Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens ~ "Streets of Bakersfield"

Were you a fan of the "Hee Haw" TV show when it aired every week in prime or syndication? Do you still watch the show in reruns? If you were, or are, then you're probably familiar with Buck Owens. Born in 1929, Buck Owens was well-known as the leader of the country-western band Buck Owens and the Buckaroos.

Hee Haw originally aired from 1969 through 1971 on CBS, then it ran in syndication until 1993. Buck was the co-host of the show, along with fellow country star Roy Clark. With his friendly personality and sense of humor, Owens was a familiar face on U.S. television screens for decades.

Throughout his career, Buck Owens had more than 20 Number One songs on the country music charts, and his song Act Naturally was covered by the Beatles. The song "Streets of Bakersfield" was originally released by Buck Owens in 1973.

Red, White and Blue Guitars

Buck Owens was actually a top-rate guitarist who could knock-out some tasty rock-style licks at the drop of a hat. Owens was well-known for playing guitars that were painted red, white and blue.

 In addition to his iconic red, white and blue acoustic models, he played red, white and blue Fender Telecaster guitars. Eventually, all of the Buckaroos were playing red, white and blue instruments.

In a December 29,2021 article on the bakersfield.com website it's reported that one of Buck Owens' guitars was stolen from a display honoring him at the Buck Owens Post Office in Bakersfield.

For many years, Buck Owens utilized a recording studio located close to the Post Office bearing his name, and the stolen guitar was part of a display honoring his contributions to the community.

It is unclear at this time if the stolen guitar has been recovered yet. Fortunately, the Buck Owens' Crystal Palace restaurant and live entertainment facility sells similar guitars, if they need a temporary replacement.

Honoring a Mentor and Legend

On Dwight Yoakam's 1988 album Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, he had the opportunity to do a duet of Streets of Bakersfield with Mr. Owens. The song hit Number One on the Country charts, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1989.

In 2007, Dwight Yoakam paid tribute to Buck Owens by releasing an album titled "Dwight Sings Buck." On that album, he performed his own renditions of more than a dozen songs written and/or performed by Mr. Owens.