Buck Owens: Funeral for a Legend

Buck Owens, a man with 26 number 1 recordings, died a week ago of heart failure in his sleep, had a public viewing of his body in his beloved BBQ joint The Crystal Palace on April Fools Day and was celebrated in a funeral in Bakersfield CA today with 3500 including Garth Brooks in attendance. It's been an all BUCK OWEN'S WEEKEND in Bakersfield for sure...

Buck's Last Meal:
french fries followed by chicken fried steak and potatoes at the Crystal Palace 3/31/2006 4:30pm.

Buck's Last Show:
The Friday night Show at the Crystal Palace (3/24/06), was the usual greatest hits extravaganza, Buck was tired and faded into the backround after 4 songs and headed for his car, as he was getting into the vehicle, some fans who had driven down from Oregon for the show approached him to chat.

Not wanting to disappoint the folks and because of their long drive, he headed back into the club and dedicated 6 more songs to his new friends from the northwest ending the set with " Big in Vegas".

Music Played at the Funeral:
instrumental country version of Amazing Grace
Bluegrass version of the Birds TURN TURN TURN
Dust on Mother's Bible
When I get where I'm going


Quotes from Eulogies:

Dwight Yoakum
Buck told him "you look good in that hat, I wouldnt take it off so much", with that Dwight annouced he would be singing in church with his hat on...


Trace Atkins
Buck told him " son u outta sing that low note you got, cause its all you got"

Brad Paisley
Buck told him he shouldn't waste money on buses and fuel, so when he played Bakerfield he would park his fleet of buses blocks from the Silver Palace and show up to the gig with 40 people crammed in one bus.

Lulu Roman interrupted the end of the funeral to announce she is an ordained minister and it was because of Buck she has become who she is today (they met in an inappropriate place in Dallas Texas) years before he put her on Hee Haw....she then sang a traditional version of Amazing Grace to close the service...


Buck went out just as he had lived, in a complete style all his own...

Personal Note:

Buck, for the many trips I made with friends to the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield to see you perform live and eat your food, for putting up with my musical requests, that night in San Francisco at Bimbo's 365 Club...and all those evenings when I couldn't get to Bakerfield but the Internet did...I thank you...There was no better an evening than one spent in your presence...

You may have left us but those great memories will live on forever...