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The twin architects of the Bakersfield Sound, effectively silenced. Buck’s career, for all intents and purposes, also ended in July 1974. But, the musical loss represented by Rich’s death was deceptive. In fact, I’ll put the classic 1964-66 Buckaroos lineup - Owens: vocals, guitar Rich: guitar, vocals, fiddle Tom Brumley: steel guitar Doyle Holly: bass Willie Cantu: drums - against any country band ever and I think they’d do all right.īuck Owens & The Buckaroos – My Heart Skips A Beat + Band IntrosĪs with any tragic death, it’s easy to caught up in the what ifs. Put it this way … do you know anyone who doesn’t like Rich, given even the slightest exposure? I can see Buck Owens not being in a country fan’s all-time Top 5. Many guitar players have been faster, but I’ll put Don Rich’s sweet tone and sense of economy against any of them. He willed himself to become the Telesattva, taking over lead guitar duties from Buck, and subsequently inspiring thousands of budding twangologists. He was, I think, the most important person in Buck Owens’ life.” He was only 17 at the time and his drive, and his awareness of the fact that he had a lot of learn, was there. He worked hard at it in the camper in between dates. He was learning chords that were normally not played on guitar they came off the keyboard of Ray Charles. He was learning to play the guitar in an odd way he was sweating Ray Charles. “He was younger than I was by a few years. Once Don heard those sweet Tele licks, though, there was a change of plans. People forget (or didn’t know) that Buck was a hotshot guitar badass throughout the 1950s and that Don joined him mainly as a singer/fiddler. Dig it.īuck Owens & The Buckaroos – Don’t Let Her Know In harmony with Owens, though, Rich’s voice was pure gold. For example, Rich was a decent enough singer on his own, but his own songs could veer cornball. I’m not just talking about vocal harmonies, but harmony on multiple levels: vocals, guitar, songwriting, temperament, you name it. I think harmony is the key word in explaining the Don Rich magic. Rich was one of country music’s most distinctive guitar players and tenor harmony singers, and a solid fiddler to boot.
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If California country music had a tipping point, it was Buck and Don throwing down hit after hit in the 1960s. Since everyday is a good day to be reminded of “Dangerous” Don’s genius, let’s get our twang on.ĭon Rich was as important as Buck Owens in creating the Bakersfield Sound, one of the few sustained commercial alternatives to Nashville. Had he lived, Rich’s 69th birthday would’ve been next week (he was born August 15, 1941). Clarence died Jand Don died July 17, 1974. While working on my Clarence White: 1972 piece, it occurred to me that Don Rich, Buck Owens’ right-hand man for 14 years (1960-74), died in a motorcycle accident almost a year to the day after White was killed by a drunk driver. Don’s guitar work made ‘city boys’ really listen to California country music. “Don was to country music what James Burton was to early rock and roll. When a guy loses his best friend/sidekick, life is never the same.” His lead guitar, fiddle playing, and soulful tenor made the Buckaroos the premier band in country music in the ’60s and early ’70s. “ Don Rich was the quintessential driving force behind Buck Owens.