Benefit for Buck Wayne Johnston

cathi parson · From: Glendora, CA, USA

There will be a Benefit Jam for Buck Wayne Johnston on Sunday, December 9 at the Chula Vista, CA. VFW. Corner of 3rd and I Street. 2-8pm. Buck has 65 years in the music business as a musician, radio announcer, band leader. Buck played with Smokey Rogers at the Bostonian Ballroom for many years and then formed Buck Wayne and the Buckshots. In 1975 he battled throat cancer and survived. Sadly, the cancer recently returned and his health is rapidly declining. The benefit will raise funds for medical costs. Raffles, Door Prizes. No Cover. Contributions are welcome if you cannot attend but would like to help. Notify me via email if you need further info. Thanks so much.

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

I'm sure lots of you have never heard of "Buck" Wayne Johnston. He is a REAL American hero who's life truely shows the greatness of our country and it's people. In this time especially his story needs to be told more than ever so we remember people like Buck and a place of real honor is set for this man.
Buck was playing lap steel in G and flying in open cockpit planes as a 13 year old kid. Then he went on to be a great pilot in WW2. With the skill of seasoned pilot and the cockiness of a 21 year old. He was shot down over Berlin flying a B-17 and became a POW for a few months before the war ended. He told me this story: He and other POWs were on a Train headed for France. Men in all conditions, some very bad off. They were piping music thru the box cars. All of a sudden out came Cindy Walker's gem, Miss Molly by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Buck went on to describe the scene that filled his particular car. Men clinging to life were joyous, and everyone had a spring in their step! They all knew at that point that they would make it home! It took Buck a year to get back to West Texas and his sweet heart who had been told he was MIA had married another. More than 50 years later the 2 would meet again, at a Western Swing dance! He took his GI bill and went to college to learn the Broadcasting business. He put together his own band and fronted Lindsay Smith's group in ElPaso that included, Don Decker and Leon Boulanger. He was appearing on radio and was among the earliest of Texas TV performers, Sam Donaldson used to intro "Wayne Johnston's Rhythm Ranch, brought to you by Boyle-Midway!" His Pals were Floyd Tillman, Cliff Bruner, Cameron Hill and Al Dexter. Hank Williams once flew out to El Paso just to do Wayne's show. The stories from those days go on like a great book. All his AD copy was unwritten,and boy he could sell. He's one the last of the great Border Radio "Pitchmen" He became very popular in El Paso on KROD with "The Bluebonnet Playboys". In the late 50's he moved to San Diego hooked up with Smokey Rogers and worked on Smokey's Radio station and in his band. He went on to become a popular band leader in the San Diego/ El Cajon area with the "Buckshots". He's been battling throat cancer and as is true to his nature he's kicking the sawdust out of it. His recordings are available from his own Arsenal Productions. He has tapes of War Stories and some Western Fiction as well as great Western Swing tapes and an interview with Bob Wills.
He still fronts a band with the Fender 1000 he got at the Fender plant, after a drunk gal tipped over his Custom and it busted! No pedals, standing up, just like HIS hero, Leon McAulliff. His band has the cream of the San Diego Western Swing scene, Tom Turman on electric guitar, Gary Webber on bass, Rod Rodriguez on sax, Wally Young on Rhythm guitar and vocal, The Rogers Twins (West Texas stars in their own right) Boyd on Drums and vocals and Bernie on Fiddle, guitar and vocal.
I don't usually carry on like I'm Jody Carver (Hey Piasan

but Buck is a great friend and mentor, his story really could be a book and he's a true American Original!

[This message was edited by Mike Black on 15 November 2001 at 11:30 AM.]

[This message was edited by Mike Black on 06 December 2001 at 07:26 PM.]

cathi parson · From: Glendora, CA, USA

Mike. That's a fantastic biography. I had written a little something in the way of a tribute to him, but it's nothing as historically correct, concise and interesting as yours. May I have your permission to print it in our newsletter for December with your byline? It would be much appreciated. Thanks, Cathi Parson, So. Calif. Western Swing Music Society

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

Cathi, Email me and I'll write something better, anything for my old pal. How about I offer one of my hand built standard guitars for a raffle? Gary Howe's got 2 of them let me check with him.
Buck has 3 (maybe 4) tapes for sale. 1 is and interview with Bob Wills circa 1967 with the remainder of the tape being his music through the years, 1 is War stories and 1 Fiction, written and narrated by Ol' Buck.
Arsenal Productions
PO Box 1386
Alpine, CA 91903

cathi parson · From: Glendora, CA, USA

Mike, I don't have you're email address. I think donating one of your guitars would be so generous. Should you decide it's possible, let me know by contacting me through me email wswing4ever@aol.com so I can give you Lyn's phone number off the forum. I think what you wrote on the forum is just great and it fits into the existing space that replaced my attempt at a tribute. Buck was kind enough to give me his interview tape with Bob Wills and another one with western stories. What a marvelous voice he had. Look forward to hearing from you. I emailed Thomsen to let him know. Please make sure he got the message. He thinks alot of Buck too. Thanks.

Dana Duplan · From: Ramona, CA

I plan on attending on Sunday. Any other Forumites going to be there? Maybe we could hook up.
DD

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 04:29 AM.]

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 04:29 AM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

I sent a link to this topic (with hightlights added to the email) to the Western Swing Newsgroup on the Yahoo list, that might generate a few more attendees with a bit of luck.

Regards

Jason

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

Gene, Sorry I just saw this post. Email me and I'll put you in touch with the Rogers Boys. What a great old clipping, what year? Did you work the Star Nightclub in Amarillo with them? Those guys, like most of the other real cats are first class all the way! Did you know Wayne too?
Not to get away from the subject but tell me, what was your equipment at that time?
Hey Jason, what can you dig up on Buck and the Rogers Twins (besides scandal and police reports LOL)

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

Gene, just jumped over to your web site. Benny Garcia playing a solid body? ( I built a solid body especially for him) What next Joe Settlemires giving Vince Gill guitar lessons? He actully did, and you think Vince can play? Where do you think he learned it? The first time I saw Joe I thought OK, another guy with a Tele gonna play Buck Owens licks at a Western Swing show. Shut me up and QUICK! I almost choked on the Crow! What a great player! He continues to blow me away when ever I see him.
Did you replace Vic Ashmead in Lindsay's band? Do these names ring a bell, Martin Thomas, Aubrey Caldwell or Ray Noren?
Ok I'm getting way away from the post.

[This message was edited by Mike Black on 06 December 2001 at 08:17 PM.]

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 04:30 AM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Mike, it's been a while, how's things at your end?
Hey, when it comes to Buck I think you've got it covered while I think Gene's the man for Rogers Twins info, I did ask Gene a few things about his early days, but he's already covered some of it here.

Merl Lindsay's band and Smokey Rogers... I have a fair amount of material there, nothing earth shattering, but I've been building up info on both bandleaders. And a special thanks to Gene for plenty of Merl info, although I might add I've swapped emails with a few Lindsay alumini.. if you like, email me and we can cover that without taking over this topic.

Perry Hansen · From: Bismarck, N.D.

Mike: Thanks for the info on Buck. I met Buck when he firstr got to San Diego. He probably don't remember me but I had the first band in the Westerner in National City.
Which I later turn over to Johnny Cox and later went to Paul Harper. I think it was Johnny who introduced me to Buck. That was in the late 50s. I also remember Tommy Turman. Smokey had Pedro DePaul with him at that time.

Please give my regards to Buck. I'll be praying for him.
Perry

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Hi Perry, good to see you on the Forum again, how have you been?

cathi parson · From: Glendora, CA, USA

Thanks to all of your many responses regarding Buck Wayne Johnston. Remember. If you'd like to contact him personally, you can email him at johnst2075@aol.com. As ill as he is, you can still find him online during the day. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. The benefit was a huge success and 1,000's of dollars were raised in an effort to help out Buck and his family. The VFW was SRO. They had to add on a couple of hours to accommodate all the pickers who wanted to get in on the tribute. Sadly, Buck couldn't attend because of an infection but you could feel his spirit. Buck's band of brothers; Tom Turman, Wally Young, Boyd and Bernie Rogers, and Gary Weber, aka The Buckshots played their hearts out despite the obvious void. Again, thanks for all the good memories and wishes.

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

Like Cathi said the Benefit was a success. A nice tribute to Buck. Lots of great pedal steel players in San Diego. Ray Mitchell on S-10 MSA, Al Cates, Dave Menafre Al Parret on a D10 Russler got the tone award. A KILLER lady Tele Player. I mean knocked out, playing a newer Thinline Tele with a Bigsby and working that stick like she knew how ;0. Bucks band conststed of Tom Turman playing a new D'Angelico, and the Rogers Twins, both swingin, Glynn Duncan,That's right Tommy's brother, sang a few tunes and did the ONLY Christmas song. Glynn sounds great you can hear Tommy in his voice when he does songs like "Walkin' in the Shadow of the Blues" Unfortunatly this was the only Western Swing band all day. The rest was C&W not my bag and topped off with THE worst sounding hall I've been in so far in my life.
I got to see Buck the next day and that was worth everything to me.He's hanging tough. He has a grand baby due soon and he wants to be around for it. I for one will miss him like family.
His tapes will be available soon John Volk is working his ash can off converting Bucks stuff to CD. I'll post somewhere when the recordings are available.

Dana Duplan · From: Ramona, CA

Hey Mike, didn't know you were there. It would have been great to meet you! We were hard to miss--Dressed vintage western--I had on a 40's shirt and mama had on a red vintage cowgirl outfit. Where were you lurking? Oh, and Cathi, we should have asked who you were--we had to short a time there, couldn't stick around to pick--I was scheduled to do a couple in the last set.
Dana

[This message was edited by Dana Duplan on 19 December 2001 at 08:41 PM.]

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

Dana, I saw the fancy duds. Can you picture back in the day, when the place was filled with H-C's and Millers. And for the folks with bucks, Sam Foreman's and Nudie's and Turks. Even the ties were more colorful. I was too busy buying tweed amps to even look at vintage western wear in the past but that's changed. Do you know Tom Sims? Does he still sell stuff? Iwore plain grey suit and Black hat. I was there with Jimmy Roy if you know him.
The building sounded terrible, what do you think? But some good pickers and it was a sucess.
I got to see Glynn Duncan again, I hadn't seen him in maybe 3 years, way too long. He's singing better than ever lately.

[This message was edited by Mike Black on 21 December 2001 at 11:15 AM.]

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