Look up buck in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Buck may refer to:

People:

• Buck (surname)
• Buck (personal name)
• Michael Buckley (Internet celebrity)
• Buck Brannaman

Places:

• Buck, Pennsylvania, an Unincorporated community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
• Buck Hill Farm Covered Bridge, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
• Buck Hill Cone, British Columbia, Canada
• Buck Hill Falls, Pennsylvania
• Buck Township, Hardin County, Ohio
• Buck Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Fictional characters:

• Buck Rogers, a science fiction hero from the 1930s and 1970s
• Buck (dog), protagonist of The Call of the Wild
• Cameron "Buck" Williams, a character in the Left Behind novel series
• Buck, a main character in the video game 187 Ride or Die
• Buck Grangerford, a character from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Buck, the dog owned by the Bundy family on Married... with Children
• Buck, a hospital worker in the film Kill Bill
• Buck Cannon, a character in The High Chaparral
• Buck O'Brien, protagonist in the film Chuck & Buck
• Buck Cluck, the father in the 2005 film Chicken Little
• Buck Turgidson, a general in the film Dr. Strangelove, played by George C. Scott
• Buck Tuddrussel a main character from Cartoon Network´s show "Time Squad" voiced by Rob Paulsen
• Joe Buck, a character in the film Midnight Cowboy, played by Jon Voight
• Buck Russell, the title character in the 1989 film Uncle Buck, played by John Candy
• Buck, a weasel character from the movie Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, played by Simon Pegg
• Buck Mulligan, a character in James Joyce's novel Ulysses
• Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck, an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in Halo 3: ODST video game

Ships

• USS Buck, the name of more than one United States Navy ship

Films

• Buck (film), a 2011 documentary film

Other uses:

• Bucking, a movement by a horse when the animal kicks out with both hind legs
• Buck is a colloquialism for a dollar or similar currency in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Africa and the United States
• Bang for the buck, an idiom meaning the worth of one's money or exertion
• Male deer and goats are referred to as bucks (larger species of male deer such as elk or moose are called bulls)
• A Buck converter is an electronic circuit which performs DC to DC stepdown conversion
• A derogatory term (primarily 19th C) for an African American male, the female counterpart being Wench.
• A term used to describe the krump dance style.
• The body of a Post mill

See also[link]

• BUCK Magazine
• Bucks (disambiguation)
• Bucky (disambiguation)
• Buckley
• Buckley (disambiguation)
• Buckshot
• Buck Knives, an American knife manufacturer.

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Young Buck
Young Buck departs from LAX in 2010.
Background information
Born	(1981-03-15) March 15, 1981 (age 31) Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, songwriter, actor, producer
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Cash Money (1995-2000) UTP (2000-2003) G-Unit (2003-present) Ca$hville (2005-present)
Associated acts	Drumma Boy, Outlawz, C-Bo, 8Ball & MJG, 2 Chainz, All Star, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Triple C's, Savion Saddam, Charlie P
Website	therealyoungbuck.com

David Darnell Brown (born March 15, 1981^[1]), also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City hip hop group G-Unit and is still signed to G-Unit Records. He currently resides as president of his own record label, Ca$hville Records.

Early life[link]

Around the age of twelve he was making rap songs and rolling up blunts with dean mclees and kyle stewart . he was mostly found around the spruce way area , Brown began rapping because he was inspired by a Miami friend named Clay Cole. Jealous of his friend's talent, he wanted to beat him no matter what he had to give up. At the same time Clay Cole moved to Tallahassee, Fla., Brown began recording in a real studio. Shortly thereafter, he was given an opportunity to perform for Brian "Baby" Williams, co-founder of Cash Money Records. After several years on and off of Cash Money Records, Brown and fellow rapper Juvenile decided to leave the label for good in 2000^[2] and go to UTP Records, where Brown stayed until 2003.^[3] One of his early appearances was on the song "Memphis," where he was featured along with Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, and other southern rappers. His deal with UTP later led to a meeting with New York rapper 50 Cent, who later signed him to G-Unit Records, under Interscope Records.

Before his journey into the music industry Young Buck was a known hustler/drug dealer in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. His choices nearly cost him his life. While sleeping in his house one night in ____, armed robbers smashed their way inside. During the ensuing gun battle Young Buck was hit several times, but, instead of making his way to the hospital, the rapper and an armed associate drove around the streets searching for the assailants. The track 'Till I'm Dead and Gone' is a narrative from Young Buck on the incident.

On Saturday February 25, Young Buck and his entourage caused a disturbance at Cafe Coco in Nashville. According to eyewitnesses, Buck lashed out at the baristas by knocking cups and other items off the counter after they refused to allow him to the front of the line. Buck and his associates ran off before police could respond.

Music career[link]

Cash Money Records[link]

Young Buck would get his first major deal with dave mathewson atdaves records in 1995 when he was given an opportunity to perform to Brian "Baby" Williams, co-founder of Cash Money. Buck Soon after would tour with dean mclees and kyle stewart along with dave mathewson on the road and do several shows together. After several years on and off of Cash Money Records, David Brown and fellow rapper Juvenile decided to leave the label for good in 2000^[2] were he would join Juvenile's record label UTP Records and the rap group UTP Playas.

In late 2011 it was rumoured that Young Buck was close to resigning with Cash Money again but the deal crumbled when the Judge in Bucks bankruptcy case decided to switch the Nashville rappers case from a reorganization to a liquidation was frustrating the multi-platinum rapper's attempts to sign with Cash Money Records and end a contract dispute with G-Unit Records that has stifled his career since 2008. Judge George C. Paine II signed an order converting the case from Chapter 11 reorganization to Chapter 7 liquidation on Wednesday December 21, 2011 and Buck, whose real name is David Darnell Brown, stood to lose more than his shirt. The trustee administering his estate has said she plans to sell the trademarked "Young Buck" moniker itself along with other assets.^[4] However on January 9, 2012 Cash Money Records CEO Birdman stepped forward to address the rumors and speculation suggesting Memphis rapper Young Buck and West Coast hip-hop artist Lil B are on the verge of joining his team. While he admits both artists have his respect, Birdman said there is no truth to the speculation stating "Both of them is two of the little homies I have the utmost respect for," he said.^[5] " I don't know Lil B's situation. I don't know Buck's situation. I'm friends to both of them. If the opportunity ever came, I would love to work with both of them. I know Buck is in a situation. I got love and respect for both of them, but they never came across the menu yet -- I spoke with Buck a few times, he's been a friend of the family. But it ain't came to none of that."^[6]

UTP Records[link]

After leaving Cash Money in 2000, Young Buck joined UTP Records and the rap group UTP Playas. His deal with UTP later led to a meeting with New York rapper 50 Cent who later signed Buck to G-Unit Records, under Interscope Records. Buck would release 2 albums Born To Be A Thug & The Compilation with UTP before leaving the label and rap group in 2003 to join 50 Cent's record label G-Unit Records and the rap group G-Unit.^[7]

G-Unit Records[link]

After leaving UTP Records in 2003 Young Buck would link up with up and coming rap titan 50 Cent who was already making waves with his outfit G-Unit. Looking to broaden his empire 50 Cent was quick to sign Young Buck to his G-Unit imprint and also welcome his as one of the newest members of the rap group G-Unit.

Young Buck would first begin his career with G-Unit Records in 2003 when the rap group G-Unit released their first debut album Beg for Mercy. As the album was recorded, Tony Yayo was sentenced to jail on charges of gun possession, and so makes only two appearances on the entire record, on the tracks "Groupie Love" and "I Smell Pussy". His image is seen on the brick wall of the album cover because he could not be photographed due to the jail sentence. At the time of the album's release The Game was put in G-Unit therefore he is not photographed nor does he make an appearance on the album, he does however make cameos in the videos for Stunt 101, Wanna Get To Know You & Poppin' Them Thangs. He was also mentioned in Poppin' Them Thangs when Young Buck states "You ain't no Crip like Snoop you ain't no Blood like Game". In its first week of sales, Beg for Mercy sold 377,000 copies. It placed third, behind Tupac Shakur's eighth posthumous release, Tupac: Resurrection, which moved 430,000 albums, and Jay-Z's The Black Album, which sold 463,263 copies.^[8] It sold 327,000 copies in its second week to peak at number 2 on the Billboard 200,^[9] and 193,000 in its third week.^[10] It has now sold 2.7 million units in the U.S.^[11] and over 6 million copies worldwide.^[12][13] It has been certified 2× platinum by the RIAA.^[14]

On August 24, 2004 Young Buck would release his G-Unit Records debut album Straight Outta Cashville, The album's title alludes to the N.W.A. album Straight Outta Compton and is a neologism for Nashville (his hometown). The singles from this album include "Let Me In", "Shorty Wanna Ride", and "Look at Me Now". It features a lot of rappers outside of G-Unit such as Lil' Flip, David Banner, D-Tay, Ludacris, Game, Stat Quo and production from Lil Jon, Kon Artis, and more. The album received very little promotion after November because of the VIBE award incident, after which Young Buck was arrested for assault. Though the case was dropped it had been four months since Young Buck himself had promoted the album. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with about 261,000 copies sold, in the first week, and has since been certified Platinum by the RIAA.^[15]

Following his debut album Buck would join forces with the rest of the G-Unit roster at the time to release a collaboration album Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, soon after Bucks second album Buck The World in 2007 would follow. Before the departure of Young Buck the highly publicised feud between G Unit and their former west coast counterpart Game (rapper) had split the fanbase of the outfit in two with many fans taking sides with the Compton native. As the feud between G Unit and Young Buck was simmering behind the scenes 50 Cent released a phone call he had taped between him and Young Buck in which an emotional Buck was heard crying and asking 50 Cent for help and advice. Buck would take this personal and release several tracks towards 50 Cent and G-Unit. Buck is still signed and legally obligated to release a studio album via G-Unit Records.

Solo career[link]

After Young Buck was dismissed from the group for multiple reasons, He released numerous tracks attacking not only the group, but their associates and, more specifically, group leader 50 Cent. 50 Cent and G-Unit also responded with many tracks, including one particular instance in which 50 Cent released a phone call he had recorded with Young Buck, which featured the Tennessee native weeping and apologizing for numerous things.^[16] After this happened, Young Buck responded, stating that the call was a fake, that happened one year prior to its release, and claimed that only police record phone calls.^[17]

After a lengthy battle between Young Buck and his former G-Unit comrades, the feud seemed to settle down, with Young Buck stating that he owed one more album for G-Unit Records which would be released in 2009, then titled The Rehab.^[18] In other interviews, he's stated that he does not have a problem with 50 Cent or G-Unit anymore, but is currently doing his "own thing". He also stated that although he's still signed to G-Unit Records, he's trying to get out of the contract, and he's no longer signed to Interscope.^[19][20]

On September 13, 2010 an interview with Shade 45 radio host Angela Yee, 50 Cent stated that Young Buck is still signed to G-Unit Records.^[21]

Personal life[link]

Financial problems[link]

Brown filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in August 2010,^[22] shortly after an IRS raid on his home. His bankruptcy lawyer later told The City Paper that he was planning to sue Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) and other parties over the record contract dispute.^[23]

The IRS made plans to auction off Young Buck's seized property on October 28, 2010,^[24] but his legal counsel filed suit to halt the sale, while simultaneously re-filing a revised bankruptcy petition that no longer referenced a $5 million legal claim against 50 Cent and other parties associated with G Unit.^[25]

In the lawsuit, viewable at this link, Young Buck said the studio equipment taken in the raid was "directly tied to" his "ability to generate income in order to reorganize the estate." He stated that the seizure of property that belonged to his children had "created great stress in the home" and "within the common law marriage of the debtor plaintiff." He told the court he needed to get back the property belonging to the family.

Young Buck's attorney was able to convince the court that he would be selling real estate worth $638,500 to begin paying the back taxes due. At a hearing on October 26, 2010, plans for the IRS auction were at least temporarily stopped. Young Buck announced the outcome with a Tweet:

Young Buck was under Chapter 7, Young Buck’s assets were to be sold and distributed among his creditors.^[26]

Drive-by shooting[link]

Early Sunday morning on March 4, 2012, Young Buck was targeted in a drive-by shooting. According to Nashville police, via WSMV-TV Channel 4, at approximately 3:30 am, a white Chevrolet Tahoe crept past the rapper's SUV and opened fire, hitting the vehicle 11 times. Miraculously, Buck, who was back in his hometown to work on new music, wasn't injured. But his girlfriend, Kenyetta Rainey, was hit once on the shoulder. Rainey was treated at Vanderbilt Hospital and has since been released. In the moments leading up to the shooting, Buck, born David Brown, and his girlfriend were involved in a heated argument with others at La Bamba Nightclub in South Nashville. Police said all parties involved in the argument left the club at the same time.^[27]

After a couple of days of silence, Buck took to his Twitter to address the situation. “We all go through things in life,” the former G-Unit star tweeted. “The things I’m experiencing are Truly making me a Better and Stronger man. #GodisGood.”^[28][29]

Legal issues[link]

Young Buck started his rap career with a ton of promise, but his legal problems thwarted that potential and his woes continue to mount. According to reports, the former G-Unit MC is looking at an 18-month prison stint for gun possession. The Tennessee rap star has agreed to a plea deal with Nashville prosecutors that will land him behind bars for a year and half, TMZ reported on Tuesday (May 22).^[30] A judge signed off on the plea, but Buck won't be sentenced formally until July 13, 2012.

After an IRS raid on Buck's Nashville home in 2010, authorities found a .40 caliber Glock 22 as well as ammunition. The raid followed reports that the rapper had an outstanding $300,000 tax debt, and because he's a convicted felon, Buck is prohibited from possessing any firearms. Back in 2005, he pleaded no contest to assault with a chance to produce bodily injury after he stabbed a man while trying to defend Dr. Dre at the 2004 Vibe Awards.^[31]

Controversy[link]

VIBE Awards incident[link]

On November 15, 2004, Jimmy James Johnson approached Dr. Dre at the VIBE Awards and reportedly asked for an autograph before Dr. Dre was about to go on stage. After Dr. Dre declined, Johnson punched him in the back of the head before running towards the nearest exit. A brawl ensued with several uniformed police officers attempting to break up the fight. Chairs were thrown, and it was alleged that Young Buck stabbed Johnson in the chest with a knife.^[32] After video evidence was uncovered from the awards ceremony, the Santa Monica Police Department issued an arrest warrant for him.^[33] In a preliminary hearing, it was ruled that there was enough evidence to proceed with a jury trial. However, in December 2005, a deal was reportedly struck that would see Young Buck avoid trial.^[34]

The Game[link]

After The Game was kicked out of G-Unit for being disloyal, Young Buck as well as new West Coast G-Unit act rapper Spider Loc who had signed to G-Unit Records in September 2004, called him to task for dissing the group and label. The Game then released a track entitled "240 Bars" which insulted both Spider Loc and Young Buck. Young Buck then released a track called "The Real Bitch Boy", which featured Spider Loc and used a beat from The Game's track, "Where I'm from". In the song, Young Buck talks about how he did not even know The Game when he mentions The Game's name on "Poppin' Them Thangs". Also, Young Buck talks about The Game being a male stripper and also how 50 Cent helped The Game to be successful with his album The Documentary.

The feud has continued to escalate, with there being an exchange of many tracks. In February 2007, The Game and Young Buck got into a non-physical altercation at a club, during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. The last time that they were seen together was when The Game was part of G-Unit.^[35]

After being dismissed from G-Unit, Young Buck appeared on a remix to The Game's song Game's Pain,^[36] as well as appearing in the music video to the song My Life, which featured another former rival, Lil Wayne.^[37] A mixtape by The Game and Young Buck was also confirmed,^[38] called "Worth More Than 50 Cents".

Lil Wayne[link]

Young Buck released a song featuring Tony Yayo called "Off Parole" which insulted Lil Wayne. Young Buck said that Lil Wayne could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud.^[39][40]

One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Lil Wayne, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit.^[17] After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life" by The Game, which featured Lil Wayne in the vocals.^[37]

As of 2009 Buck and Wayne have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back On My Buck Shit mixtape.

DJ Khaled[link]

During an interview on Rap City, DJ Khaled was asked to choose three classics out of a total of eight albums. He chose every album except Get Rich or Die Tryin'. DJ Khaled stated:

I'm all about unity, but if you're not down with unity, I can't help you with that.^{[citation needed]}

In response, Young Buck released a track entitled "Personal (Unity)" towards DJ Khaled and Terror Squad. In the song, Young Buck refers to many people on DJ Khaled's second album, We the Best.

During a "TRL" show which 50 Cent was hosting on September 12, 2007 Young Buck repeatedly mocked DJ Khaled by repeatedly shouting "50 we the best. Listennn!" in reference to DJ Khaled’s behaviour, which he exhibited on the same show previously.^[41]

Two days later on the same show, 50 Cent was offered the choice of listening to one of his rivals say something about him in a clip from Rap City. He had the choice of Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, Ja Rule, and The Game, and chose Khaled's clip, in which Khaled said he did not consider Get Rich or Die Tryin' a classic.

Young Buck later addressed the issue on the mixtape G-Unit Radio Part 25-Sabrina's Baby Boy. He insults DJ Khaled on multiple tracks.^[42]

50 Cent[link]

After numerous rumors of a "beef" within G-Unit, 50 Cent officially dismissed Young Buck from the group, in 2008. He later assured that he was still signed with the label.^[43] Numerous slander songs then arose on the internet from both camps, with Young Buck appearing in a music video of former rival The Game.^[44][45]

50 Cent then leaked a taped phone conversation between himself and Young Buck, which showed one of the true reasons for the falling out; 50 Cent was owed money by the Southern rapper. Young Buck later stated the conversation took place over a year before the leak.^[46] The two camps have since released a multitude of songs against each other, with the feud settling down by 2009, although on Buck's album The Rehab, he disses 50 on a track titled "Hood Documentary".^[18]

In April 2012, after being ousted from the crew back in 2008, Young Buck has entered talks to work with the label. Days after indicating that he would be open to re-teaming with his old crew at G-Unit Records, Young Buck now confirms that he has begun negotiations with the label about making his return. Buck provided the update in a recent interview stating "I'ma be honest with you," he said, "Finally we're at a point where we're having some kind of negotiations with what they're going to be able to do for us at G-Unit."^[47] The Nashville, Tennessee native said he was ready to make his return to music, whether as a part of G-Unit or not. "Y’all are gonna be hearing from me," he said. "I don't want to put a timing on it, but the wait is absolutely over, and we're just trying to figure out what's the best situation for us, where I'm gonna go." Buck stated in an interview after a concert in California April 4, 2012. Young Buck's last album was the 2010 independent release The Rehab. It’s been a rough go for Buck since he was expelled from 50’s crew in 2008, he has run into financial troubles and he recently escaped an attempted drive-by shooting in his hometown. ^[48][49]

Albums[link]

Debut album[link]

After being with G-Unit for a little over a year, Young Buck released his debut album, Straight Outta Cashville, a portmanteau reflecting the name of Young Buck's home city, Nashville, Tennessee.

Straight Outta Cashville has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America^[15] with over 1.1 million sales in the U.S.^[50] and 2.3 million Worldwide.^[51][52]

Second album[link]

Young Buck's second album, Buck the World was released worldwide on March 27, 2007.

Buck the World debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with sales of 141,083 in the first week.^[53]

Third album[link]

The Rehab was released on September 7, 2010. It was a street album, not his official 3rd studio album, released on Real Talk Ent. Buck had made an earlier claim in which he said that The Rehab will sell a million copies in his first week, but at the time, he was still signed to G-Unit/Interscope Records.^[54]

The Rehab sold 6,400 in its first week.^[55]

Fourth album[link]

Ghetto Inspiration is set to be released in late 2012. It would be his first official album since 2007 & third studio album. On April 4, 2012, an interview was released stating that Young Buck may be working things out with G-Unit. Although it is not confirmed whether he is referring to the group or the label, but based on comments by both Buck and 50 the latter is more likely.

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Young Buck

• Official website
• Young Buck at Allmusic
• Young Buck interview Hustler Magazine
• Young Buck - Nothing for you - lyrics

Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006), better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist 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.^[1]

While Owens originally used fiddle and retained pedal steel guitar into the 1970s, his sound on records and onstage was always more stripped-down and elemental, incorporating elements of rock and roll. His signature style was based on simple storylines, infectious choruses, a twangy electric guitar, an insistent rhythm supplied by a drum track placed forward in the mix, and high two-part harmonies featuring Owens and his guitarist Don Rich.^[2]

Beginning in 1969, Owens co-hosted the TV series Hee Haw with Roy Clark. He left the cast in 1986. In 1974, the accidental death of Rich, his best friend, devastated him for years and abruptly halted his career until he performed with Dwight Yoakam in 1988. Owens died on March 25, 2006 shortly after performing at his Crystal Palace restaurant, club and museum in Bakersfield.

Owens is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Biography[link]

Owens was born on a farm in Sherman, Texas to Alvis Edgar Owens, Sr. and his wife Maicie Azel Ellington.^[3] Midway Mall, at 4800 Texoma Parkway, now sits where his farm once was. (U.S. Highway 82 through Sherman was named Buck Owens Freeway in his honor).

"'Buck' was a donkey on the Owens farm," Rich Kienzle wrote in the biography About Buck.^[4] "When Alvis, Jr., was three or four years old, he walked into the house and announced that his name was also Buck. That was fine with the family; the boy was Buck from then on."^[5] He attended public school for grades 1–3 in Garland, Texas.^[6]

In 1937, his family moved to Mesa, Arizona, during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.

Early career[link]

In 1945, Owens co-hosted a radio show called Buck and Britt. In the late 1940s, he became a truck driver and drove through the San Joaquin Valley of California. He was impressed by Bakersfield, where he and his wife settled in 1951.^[7] Soon, Owens was frequently traveling to Hollywood for session recording jobs at Capitol Records, playing backup for Tennessee Ernie Ford, Wanda Jackson, Tommy Collins, Tommy Duncan,^[8] Sonny James, Del Reeves, Tommy Sands, Faron Young and Gene Vincent, and many others.^{[citation needed]}

Owens recorded a rockabilly record called "Hot Dog" for the Pep label, using the pseudonym Corky Jones because he did not want the fact he recorded a rock n' roll tune to hurt his country music career.^[9] Sometime in the 1950s, he lived with his second wife and children in Fife Washington, where he sang with the Dusty Rhodes band.

Owens' career took off in 1959, when his song "Second Fiddle" hit No. 24 on the Billboard country chart. A few months later, "Under Your Spell Again" hit No. 4, and then "Above and Beyond" hit No. 3. On April 2, 1960 he performed the song on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee.

In the early 1960s, the countrypolitan sound was popular, with smooth, string-laden, pop-influenced styles used by Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, and Patsy Cline, among others. Owens went against the trend, using honky tonk hillbilly feel, mixed idiosyncratically with the Mexican polkas he had heard on border radio stations while growing up.^{[citation needed]}

Owens was named the Most Promising Country and Western Singer of 1960 by Billboard.^[10] In 1961, his top 10-charting duets with Rose Maddox earned them awards as vocal team of the year.^{[citation needed]}

At the top[link]

1963's "Act Naturally" became Owens and the Buckaroos' first No. 1 hit. The Beatles later recorded a cover of it in 1965, with Ringo Starr as lead singer. Ringo Starr later re-recorded the song as a duet with Owens in 1988.^[11]

Owens met his longtime guitarist Don Rich in the Seattle area.^[12]

The 1966 album Carnegie Hall Concert was a smash hit and further cemented Buck Owens and the Buckaroos as more than just another honky tonk country band. They achieved crossover success on to the pop charts.^{[citation needed]} During that year, R&B singer Ray Charles released cover versions of two of Owens' songs that became pop hits: "Crying Time" and "Together Again".^[13]

In 1967, Owens and the Buckaroos toured Japan, a then-rare occurrence for a country musician.^[14] The subsequent live album, appropriately named Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in Japan, was an early example of country music recorded outside the US^[15]

In 1968 Owens and the Buckaroos performed for President Lyndon Baines Johnson at the White House, which was later released as a live album.

Between 1968–1969, steel pedal guitar player Tom Brumley and drummer Willie Cantu left the band. Drummer Jerry Wiggins and steel pedal guitar player Jay Dee Maness were added to the band. Owens and the Buckaroos had two songs reach No. 1 on the country music charts in 1969, "Tall Dark Stranger" and "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass". In 1969, they recorded a live album, Live in London, where they premiered their rock song "A Happening In London Town" and their version of Chuck Berry's song "Johnny B. Goode". During this time Hee Haw, starring Owens and the Buckaroos, was at its height of popularity. The series, originally envisioned as country music's answer to Laugh-In, outlived that show and ran for 24 seasons.

In the early 1970s, Owens and the Buckaroos enjoyed a string of hit duets with his protege Susan Raye, who subsequently became a popular solo artist with recordings produced by Owens.

In 1971, the Buckaroos' bass guitarist Doyle Holly left the band to pursue a solo career. Holly was known for his solo ballads with his trademark booming deep voice on Buck Owens and the Buckaroos albums. His departure was a setback to the band, as Doyle had received the Bass Player of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music the year before in 1970 and served as co-lead vocalist (along with Don Rich) of the Buckaroos.^{[citation needed]} Holly went on to record two solo records in the early 1970s, both were top 20 hits. Holly has subsequently been honored in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and with a block in the Walkway of Stars at the Country Music Hall of Fame.^{[citation needed]}

Owens and Rich were the only original members left of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, and in the 1970s they struggled to top the country music charts. However, the popularity of Hee Haw was allowing them to enjoy large crowds at indoor arenas.

In 1972, Owens and the Buckaroos finally had another No. 1 hit, "Made in Japan", after three years of not having a number one song. In April, he added pedal steel guitarist, Jerry Brightman. The band had been without pedal steel since late in 1969 when Maness departed, and Owens returned to his grass roots sound of fiddle, steel, and electric guitars releasing a string of singles including "Arms Full of Empty", "Ain't it Amazing Gracie" and "Ain't Gonna Have Ole Buck (to Kick Around no More)". Owens' original release of "Streets of Bakersfield" was released in 1972.

On July 17, 1974, Owens' best friend and Buckaroos guitarist Don Rich was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a guard rail on Highway 99 north of Bakersfield. Rich had been on his way to join his family for vacation on the coast at Morro Bay. Owens was devastated. "He was like a brother, a son and a best friend," he said in the late 1990s. "Something I never said before, maybe I couldn't, but I think my music life ended when he did. Oh yeah, I carried on and I existed, but the real joy and love, the real lightning and thunder is gone forever."^[16]

Before the 1960s were done, Owens—with the help of manager Jack McFadden—began to concentrate on his financial future. He bought several radio stations, including KNIX-AM and KNIX-FM in Phoenix and KUZZ-FM in Bakersfield. In 1999, Owens sold the KNIX stations to Clear Channel Communications, but he maintained ownership of KUZZ until his death.

Owens established Buck Owens Enterprises and produced records by several artists. He recorded for Warner Bros. Records, but by the 1980s he was no longer recording, instead devoting his time to overseeing his business empire from Bakersfield. He left Hee Haw in 1986.

Later career[link]

Dwight Yoakam was largely influenced by Owens' style of music and eventually teamed up with him for a duet of "Streets of Bakersfield" in 1988. Their duet was Owens' first No. 1 single in 16 years. In an interview, Yoakam described the first time he met with Owens:

We sat there that day in 1987 and talked about my music to that point, my short career, and what I'd been doing and how he'd been watching me. I was really flattered and thrilled to know that this legend had been keeping an eye on me.^[17]

Owens also collaborated with Cledus T. Judd in the song "The First Redneck On The Internet" in 1998, in which Owens also appears in the music video.

The 1990s saw a flood of reissues of his Capitol recordings on compact disc. In 1974, Owens had bought back publishing rights to all of his Capitol recordings, as part of his final contract with the label. His albums had been out of print for nearly 15 years, when he released a retrospective box set in 1990. Encouraged by brisk sales, Owens struck a distribution deal with Sundazed Records of New York, which specializes in reissuing obscure recordings. The bulk of his Capitol catalog was reissued on CD in 1995, 1997 and in 2005. Sometime in the 1970s, Owens had also purchased the remaining copies of his original LP albums from Capitol's distribution warehouses across the country. Many of those records (still in the shrinkwrap) were stored by Owens for decades. He often gave them away as gifts and sold them at his nightclub for a premium price some 35 years later.

In August 1999, Owens brought back together the remaining members of his original Buckaroo Band to help him celebrate his 70th birthday at Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. All the original surviving Buckaroos were there: Owens, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley, and Wille Cantu performed old hits from their heyday including "Tiger by the Tail" and "Act Naturally."

Owens was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. He was ranked No. 12 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003. In addition, CMT also ranked the Buckaroos No. 2 in the network's 20 Greatest Bands in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Long before Owens became the famous co-host of Hee Haw, his band became known for their signature Bakersfield sound, later emulated by artists such as Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. Buck inspired indie country songwriter and friend Terry Fraley whose band "The Nudie Cowboys" with a similar sound. This sound was originally made possible with two trademark silver-sparkle Fender Telecaster guitars, often played simultaneously by Owens and longtime wing-man Don Rich; Fender had made a "Buck Owens signature Telecaster," and after his death paid tribute to him.^[18] In 2003, Paisley blended creative styles with this guitar and his own famous Paisley Telecaster, creating what became known as the Buck-O-Caster. Initially, only two were made; one for Paisley himself and the other presented to Owens during a New Year's celebration that Paisley attended in 2004.

Following the death of Rich, Owens' latter trademark was a red, white and blue acoustic guitar, along with a 1974 Pontiac convertible "Nudiemobile", adorned with pistols and silver dollars. A similar car, created by Nudie Cohn for Elvis Presley and later won by Owens in a bet, is now enshrined behind the bar at Owens' Crystal Palace Nightclub in Bakersfield.

Owens would hand out replicas of his trademark acoustic guitar to friends, acquaintances and fans. Each would contain a gold plaque with the name of the recipient. Some of these guitars cost $1000 and up.

Death[link]

Buck Owens died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack on March 25, 2006, only hours after performing at his Crystal Palace restaurant, club and museum in Bakersfield. He had successfully recovered from oral cancer in the early 1990s, but had additional health problems near the end of the 1990s and the early 2000s, including pneumonia and a minor stroke suffered in 2004. These health problems had forced him to curtail his regular weekly performances with the Buckaroos at his Crystal Palace.

The Los Angeles Times interviewed longtime Owens spokesman (and Buckaroos keyboard player) Jim Shaw, who said Owens "had come to the club early and had a chicken-fried steak dinner and bragged that it's his favorite meal." Afterward, Owens told band members that he wasn't feeling well and was going to skip that night's performance. Shaw said a group of fans introduced themselves while Owens was preparing to drive home; when they told him that they had traveled from Oregon to hear him perform, Owens changed his mind and took the stage anyway.

Shaw recalled Owens telling the audience, "If somebody's come all that way, I'm gonna do the show and give it my best shot. I might groan and squeak, but I'll see what I can do." Shaw added, "So, he had his favorite meal, played a show and died in his sleep. We thought, that's not too bad."^[19]

The front of the mausoleum where Owens is buried is inscribed "The Buck Owens Family" with the words "Buck's Place" beneath.

Family[link]

Owens was married five times, each ending in divorce. He and his first wife, country singer Bonnie Campbell Owens, were married in 1948 and had two sons. They separated in 1951 and later divorced.^[20] Bonnie Owens later married country superstar Merle Haggard. She died just a month after Owens himself.

Owens married Parnice Petty in 1950 (they had a son together in 1947). He later married Phyllis Buford in 1956, with whom he had a third son.^[20] His fourth marriage, in 1977, was to fiddle player Jana Jae Greif, who was a member of the Buckaroos. They were married for only a few days before she filed for divorce.^[21] His fifth marriage, in 1979, was to Jennifer Smith.^[20]

Owens had four sons: Buddy Alan (who charted several hits as a Capitol recording artist in the early 1970s and appeared with his father numerous times on Hee Haw), Billy, Johnny, and Michael Owens.

Books[link]

In her 2010 book, Buck Owens: The Biography, investigative journalist Eileen Sisk offers an unflattering account of Owens and shortcomings in his private life.^[22]

In her 2007 book, "Buck", historian Kathryn Burke gives an objective account of Owens. Owens was not much given to talking to reporters and always gave them the same story. However, he spent many hours being interviewed by Burke. Any historian who has an interest in the tapes of these interviews can obtain them from David Vogel, 58 Bradley Dr., Hull, GA 30646

Discography[link]

People who have covered Owens songs[link]

• Vocalist–guitarist Johnny Rivers performed a rock version of Owens's "Under Your Spell Again", for his album Meanwhile Back at the Whiskey A GoGo, in 1965.
• The Beatles and later Ringo Starr recorded versions of "Act Naturally". Starr recorded it as a duet with Owens in 1989; The Beatles recorded the song in 1965, two years after Owens released it, making it the first song to become a hit on both the Billboard country music and Top 40 pop charts.
• After his death in 2006, a medley was played by the Buck Owens All Star Tribute, which included Billy Gibbons, Chris Hillman, Brad Paisley and Travis Barker.
• Country artist Dwight Yoakam has cited Owens as an early influence in his career, and recorded several of Owens's songs for himself. He was also collaborator and duet artist with Owens on the album Streets of Bakersfield. In 2007, Yoakam released a tribute album, Dwight Sings Buck.
• Mark Lanegan included a cover of "Together Again" on his 1999 cover album, I'll Take Care of You.
• Cake covered "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)" on its album B-Sides and Rarities.
• Creedence Clearwater Revival, a rock band that often demonstrated a country flavor, mentioned Owens in the hit, "Lookin' out My Back Door."
• In 2007, Austin-San Marcos, Texas band The Derailers released Under The Influence of Buck, which featured 12 covers of Owens songs, including "Under the Influence of Love".
• in 2011, Ben Gibbard covered 'Love's Gonna Live Here'.^[23]
• Raul Malo, lead singer of the country group The Mavericks, has cited Owens as a big influence and has covered "Think Of Me (When You're Lonely)" and "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got Heartache)" with The Mavericks.

Footnotes[link]