Buck Owens

One of Bakersfield’s most famous citizens, Buck Owens was a pioneer of the “Bakersfield Sound” --- a twangy, rock-influenced interpretation of honky tonk.

He was born Alvis Edgar Owens in Texas in 1929, but at an early age nicknamed himself "Buck" after a mule on the family farm. By 1951, Buck had made his way to Bakersfield, playing guitar in clubs and developing his trademark style.

Owens signed with Capitol Records in 1957 but his first single fizzled, and he moved to Washington to pursue a radio career. There he met Don Rich, whose harmonies would combine with Owens' singing and freight train rhythm to make Owens' recordings distinctive.

In 1959, hit recordings of Second Fiddle and Under Your

Spell Again led Owens to return to Bakersfield and form a band, which he dubbed The Buckaroos. In 1963, his recording of Johnny Russell's Act Naturally topped the charts for four weeks, and Love's Gonna Live Here spent 16 weeks at number one the charts.

Owens began investing in entertainment properties. He formed the OMAC booking agency, which eventually handled such clients as Merle Haggard and Wynn Stewart. His Buck Owens Productions produced his syndicated television series, The Buck Owens Ranch Show. He built and managed a business empire which included radio stations in Bakersfield and Phoenix, while million knew him as co-host of the long-running television show Hee-Haw.

Singer Dwight Yoakam pursuaded Buck to return to the studio in 1988, recording the duet The Streets of Bakersfield. It became Owens’ last number-one hit. A return to Capitol followed, and his Act Naturally duet with Ringo Starr made it to number 27 in 1989.

In 1996, Owens was elected to both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. That same year he opened a combination restaurant, museum and performance venue dubbed Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, where he often played.

Just hours after his final show in March 2006, Owens’ passed away due to heart failure. He was 76.