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On August 15, 1941, Don Rich was born.
Last edited Mon Aug 16, 2021, 08:17 AM - Edit history (1)
I had it flagged on my work Outlook calendar, which I of course did not pay any attention to yesterday.
I'll be editing this throughout the day.
Don Rich
Birth name: Donald Eugene Ulrich
Born: August 15, 1941; Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Died: July 17, 1974 (aged 32); San Luis Obispo, California
Donald Eugene Ulrich (August 15, 1941 – July 17, 1974), best known by the stage name Don Rich, was an American country musician who helped develop the Bakersfield sound in the early 1960s. He was a noted guitarist and fiddler, and a member of The Buckaroos, the backing band of country singer Buck Owens. Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1974 at the age of 32.
{snip}
With Buck Owens and The Buckaroos
The first single Rich played on was "Above and Beyond," which peaked at #3. Owens and Rich toured somewhat haphazardly, throwing Owens' acoustic guitar and Rich's fiddle into the back of Owens' old Ford pickup and hopping from bar to bar, dance hall to dance hall, playing with whomever musicians they could find.
Owens and Rich continued recording singles in Bakersfield. In 1961, "Foolin' Around" spent eight weeks in the number-two slot. Up to that point, Owens had stuck to the Texas Shuffle style, with Rich playing the role of the "lonesome fiddler". That sound changed with Owens' 1962 single "You're For Me", a song he had written several years prior. The shuffle on the snare drum moved to a tightly closed high-hat, and the off-beat was accented by an aggressive half-rimshot, half-click on the snare drum. The bass went from upright to electric. Owens dubbed it the "freight train" sound; it is now often referred to as the "Bakersfield sound".
In 1963, for convenience when recording and touring, Owens decided to form a regular backing band, including drums, bass, and pedal steel, with Don Rich as the band leader. Owens' old Ford was replaced with a Chevrolet camper. In the early years of the band, members came and went quickly. Alumni included Ken Presley (who died in a car accident while a member), Jay McDonald, Mel King, Wayne Stone, and Merle Haggard. Before leaving, Haggard dubbed the band "The Buckaroos", and the name stuck.
In early 1963, the Johnny Russell song "Act Naturally" was pitched to Owens. Owens was initially unimpressed, but Rich liked it, and they recorded it with The Buckaroos on February 12, 1963. It was released on March 11 and entered the charts of April 13. By June 15, the single began its first of four nonconsecutive weeks at the number-one position. It was Owens' first number-one hit.
"Act Naturally" marked Rich's first appearance on lead guitar. Over the years, Owens had taught Rich his guitar style, and by 1963, Rich was mainly playing guitar, rather than fiddle, allowing Owens to concentrate on singing and acting as front man.
{snip}
Birth name: Donald Eugene Ulrich
Born: August 15, 1941; Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Died: July 17, 1974 (aged 32); San Luis Obispo, California
Donald Eugene Ulrich (August 15, 1941 – July 17, 1974), best known by the stage name Don Rich, was an American country musician who helped develop the Bakersfield sound in the early 1960s. He was a noted guitarist and fiddler, and a member of The Buckaroos, the backing band of country singer Buck Owens. Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1974 at the age of 32.
{snip}
With Buck Owens and The Buckaroos
The first single Rich played on was "Above and Beyond," which peaked at #3. Owens and Rich toured somewhat haphazardly, throwing Owens' acoustic guitar and Rich's fiddle into the back of Owens' old Ford pickup and hopping from bar to bar, dance hall to dance hall, playing with whomever musicians they could find.
Owens and Rich continued recording singles in Bakersfield. In 1961, "Foolin' Around" spent eight weeks in the number-two slot. Up to that point, Owens had stuck to the Texas Shuffle style, with Rich playing the role of the "lonesome fiddler". That sound changed with Owens' 1962 single "You're For Me", a song he had written several years prior. The shuffle on the snare drum moved to a tightly closed high-hat, and the off-beat was accented by an aggressive half-rimshot, half-click on the snare drum. The bass went from upright to electric. Owens dubbed it the "freight train" sound; it is now often referred to as the "Bakersfield sound".
In 1963, for convenience when recording and touring, Owens decided to form a regular backing band, including drums, bass, and pedal steel, with Don Rich as the band leader. Owens' old Ford was replaced with a Chevrolet camper. In the early years of the band, members came and went quickly. Alumni included Ken Presley (who died in a car accident while a member), Jay McDonald, Mel King, Wayne Stone, and Merle Haggard. Before leaving, Haggard dubbed the band "The Buckaroos", and the name stuck.
In early 1963, the Johnny Russell song "Act Naturally" was pitched to Owens. Owens was initially unimpressed, but Rich liked it, and they recorded it with The Buckaroos on February 12, 1963. It was released on March 11 and entered the charts of April 13. By June 15, the single began its first of four nonconsecutive weeks at the number-one position. It was Owens' first number-one hit.
"Act Naturally" marked Rich's first appearance on lead guitar. Over the years, Owens had taught Rich his guitar style, and by 1963, Rich was mainly playing guitar, rather than fiddle, allowing Owens to concentrate on singing and acting as front man.
{snip}
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