Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar "Buck" Owens, Jr.was an American musician, singer, songwriter and band leader who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band the Buckaroos. They pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound, a reference to Bakersfield, California, the city Owens called home and from which he drew inspiration for what he preferred to call American music...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCountry Singer
Date of Birth12 August 1929
CitySherman, TX
CountryUnited States of America
What a wonderful opportunity was presented to me to be able to make a living and pay my bills while I'm learning my trade.
I was in a zombie -like mode and I went through the motions up until January 1, 1980. And I knew I couldn't go through that anymore, so I called the guys together. I told 'em, "I'm gonna still play some dates, but I'm not gonna do anything near like I did it before.
I enjoyed the Hee Haw people, but from 1980 on I didn't enjoy it and thought about leavin', and thought, hell, it's an easy job and pays wonderful. I kinda just prostituted myself for their money.
We were sharecroppers - we were a little bit of everything. We farmed and tried to make something.
We used to get one room and we'd park the vehicle outside, everybody would all take showers and we'd steal towels because we knew we wasn't gonna have enough towels for all five of us to shower.
The last 16 years of my daddy's life, he got to work for me, and that made him his own boss and he like that.
And I said, 'Why not? It's the truth! Why can't I say I'm a Beatles fan?' I used to get criticized for that.
I'd like just to be remembered as a guy that came along and did his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready to do the job, wrote a few songs, and had a hell of a time.
You get up about 2-3 o'clock in the morning and get through about 7 or 8 and 12 hours later you start all over. That's the worst kind of work a person can do. You have to do these two shifts to get one day.
I never expected to record again. I knew I had done everything I ever wanted to do. I was satisfied. But... all the time I'm watching the country music horizon. And I'm sayin' 'Lord, is there anybody gonna come?'
You're three minutes away from being a really big star. If you find a great song, you're three minutes away from really getting on the right road and being successful.
This happens and suddenly everyone is fighting to get on a plane to get down there.
My mother and dad objected strenuously to me playing in the honky-tonks and they never thought I'd amount to anything.
I remember as a kid being cold a lot, and hungry sometimes. We'd go to bed with just cornbread and milk, and I remember wearing shoes with holes in the bottom. I remember having twine for shoestrings.