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Don Rich
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Don Rich |
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Billy Knowles Member Posts: 121 |
posted 08 April 2001 10:37 AM
Was just ordering a cd titled "Don Rich and the Buckaroos" the Don Rich Anthology and was wondering what ever happened to Don's family. Did they stay if CA., or go back to WA. Just curious. Thanks Billy |
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Nick Reed Member Posts: 2713 |
posted 08 April 2001 01:10 PM
Don Rich died in 1974 from a Motorcycle accident. He used to play those Telecasters on The Buck Owens TV Show. Robert Rogers from Petersburg, TN told me to tell you that. Nick |
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Derrell Stephens Member Posts: 87 |
posted 08 April 2001 02:36 PM
Billy: As you well know, I am a Don Rich fan. I suppose Mr. Brumley could come closer to answering that question for you since he has always been able to asnwer mine. Now, how do get in touch with him; I do not know for sure, but he's living in Branson, Mo.? |
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Danny Hullihen Member Posts: 1782 |
posted 09 April 2001 05:09 AM
You might also consider putting a post her for Jerry Brightman, or send him an email. Jerry is a former Buckeroo, and he can tell you a lot about Don. By the way, while I'm on the subject, I had the opportunity to hear Jerry pick this past weekend at the Michigan Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Show, and man... this guy is absolutely amazing! If you hear of Jerry playing a show somewhere, don't miss it! |
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Mel Culbreath Member Posts: 289 |
posted 09 April 2001 08:58 AM
Derrell, According to Worldwide Steel Guitarist Directory, Tom Brumley's e-mail address is: Mel |
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Jerry Brightman Member Posts: 757 |
posted 09 April 2001 12:31 PM
Billy, I am honored to be able to speak to you and others who may read this. I played, traveled, and recorded with him from 1972-1976 as a member of the Buckaroo's. I was honored to call him friend and share many of life's adventures with him. Don's wife, Marlayne and sons Vic and Vance, moved back to Washington after his death. Don was the guy who always had a smile on stage, no matter how tired we were, always had one more minute for another question from a fan...and when I would go with Don to watch his son's play baseball, he was the true parent. As I set here looking at his picture, I hope to see more people ask about him as it honor's this great man. I'm sure Tom, as well as other Buckeroo's would have more to add to this given the opportunity. Don Rich was Buck Owens performance wise and I'll never forget him. Thanks for allowing me to share this with you. Danny, thanks for the nice comments about my set this past weekend at the Michigan show. Jerry Brightman [This message was edited by Jerry Brightman on 09 April 2001 at 12:36 PM.] |
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Gary Walker Member Posts: 1446 |
posted 09 April 2001 12:47 PM
When I watched the Bio on Buck on A & E recently, it was obvious that Buck lost his zeal for the business after the loss of Don. He has not found someone that he could bond with to the extent that he had done with Don. A dear picker-singer friend by the name of David Langely got the opportunity to spend a few weekends subbing in Buck's band at the Crystal Palace for a member who took some time off and Buck had really taken David under his wing no doubt still looking for another little buddy, Gary |
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Ricky Davis Moderator Posts: 6522 |
posted 09 April 2001 12:57 PM
Tom would be tickled to hear questions and comments about the GREAT Don Rich. Here is his current e-mail brumshow@msn.com And he checks it rarely but Rolene checks it frequently and will ask of Tom. Ricky |
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Jeff Evans Member Posts: 554 |
posted 09 April 2001 07:46 PM
Best thing about the live albums is that Buck couldn't harmonize with himself as he seemed to prefer to do on the studio records. Vocally, Don just makes the cuts he sings on. "Close up the honky-tonks. . ." [This message was edited by Jeff Evans on 09 April 2001 at 07:48 PM.] |
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Mike Sweeney Member Posts: 2715 |
posted 09 April 2001 11:40 PM
I work with former Buckaroo Willie Cantu at the Nashville Palace and I asked him about this subject and he said that Marlene and the boys moved to Lake Tahoe where she worked as a blackjack dealer. And he also said that one of the sons got into real estate. Willie also said that he saw her last in the late '70's and she had remarried. As far as where she is now he's not sure. I agree to ask Tom Brumley what he knows. Mike Sweeney |
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Mike Sweeney Member Posts: 2715 |
posted 09 April 2001 11:52 PM
One thing I forgot to say. Buck hired Don as a fiddle player not a guitar player that came later. Buck played his own lead and Don played fiddle and sang tenor. Alot of people forget that Don was a GREAT fiddle player in the same mold as Tommy Jackson and Shorty Lavender. Willie told me once that when he started with Buck in 1964 that Don played only fiddle when Buck was on stage and would play guitar on the dance sets when they worked the dance halls. Buck started having him play more and more guitar as time went on because it freed him up I guess to concentrate on singing and the buisness end of it. If you want to hear the slickest most original arrangement of Geensleeves just listen to the Buckaroo album "Anywhere U.S.A. and you'll see what I mean about Dons' fiddle playing. Mike Sweeney |
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bill ramsey Member Posts: 249 |
posted 10 April 2001 02:31 AM
my understanding was that don started out playing drums for buck while still in high school? ummmmmmmm am i wrong? if i am i will never admit it. i filled in with a group at a place called jack of diamonds in lancaster cal. in 1966 where buck used to play quite often. the owner told me this info. ------------------ |
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Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 10 April 2001 08:18 AM
Bill, you're not wrong, you just got some info that was a little out of whack. Don joined forces with Buck in 1958 when Buck was working the Washington State scene, I forget without checking, but Buck was working a TV show and touring locally, Dom Markham was there too, Don Markham was part of Bill Woods Orange Blossom Playboys with Buck in the 1950s, and later joined Merle Haggard in the 1970s after working with the Bakersfield Brass. When Buck got some decent chart action he moved back to Bakersfield in 1959, where Don Rich relocated to in 1960, he was still quite young and with Buck they toured together using pickup bands and a club bands until the Buckaroos were formed a couple of years later. Don started on fiddle. I've heard some pretty rough 1961-1962 club recordings of Don Rich sitting in with Bill Woods band (not with Buck though), Don sings a little and plays guitar, he supplies some wonderful vocals and some fine country boogie guitar. He had it long before it was on record. And while I'm preaching to the converted; Don also tried to steer Buck into a more contemporary progressive sound in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this is more evident on the Buckaroos and Don's recordings as Buck semed to be more into Christmas albums and duets with Susan Raye, which is fine, but Don was just starting to really fire up. A sad loss to the world. As a human being and as a picker |
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Kenny Davis Member Posts: 779 |
posted 10 April 2001 11:51 AM
Fender should do a "Don Rich Telecaster" in their Custom Shop. Also, I think the CMA should honor him as well. Don had a lot to do with the sound and popularity of Buck and the Buckaroos. |
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Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 10 April 2001 05:38 PM
Don had that great silver sparkly Tele at one point, and as a little trivia he also had the first production line Mosrite guitar. Not the first Mosrite, but the first from their then new production line set-up. |
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Joe Kaufman Member Posts: 60 |
posted 10 April 2001 11:13 PM
Kenny, I thought you might be interested to know that our local band Coaltrain (http://www.coltrainband.com/) plays a tribute instrumental named "Don Rich Hoedown" , both live and on their CD. |
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Tim Hurst Member Posts: 86 |
posted 11 April 2001 04:56 PM
About 1971 or 72 I went to see Buck and the Buckaroos in concert and was shocked out of my gourd to see Don Rich playing a walnut finish Gibson ES-335. This was in the period when there was no steel in the band. |
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Jason Powers Member Posts: 241 |
posted 11 April 2001 05:44 PM
I've seen the liner notes to the Buck Owens box set and in them Buck is quoted as saying that Don hated to play the fiddle. I don't know why, he was super at it. His version of "A Maiden's Prayer" makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. IMO, There was nothing the man couldn't do musically. Jason |
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Jerry Brightman Member Posts: 757 |
posted 11 April 2001 05:44 PM
Tim, You are correct..that would have been early 1971. Shortly after you saw them, was when Buck decided to go with RWB on the instruments. I played a solo on that guitar you spoke of on a Tony Booth song called Workin at the Car Wash Blues after Don's death. Somehow, I think Don is smiling about all these wonderful tributes to him. Jerry |
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Bill Myrick Member Posts: 1007 |
posted 11 April 2001 08:03 PM
Jerry-- I have heard that Don's last name was originally Ulrich and he shortened it for show purposes and was a relitive of the Oscar Ulrich family of Curryville, Mo. my old stomping grounds. Also that he had the motorcylce accident at a family reunion in a park near Troy, Mo. Can you enlighten ? thanks -- Bill Myrick |
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Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 11 April 2001 11:52 PM
Aah, the early 1970 to early 1971 period where there was no Buckaroos steel player. Jay Dee moved on to the Tony Booth Band in 1970, sadly he never really got to work in the studio with the Buckaroos. Jay Dee does appear on buck's two live albums in 1969, as well as one of the Buckaroos 1969 albums on Capitol. It's interesting to note that Buck used pickers like Al Bruno and Buddy Emmons to help with his studio sound. |
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Jerry Brightman Member Posts: 757 |
posted 12 April 2001 05:23 AM
Hi Bill, Don's real last name was Ulrich, and was shortened to Rich. As to the accident, it As to a posssible relation to the family, I could not say. Jason, Interesting you meantion Al Bruno. Al was on the first session after Don died Jerry [This message was edited by Jerry Brightman on 12 April 2001 at 05:25 AM.] |
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Mike Sweeney Member Posts: 2715 |
posted 14 April 2001 01:14 AM
Bil and Jason, I asked Willie about the drumming comment and he told me that Don never made mention of ever even setting behind a set of drums let alone playing drums. Willie again stated that Don was hired for his fiddle playing. And I still say he was one of the best fiddle players country music ever had. IMHO although he was a great guitar player it was his fiddle playing and tenor singing that made him so crucial to Buck Owens sound. Mike Sweeney |
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Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 14 April 2001 08:50 AM
Mike, thanks... it would be interesting to hear more from Willie's viewpoint. Like who were the Buckaroos when he joined, Don Rich and Doyle Holly were already in the band at that point. Jason |
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Bill Bailey Member Posts: 681 |
posted 14 April 2001 09:38 AM
Glad to see Jerry Brightman is still around here and his input is greatly appreciated. I played with a 7 piece band in fresno with bucks "Banger" player Ronnie Jackson, Ronnie told me that Dons death was the death of Bucks sole. Buck tried to fill the void by hiring Janna Jay to play fiddle. Ronnie told me that Janna immediatly alienated the Buckarros by stating that Don was never good as a fiddle player and after that she was never accepted by the band. Bill Bailey [This message was edited by Bill Bailey on 14 April 2001 at 09:34 PM.] |
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Mike Sweeney Member Posts: 2715 |
posted 14 April 2001 09:47 AM
Jason, When Willie joined the band it was Don, Doylle Holley, and they had just hired Tom Brumley very recently. This was Jan. I believe he said of 1964. Willie stayed untill sometime in 1968. He was replaced by Jerry Wiggens. Thanks, Mike |
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Jerry Brightman Member Posts: 757 |
posted 14 April 2001 12:41 PM
Bill, If you ever see Ronnie, ask him how you pronounce this: Louisville...I'll bet he says Jerry [This message was edited by Jerry Brightman on 14 April 2001 at 01:06 PM.] [This message was edited by Jerry Brightman on 14 April 2001 at 01:08 PM.] |
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Jason Odd Member Posts: 2665 |
posted 14 April 2001 06:11 PM
Thanks Mike, so he was the last of the classic line-up to join. Awesome band, but Buck did continue to hire grerat pickers, as evidenced by forum members Jerry Brightman and Jay Dee Maness. Bill, I believe you have mentioned that Fresno outfit before, did you do any shows for Jack McFadden (is that right), of OMAC booking and management fame? |
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Dave Brophy Member Posts: 95 |
posted 14 April 2001 07:35 PM
Don Rich's silver sparkly Telecaster is owned by Marty Stuart.There's a documentary on Buck Owens shown on TNN,and Marty plays the guitar and talks about the thrill he got the first time he plugged it in.It was the sound of the Buckaroos. |
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Bill Bailey Member Posts: 681 |
posted 14 April 2001 09:48 PM
Jason, Yes the acts that we had appear at the club were all acts from Jack McFadden. Red Stewart, Tony Booth, Lawanda Lindsey, Mayf Nutter, Billy Mize, Jerry Reed and a few I can't remember. It was a place in Fresno that was once a going rock club. The owner was a man named Ron Pierson who was almost a star in the 60's had a group called The Ron Dons. He changed the club over to country and named the club The Jamboree Club. We also had a world class drummer named John Hill from Fredricksburg Texas and he also did the sound. I would love to get in touch with John and Ronnie if anyone knows how. Bill Bailey PS Jerry you are quite welcome.
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