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Jerry joined The Buckaroo's at the age of 18 in April of
1972, and moved to Bakersfield, CA. from Ohio after he was discovered by Buck in Wheeling, West Virginia. Jerry was
a member of the staff band during this time for the Saturday night Jamboree USA live radio show.
For the first time in history,
the three Buck Owens
touring and recording steel
players
spanning a time period of 30 years, were together in one location.
Thanks Scotty!
Taken at the I.S.G.C. St. Louis 2003 by Jim Nelligan
Note: The information below was documented after conversations
throughout the years with Buck, Tom, JayDee, Ralph, and other Buckaroo's to insure it's accuracy.
During the beginning years for Buck, when it was just Buck and Don, and Buck began
having hit records, they would use "house players" at each venue to to
play with them, which included steel players. This was from 1959-1963. However, this is mostly
about the players who were official members of the Buckaroo's and who recorded
and toured during Buck's career.
A little history about the steel players
with Buck:
Tom Brumley played with Buck from 1963-1969. Prior to that, Ralph Mooney was recording on Buck's albums. Jay McDonald was also present during Ralph's contributions to recordings, and Jay did two albums according to Buck, but never toured with him on a national scale. Tom set the stage with a string of hits including "Together Again."
JayDee Maness joined the band in early 1969, and was with the band for 9 months. JayDee recorded a live album in Las Vegas, titled, "Big In Vegas, and also "Live at the Palladium", but never got to record anything with Buck in the studio according to JayDee. I would like to add here, that JayDee and I are great friends, and his continuance in music after leaving Buck is legendary.
Buck went 2 years from 1970-1972 before he again added a full time steel player to the band. Buddy Emmons, while living in LA recorded on a few of Buck and Susan's release's and Buck's single release of, "I'll Still Be Waiting For You" as well as Ralph Mooney on "Ain't It Amazing Gracie" and "Arms Full of Empty".
In 1971, JayDee played in the studio in
Bakersfield with Tony Booth's hit singles "Key's in the
Mailbox", and "Lonesome 77203" and continued recording with Tony until
Jerry joined the band. After the "Ruby" single release and follow up
album, which was Buck's
version of bluegrass, it was then in 1972, that he decided he was ready to start cutting records based on
his more successful style of driving electric guitars, fiddle, and steel, and
thus added Jerry. Made In Japan had just been released.
April of 1972 is when Jerry joined the band and replaced Ronnie Jackson (banjo), and continued
playing though 1975. During this time, The Buckaroo's were: Jerry, Don Rich, Jim Shaw, Jerry
Wiggins, and Doyle Singer until Don's death in 1974, when Ronnie Jackson was
again added. Don Lee, from Fresno, CA, was added on
electric guitar. After Don's death, Jerry began playing electric guitar for most of the
studio lead parts and tours until he left in 1975.
Terry Christoffersen replaced Jerry in 1975,
and continued to play with Buck until Buck's passing.
He is currently the General Manager
of The Crystal
Palace in Bakersfield, CA.
Jerry's years with Buck:
Jerry's first concert with Buck, was at The
Caines Ballroom, in OK. Jerry's first recording in Buck's studio was
on "You Ain't Gonna Have Ole Buck to Kick Around No More" This
cut appeared on the "Live at the Whitehouse Album", which was recorded
live at The Whitehouse without Jerry, before he joined the band. The studio cut
was added to the album.
From there, Jerry recorded "Palm of Your Hand", and on through
"Streets of Bakersfield" which
were all released as singles. Jerry appeared for the first time on Hee-Haw, in
June of 1972. The first show was played on a Sho-Bud
professional.
The second show taped in October of that same year, was done on his Red, White,
and Blue Emmons push-pull.
JayDee played steel, and Jerry played acoustic guitar on a session while
finishing a second album for Tony
Booth. This is where JayDee introduced Jerry to the Emmons Push-Pull guitar.
A short time later, in 1973, Jerry ordered his first Emmons. Jerry also performed on the Buck Owens ranch shows,
until they stopped taping them in 1974. When Jerry left the band in 1975, he
had recorded on 16 Albums with Buck, all of Susan Raye's albums after LA
International Airport, along with singles and albums with Tony Booth, Buddy
Alan, David Frizzell, Mayf Nutter, the Bakersfield Brass, with Don Markem, (who
now plays with Merle Haggard), and Lawanda Lindsey. Jerry also played
electric guitar, banjo, and dobro on sessions, and started playing electric
guitar live after Don Rich died.
Here are some of the questions Jerry is often asked:
Q: "Why did you
leave the band"?
A: I left the band because I felt I had gone as far as a career being a steel player
would allow. I was on a national television show, recording top 20
records, and performing at 25,000 seat arena's with a top country music
organization. There wasn't much higher I felt I could go. I look
back now and suppose I could have migrated into the studio's in Nashville as I
had offers to do so at the time, but I also wanted to start a family, and the
musician life wasn't very conducive
to raising a family. I returned to Akron, OH.
Q: Was Don
Rich in the band when you played with Buck and the
Buckaroos?
A: He indeed was, and I was a member during the time he died. I was also a
pallbearer at his funeral. He was everything you ever saw and read about him, and
I never saw anyone who didn't agree, when you said Buck Owens, it immediately
followed with Don's name being added as such a vital part of it all. I played electric
guitar on several of the songs while Don was still alive, and on a couple songs
when we toured. I continued those
duties on an elevated scale during my last year with Buck in 1975.
Q: Were you on Hee-Haw?
A: Yes, I taped my first show in 1972, and continued until I left in 1975.
I did return to do one more series of shows in 1976. I appeared on approximately
120 shows.
Q: Did you appear on any of The Buck Owens Ranch Shows:
A: Yes, I performed on them from 1972 through 1974 when Buck agreed to quit
doing them due to a conflict with Hee-Haw.
Q: Why haven't you been more vocal about your history with
Buck until now?
A: That's an interesting question. First, it's just not my way.
Secondly, I understand that many fans are confused about my time with Buck
mainly because it happened so long ago. I'll share most anything when asked,
but choose not to come forward first with the history. Perhaps someday
that will change, but for now I'll share the information through this website.
Q: In listening to the various cuts you recorded on with Buck
and others in Bakersfield, it's
sometimes difficult to recognize who was playing steel. Any comments?
A: I felt my job was to continue the styles that were already established when I
joined the band. For example, when recording with Buck, I felt the style
required a "Mooney" approach most of the time, and thus, that's how I
attempted to play using a Sho-Bud.
On the Tony Booth sessions, JayDee had already established the style with Keys
in The Mailbox, and Lonesome 77203. Again, I continued this style on those
recordings I did using an Emmons most of the time. Susan Raye's recordings
allowed me to play what I felt the song needed. Earlier recordings with her
was on a Sho-Bud. Later recordings were on the Emmons.
There are cuts with Buck that I played more of my natural style and tone
on. Note: After recently developing the sample page and listening to the
various cuts, I can totally understand why people would not know I played on
them due to the various styles I did. Also, there are a few examples where
3 different artists recorded the same song, and you can hear that I approached
each a little differently on each cut.
Q: How long were you gone from playing?
A: I quit playing professionally in 1976. I played a
little on sessions until around 1980, and then quit all together. I started producing
country music shows and artists at the WWVA
Wheeling Jamboree. I did perform at Scotty's International Steel Guitar show in 1986,
when I was General Manager of S.I.T. Strings. But, I realized because I wasn't playing,
and I wasn't prepared to play in front
of an audience anymore, that I decided I was done.
I did not play the instrument for almost 23 years...not even
around the house. The MCI guitar that I owned, sit in a music closet
un-played during that span of time.
Q: What made you decide to start playing
again?
A: I had raised 2 daughters, Leah and Kim, along with my wife, Kathie. My
job of choice, had nothing to do with the music business. One day I
started having some strange feelings, and I decided to get the steel out of the
closet in 2001. I found the Steel Guitar Forum, and that sparked me to get
back in contact with the players. They encouraged me to play and attend
some steel shows. I did my first public appearance in Bolivar, OH at one
of Rick Troyer's jams...nervous, you bet, I hadn't played with a live band
for almost 20 years.
Q: Whatever happened to your Red, White, and Blue Emmons?
A: The guitar was a 1972, received in early 1973, and was a standard rosewood D10
push-pull with 8 and 4. It had artists
tape on the front to make it appear in the color scheme of the band. Ron
Lashley always hated that because he would call and tell me that people were
calling him and
trying to order a red, white, and blue guitar, and he said, we don't make one... yet they saw one on
Hee-Haw and couldn't understand why they couldn't get one.
I
doubt this guitar still exists as a complete guitar. Parts of it are probably
on one or more of the many Push-Pull re-builds. I still used the Sho-Bud Pro
in the studio from time to time.
Q: Do you still talk to Buck?
A: I have not directly spoken to Buck for 12 years. After leaving as a
player, I went into the business side of things and I used to book him for
various concerts. I booked him at the Wheeling
Jamboree in 1979, and that was the last time I had any direct contact with him.
It was nothing more then we both were pursuing opposite careers, and time just
passed by way too fast. I am
still in contact with his office along with Tom and Jay Dee, and we have really become great
friends.
Update April 3rd, 2006: I attended Buck's funeral and was re-acquainted
with many of the folks I performed and worked with. I always loved Buck for what
he did for me during and after my time with him. It was when I landed in Bakersfield
that I realized it had been 30 years since I had been there. Although I did play
in the band with Don Rich, I have always considered myself to
be a second generation Buckaroo, with Doyle Holly, Willie Cantu, Don Rich, and
Tom Brumley being the original, first generation with Buck. The amount of
time I was away from all of this has caused "outta sight, outta
mind", and it doesn't surprise me when someone doesn't know my history with
all of this. It was my choice until now, to remain quiet about it. As for
some 30+ years, it was always assumed that Tom, Ralph, or JayDee played on the
cuts as they remained more visible within the music community.
I am honored
that I was allowed to be a small part of the history. I love this
instrument, and I am so humbled as I say so many times at the shows, "I am
so honored that the steel guitar community has welcomed me back." With
the length of time I have been absent, I'm really surprised anyone would know
who I am. I am never embarrassed when someone says, "I have never
heard of you." Reece Anderson once told me that, "Do you realize
you have been gone from this longer than a lot of players have played the
instrument." I guess that's true. I raised two of the most beautiful
daughters one could ever wish for along with my wife, and best buddy, Kathie, and
although I left music at the height of a dream career, I'd do the same again
today.
I tip my hat to anyone who plays this instrument.
Thanks so much for all of your support!
To see pictures during this time, click here!
For a detailed audio/video page, click here!
To see a more
detailed bio of Jerry, click here!
Jerry
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