Good article and an interesting album idea. I'm a shameless Buck Owens fan and moreover a serious Don Rich fan. This album covers years pre-Don of course but the "Bakersfield Sound" and the string of big hits came after Buck hired Don.

It was one of the more magical pairings that can so often elevate performers far beyond where they would have gone alone. Rich and Owens became very close and after Don was killed, Buck was never the same. He went through a long depression and although he continued on, there wasn't that same feeling. I think he enjoyed pairing in a bit of a comeback with Dwight Yoakam who was heavily influenced by Owens. They had a hit on "Streets of Bakersfield" which brought Buck back to some notice musically as most people had kind of forgotten thanks to "Hee-Haw."

Spaw