues & Tributes: His recordings continue to be reissued; tribute concerts and covers keep his voice alive.

Though he passed away on March 25, 2006, his songs, style, and spirit continue to resonate with musicians and fans alike.

Personality and Talents

Buck Owens was known for a mix of humility, tenacity, and a no-nonsense approach to music. He preferred the term “American music” over labeling what he did as “country.”

A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he mastered guitar, mandolin, horns, drums, and more—always seeking a sound that moved listeners.

Despite his success, Owens faced personal challenges—multiple marriages (some ending in divorce or annulment), health battles (including oral cancer in the early 1990s), and deep grief over Don Rich’s early death.

Yet his resilience, dedication to roots, and grounding in musical craft carried him through decades in a changing industry.

Famous Quotes of Buck Owens

Here are some of his enduring remarks and lyrics—wisdom born from both music and life:

“If it’s country, I want it honky-tonk.” “Something I never said before … but I think my music life ended when Don died.” “I always wanted to hear music drive with a lot of beat. If I’d wanted to go to sleep, I’d have taken a nap.”

Beyond quotes, his songs themselves contain memorable lines. Some favorites include:

• “Together Again”

• “I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail”

• “Love’s Gonna Live Here”

• “Streets of Bakersfield”

• “Act Naturally”
  These songs contain lyrical reflections on love, longing, heartache, and pride—resonant themes that remain relevant today.

Lessons from Buck Owens

1. Stay true to your voice. Owens resisted industry trends and built an identity rooted in sincerity and energy.

2. Innovation within tradition. He didn’t abandon country roots; he reinvented how they could sound.

3. Resilience matters. After loss and decline, he managed a comeback and left control of his music legacy in his hands.

4. Invest beyond performance. His business ventures—radio stations, publishing, his own venue—helped secure his creative freedom.

5. Legacy is built, not given. He cared for the preservation of his work through reissues, museums, and sharing the story of Bakersfield music.

Conclusion

Buck Owens’s life story is one of grit, musical integrity, and creative vision. From fields to stages, from Bakersfield bars to national television, he reshaped country music by bridging raw energy and honest songwriting. His signature “Bakersfield sound” stood defiant against polish when country leaned sweeter; it brought back swagger, electric guitars, and heartland drive.

His influence lives on—in the artists he inspired, the songs still sung, and the club he built, the Crystal Palace. As long as country music is about storytelling, emotion, and rhythm, Buck Owens’s imprint remains unmistakable.

If you’d like to explore his full discography, dive into specific albums or eras, or see how he compares with contemporaries like Merle Haggard or Dwight Yoakam, I’d be glad to dig deeper with you.