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Topic: A Question About Buck Owens |
Glen Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 9:34 pm |
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| What kind of person was Buck Owens? It's just that I've read accounts about numerous personnel changes, a falling out with Merle Haggard, and an incident where he said something inflamatory to Roy Nichols which resulted in Nichols throwing a Telecaster at him. Was Owens quirky or difficult to work for? I don't want to taint the man's legacy, but I'm just wondering. |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 11:01 pm
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I grew up around Ventura & Kern County, about a generation after all cool stuff happened, but I did get to meet and play with a few from the day.
Most of them go on and on about Merle, Wynn, Tommy Collins, and many others. Then as soon as I would ask about Buck, they would clam, up or say some not so nice things, that included words that rhyme with Buck.
One songwriter friend, that I worked with, has a tele that Merle gave him(for co-writing a song with Merle), and goes on forever about how cool Merle is. Then he talks about how Freddie Hart recorded several of his songs (two of them on the "Easy Lovin'" album, and Buck stuck his name on both), and how great Freddie treated him.
Then when he gets to Buck, it's all about how Buck ripped him off on a publishing deal and what kind of back stabbing plagiarizing son-of-a-Buck he is.
Then there's the story of how Red Simpson chased Buck down Chester Ave, with a loaded gun, after hearing Buck on the radio doing a song Red wrote and never got credit for. Of course that may just be a myth, but it's been told to me by more than one person.
I think some of it comes from the fact that most musicians, in the "music business", consider themselves artist. Buck was always more on the business side of the "music business". I guess it worked for him, as he died a millionaire, while most of those that were around him are still poor.
_________________
http://www.oldbluesound.com/about.htm
http://www.facebook.com/cowboytwang
Last edited by Alvin Blaine on 2 Jul 2009 11:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Glen Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 11:21 pm
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| Well, I must say that I'm glad that I never got to be on the recieving end of Buck Owen's business persona, but I always have and always will admire the man's talent and first class showmanship. |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 10:12 am
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| I love Buck's music and his art of entertaining, but I'd heard of some pretty major hard ball business tactics. From a few folks who played around Tacoma in the mid-fifties I've been told if another band had a new singer or player who was drawing an audience Buck would go and offer the guy a big raise and hire him away from his competition and then fire hem after a couple of weeks just to mess with the other bands. From Merle's autobiography, he told how he'd got himself in trouble with gambling and went to Buck to borrow $15,000. Buck told him he couldn't do that unless he gave him the rights to Sing Me Back Home. Having no other options Merle agreed only to find out later that Buck had a check in his desk at the time for $20,000 that was Merle's royalty check for Sing Me Back Home. Merle was able later to sue and win the rights back. Buck would also book a name act in his club and not charge a cover any time Merle played in Bakersfield. Some grudges don't fade. |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 12:51 pm
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Gee, I hope this isn't gonna turn into a "lets bash Buck" thread.  Lets face it, Buck Owens was an excellent business man, that's why he was a millionaire when he died and others died broke. But he also didn't let his business expertise get in the way of his generosity. Buck was a people oriented individual who often times went out of his way to help foks and his community. Back in the 60's Buck used to help finance trips to sporting events for the wrestling team at Foothill High School where his kid went to school with my cousin. Most folks never heard about that. Another time after learning that the local Four H club was denied a spot in the local parade, Buck allowed them to use his float in the parade. He did a lot of charity stuff for the Heart Hospital, Cancer Society and other local charity's. Nobody gets a street named after them if all they did was cheat people. This can easily turn into "I heard this and that" about him but I'd like to hear more about his good deeds then about how he supposedly took evil advantage of a business opportunity. |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 1:06 pm
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Who cares anyway. I never met Buck, but I enjoyed his songs and singing. Unless I had some reason to deal with him personally, the rest of this stuff is just noise to me.
Buck did play a red, white, and blue guitar. That should make up for any wrongdoings he might have been guilty of. |
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Glen Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 4:28 pm
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| Andy Sandoval wrote: |
| Gee, I hope this isn't gonna turn into a "lets bash Buck" thread. Lets face it, Buck Owens was an excellent business man, that's why he was a millionaire when he died and others died broke. But he also didn't let his business expertise get in the way of his generosity. Buck was a people oriented individual who often times went out of his way to help foks and his community. Back in the 60's Buck used to help finance trips to sporting events for the wrestling team at Foothill High School where his kid went to school with my cousin. Most folks never heard about that. Another time after learning that the local Four H club was denied a spot in the local parade, Buck allowed them to use his float in the parade. He did a lot of charity stuff for the Heart Hospital, Cancer Society and other local charity's. Nobody gets a street named after them if all they did was cheat people. This can easily turn into "I heard this and that" about him but I'd like to hear more about his good deeds then about how he supposedly took evil advantage of a business opportunity. |
Yes, I agree. I know I started this thread wanting to know a few things, and I appreciate the replies, but I don't want it to get out of hand. I am still a fan, in spite of his human side.
Last edited by Glen Derksen on 3 Jul 2009 7:57 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Glen Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 4:57 pm
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[quote="Glen Derksen"]
| Andy Sandoval wrote: |
| Gee, I hope this isn't gonna turn into a "lets bash Buck" thread. Lets face it, Buck Owens was an excellent business man, that's why he was a millionaire when he died and others died broke. But he also didn't let his business expertise get in the way of his generosity. Buck was a people oriented individual who often times went out of his way to help foks and his community. Back in the 60's Buck used to help finance trips to sporting events for the wrestling team at Foothill High School where his kid went to school with my cousin. Most folks never heard about that. Another time after learning that the local Four H club was denied a spot in the local parade, Buck allowed them to use his float in the parade. He did a lot of charity stuff for the Heart Hospital, Cancer Society and other local charity's. Nobody gets a street named after them if all they did was cheat people. This can easily turn into "I heard this and that" about him but I'd like to hear more about his good deeds then about how he supposedly took evil advantage of a business opportunity. |
Yes, I agree. I know I started this thread wanting to know a few things and I appreciate the replies, but I don't want it to get out of hand. I am still a fan, in spite of his human side. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 8:22 pm
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I agree with Rick.Never met Buck,never even saw one of his shows,But I LOOOOVED his music,still do.To me he WAS the West coast sound,I perferred his clean,bare to the bone style to the over produced strings and things crap that was taking over in NV at the time. Got to be something good about a man playing a red,white,and blue guitar.DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 9:18 pm
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Charles,
Do you think we'll ever be important enough for people to raise hell about us after we're dead and gone? |
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Leann Sharp
From:
Nashville,Tennessee, USA
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 10:48 pm
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Not real sure the "Bonny Situation" ever sat that well with Buck...
Oh Well...
EJL |
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Larry King
From:
Watts, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 6:31 am
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If Semie Mosely were alive , he could write you a book about Red , White , and Blue guitars and broken contractual agreements , broken promises , broken handshake " I give you my word" type deals and the replication of his product by Pacific Rim builders and importers. Having said that , at one time I was a huge fan but.......
I had a personal conversation with one of the original players [Carnegie Hall band] and he had absolutely nothing good to say about him. I'll leave the judgements to others but those words above are the facts. |
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Mickey Lawson
From:
Cleveland, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 7:38 am Buck Owens
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Back in the 60's, Buck Owens had a 30-minute TV show. I usually watched it to watch Tom Brumley play steel guitar. After one of Buck's songs ended (Brumley sounded good to me), on camera he said angrily "why does old chrome-dome always play good on other's songs and foul-up on mine", talking about Tom Brumley. Couldn't understand his attitude, saw him once in Chattanooga and he put on a great show.
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Think it's Ralph Mooney playing on this cut:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/21/1369510/Under%20Your%20Spell%20Again.mp3
Last edited by Mickey Lawson on 4 Jul 2009 9:08 am; edited 1 time in total |
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LJ Eiffert
From:
California, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 8:54 am
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Well,just think how many shirt-Tail Could have been Musician-Artist-Songwriters got to eat off of my late friend " Buck Owens " & his family who supported them. Now some of his out-laws family still live off of his name. The real truth is " Buck Owens " was a true Busniess man Artist-Musician just like the late " Michael Jackson ". He only did and gave you what you wanted in your own agreement. This offspring topic is a run off from another topic of who's right and who's wrong. I sure wish the people who make up all these stories would look into the dark side of themself.We all have (dark side) them. We just don't have millions of bucks for others to steal.And this is the 4th of July.  RIP Buck,Bonnie,Cliffie,Keith,Elvis,Michael,Bill,Eddie,Joe,Jimmy,Gene and so many more who I miss & celebrate everyday. Leo J.Eiffert,Jr. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 9:36 am
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| Rick Campbell wrote: |
| ...Buck did play a red, white, and blue guitar. That should make up for any wrongdoings he might have been guilty of. |
"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
(Samuel Johnson, 7th April, 1775.)  |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 1:05 pm
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Hmmm, I did a thorough Forum search and can't find any of these comments that were made when Buck was alive.  Hey I know, lets start a Forum section for just bashing dead guys that aren't around to defend themselves.  |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 2:58 pm
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| Quote: |
| Hey I know, lets start a Forum section for just bashing dead guys that aren't around to defend themselves. |
There's an old saying..."You reap what you sow". There's really nothing wrong with being a money-grubber, if that's the path you want to walk. But still, you oughta realize, it's probably not the best way to make friends. |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 3:09 pm
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I'm not bashing Buck at all.
I don't mind passing on stories I've heard, and I heard them while he was alive.
I am, and will always be a BIG Buck Owens fan. The first show I ever went to was Buck Owens, the first record I ever bought was Buck Owens. The first fan club I ever joined was Buck Owens fan club. The last funeral I went to was Bucks. He has been the number one influence in my musical career, I own more Buck Owens LP's than any others, and I have spent over 40 years following him and his career.
I don't see any problem with pointing out a few of his human faults, when it comes to music business. We all have them and it's not a bad thing to talk about them, or try to fix them. I do doubt that he would have EVER come on this forum to defend himself.
At least I didn't post a link to the local Bakersfield paper that ran a story, on the weekend of his funeral, about him being a womanizer. That's his personal life, with nothing to do with the music business, so I don't go there.
_________________
http://www.oldbluesound.com/about.htm
http://www.facebook.com/cowboytwang |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 3:17 pm
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| Alvin, I agree. I am a huge Buck Owens fan and his music influenced me very much. What some people would call a shrewd business man others would call cut-throat. He took a big gamble and went into big debt to start his own promotion and produce his records. He made it pay off by doing it his way. For that, I have trmendous respect for him. |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 4:26 pm
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A band-mate met him at his club a few months before he did. Buck was cordial, but was way more interested in my band-mate's pretty girlfriend. Buck signed a guitar for my friend, then gave his girlfriend a big hug and said a few things pertaining to her beauty. My buddy got a big kick out of it.
When we play live, my band-mate tells the audience the story of how Buck Owens once said something to him he'll never forget: "Excuse me, son".....as he brushed past my friend and sidled up to his girlfriend. 
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 5:21 pm
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| Chris LeDrew wrote: |
When we play live, my band-mate tells the audience the story of how Buck Owens once said something to him he'll never forget: "Excuse me, son".....as he brushed past my friend and sidled up to his girlfriend. |
He might have said "Excuse Me, I Think I've Got A Hard**." |
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Glen Derksen
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 7:08 pm
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| Rick Campbell wrote: |
| Chris LeDrew wrote: |
When we play live, my band-mate tells the audience the story of how Buck Owens once said something to him he'll never forget: "Excuse me, son".....as he brushed past my friend and sidled up to his girlfriend. |
He might have said "Excuse Me, I Think I've Got A Hard**." |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 9:17 pm
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How bout posting things like this in the section b0b has generously provided for us called STORIES.
_________________
Scott Shipley Facebook |
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