Another bluegrass and traditional country music legend has left us. On January 13th, Buck White passed away at the age of 94. At the time, he was the oldest suriving member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Born in 1930 in Texas, White played mandolin and piano around the state, later relocating to Arkansas. He formed the country music group the Down Home Folks, which his daughters Sharon and Cheryl would later join. After an outstanding performance at Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom Festival in 1971, the band/family was encouraged to move to Nashville. There they worked with Emmylou Harris and Ricky Skaggs, whom Sharon would eventually marry.
In 1983 the band changed its name to The Whites, and became members of the Opry a year later. While they were popular there and on tour, it was the group’s appearance in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (where they would appear as a faint imitation of the Carter Family) and its soundtrack that gave them worldwide acclaim. The band toured in support of the soundtrack, as well as the documentary made regarding the soundtrack entitled Down From the Mountain. They would eventually win two Grammys, as well as numerous country, bluegrass, and gospel music awards.
One bright star regarding his passing, the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? re-entered the Billboard Album chart at Number 2 today. Note that the soundtrack album won the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year in 2001, and a Grammy in 2002. It also won two awards that year at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s ceremony, and has presently sold over 8 million copies.
My favorite memory of Buck White was when I went to see one of the package shows that was supporting Down From the Mountain as well as the movie Cold Mountain. On previous tours, the shows would have a music or film celebrity to join the tour as a master of ceremony. This particular show in Detroit did not have an MC, so Buck walked out on stage to introduce the first act. No one was paying attention, but I stood up, started applauding and shouting his name. It took about 10 seconds for others to start joining in, but he smiled at me for knowing who he was. I was also extremely pleased to see him come out to buck dance when the band Reeltime Travelers were performing.
As my friend Ken wrote back to me when I texted him about Buck’s death, “All our heroes are dying.” It is true, the legends that have helped create the Americana music format, as well as keeping bluegrass and traditional country music alive when it was low on the totem pole, are leaving us one by one. I thank God that was have been able to at least soak in some of the great music that the legends have given us in a live setting. Buck will be missed by many, including me.
Chew on it and comment. My blog next week may be either short or late, due to being in Nashville for the SPBGMA conference.
Luegra 