(1929-2006) Before he ran the show at Hee Haw, Buck Owens ran the show in general. He was an unbelievable singer and songwriter. He is one of many knock-out artists that will fall into a newly developing genre (coined here for the first time), called "Man, they were one Rick-Rubin-produced-project away from blowing peoples' minds (again) in their old age.*** God rest his soul. I was first introduced to him (like most kids i guess) by watching hee-haw at my grandparents house. As you might imagine Hee-Haw turned many wheels in my brain, and i saw my fair share, but it didn't cause me to run out in my tender youth and buy Buck Owens records (this was truly my loss). I didn't actually start +listening+ to Buck Owens until a few years ago when we started spending a bunch of time with Thad Cockrell (quick aside - Thad Cockrell by the way, as an artist, should be seen in the same context as Buck Owens or Willie Nelson. The kind of luke warm comparisons he always gets to contemporary folks like Ryan Adams don't do justice to Thad in the least -- or Ryan Adams for that matter). Instead of rambling here any further - i'm going to suggest you listen to this verison of Buck Owen's covering Chuck Berry in England.

by the way, if you've ever seen Thad in concert, his live show might make more a little more sense in this context.

*** I'm not suggesting that these amazing artists (from a past generation, i.e. Everly Brothers, Bill Withers) would be in any way dependent on rick rubin, as good as he is, to turn heads, etc. I am suggesting that if they made an album of voice and acoustic guitar/ piano or otherwise minmal instrumentation, and were given the media attention that accompanied R. Rubin's recent collaboration with Neil Diamond, hipsters, housewives, et al. would be sporting two front teeth over a bottom lip while listening to their inevitablly hot tracks.
Last but not least - Bill Withers, or Don and Phil, if you are reading this, we here at roman candle would love to offer our production services to you in any shape or fashion...