Year: 2014

  • Steve Wariner’s ’62 Fender Jazz Bass

    Steve Wariner’s ’62 Fender Jazz Bass

    Wariner treasures the ’62 Jazz as a personal icon from his early days as a professional musician. Wariner with bass: Willie G. Moseley.
    Wariner treasures the ’62 Jazz as a personal icon from his early days as a professional musician.
    Photo: Willie G. Moseley.

    An eye-popping collectible in its own right, this Olympic White ’62 Fender Jazz Bass scores a few points higher on the scale not only because it has been in the same family for decades, but mostly because it’s owned by star country picker/singer Steve Wariner.

    Wariner grew up in Fishers, Indiana, then a semi-rural small town near Indianapolis, and this instrument helped pave his way into the music business. It all started with family.

    Steve Wariner’s ’62 Jazz Bass: Rick Malkin.
     Wariner’s ’62 Jazz Bass. Photo by Rick Malkin.

    “My uncle, Jimmy Wariner, was the coolest guy!” he said. “He lived in south central Kentucky, but visited us often. He played lead guitar in a four-piece country band called Jay Hammond and the DJs. They wore matching show clothes, and I thought it was awesome that they had 45s on jukeboxes!”

    On one visit, Warner recalls Jimmy bringing a new Olympic White Fender Jaguar, this matching bass, and “…a new Fender Showman amp; I was amazed when he pulled back those metal legs on that Showman and let it tilt slightly back. I had never seen anything like it!”

    Inspired by the uncle he so admired, Wariner began playing guitar and, by his later teens, had the good fortune to join the DJs as co-guitarist for a summer. “That time, playing and traveling with uncle Jimmy – in the baddest ’66 Chevelle SS ever – is something I will never forget,” he said. “We played on a live TV show out of Bowling Green that aired every Saturday night. Years later, I realized other young teens who performed on it were Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley.”

    Fast-forward to 1973. Wariner, by then a senior in high school, got his “big break.”

    “I met Dottie West at the Nashville Country Club, in Indianapolis, which was a country-music club where I occasionally played. She heard me play; her bass guy was leaving, and she offered me a road job that night! I was a guitar player, but Dottie had a killer guitarist in Jimmy Johnson. She wanted a bass player who could sing, and I jumped at the chance – and Uncle Jimmy gave me the Jazz for the gig.”

    Wariner worked with West for three years, after which he took a gig with singer Bob Luman.
    “He grabbed me backstage at the Opry one night and asked me to go to Texas for the weekend, since his bass player had just left. I wound up staying with him two years.”

    The young guitarist-turned-bassist used the Jazz on recordings with West and Luman, and recalled its first traumatic experience.
    “After playing a funky little club in North Carolina, I forgot that I had left the bass at the edge of the stage. When I finally remembered, I sat bolt-upright in my bunk on the bus. We were halfway to Nashville!

    “I called the club every day for two weeks and finally got the manager. Days later, he found it and put it on a Greyhound to Nashville. I met the bus coming in, and, as the driver opened the luggage bay, I asked if he had an instrument. He dug it out and asked, ‘Is this it?’”

    Wariner also used the bass when he played in Chet Atkins’ band and feels fortunate the instrument wasn’t damaged in those travels, especially.

    “We flew all over… Europe several times. The bass was tossed into cargo holds over and over, in its original case. Now, I look back and say, ‘What was I thinking?’”

    Wariner can be heard playing the instrument on Chet’s Live album from Paris and Nashville, and Neck and Neck, on which Atkins swapped licks with Mark Knopfler.

    The instrument is missing its handrest, mutes, and the dust covers for its bridge and pickup, but otherwise has just one interesting modification.

    “While I worked for Dottie, I talked to Steve Shafer, who was a top session bass guy of the day, about a slight hum it was making,” Wariner remembered. “He put a drop of epoxy on the pickup poles. It worked! Looking back, though, I wonder if the hum wasn’t simply from the studio.”

    The epoxy remains in place, and though he has been ensconced for decades as a top-flight singer and guitarist, Wariner still uses the instrument to record, even with its 20-year-old flatwound strings.

    “I love it,” he enthused. “When I pick it up, it brings back great memories.”

    You can receive more great articles like this in our twice-monthly e-mail newsletter, Vintage Guitar Overdrive, FREE from your friends at Vintage Guitar magazine. VG Overdrive also keeps you up-to-date on VG’s exclusive product giveaways! CLICK HERE to receive the FREE Vintage Guitar Overdrive.

    This article originally appeared in VG October 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • NAMM 2014 Photo Gallery

    NAMM 2014 Photo Gallery

  • MXR Slash Octave Fuzz SF01 and Slash Cry Baby Classic SC-95

    MXR Slash Octave Fuzz SF01 and Slash Cry Baby Classic SC-95

    MXR Slash Octave Fuzz SF01

    MXR SF01 Slash Octae Fuzz
    Price: $129 (street)
    Contact: jimdunlop.com

    MXR’s new Slash Octave Fuzz pedal employs three fuzz “flavors” – Sub-Octave, Fuzz, and Octave Up – that offer a palette of distinctive, utilizable sounds. The pedal, built with analog circuitry, true-bypass switching, and a heavy-duty housing, sports custom artwork with Slash’s famed tophatted-skull-and-crossbones motif. In developing the Octave Fuzz, Slash worked with MXR’s design team, and while few may associate Slash with the octave-fuzz effect, he uses it on occasion to color his sound, not overpower it. One place you can definitely hear it is on his latest studio album, Apocalyptic Love, where Slash provided input to the Dunlop design team while they tweaked prototypes.

    The layout incorporates five knobs and the push switch. The unit’s Volume control dials in the volume of dry signal when the Sub Into Fuzz button is disengaged, and controls volume of the main fuzz when Sub Into Fuzz is engaged. The Tone knob shapes overall EQ of the main fuzz, and the Fuzz knob controls the intensity of the main fuzz. Sub Octave controls the volume of the sub-octave voice, while the Octave Up knob controls the volume of octave-up fuzz. The primary function of the Sub Into Fuzz switch is to swap the fuzz on or off; the sub-octave effect functions in both modes, but its presence is dependent on the level of sub-octave mix set with the Sub Octave knob.

    There are two footswitches on the pedal; the left one (On) engages the pedal, while the right (Up) engages the octave-up fuzz in addition to whatever mode the user has configured. Internal trim pots control intensity and overall EQ of the octave-up effect. Given its many options, it does take time and experimentation to understand the controls and how the effects interact. To test the pedal, we used a Gibson Les Paul (with humbuckers) and a 120-watt/EL34-driven amp, which provided an excellent platform to hear the pedal with minimal coloration.

    You can use the pedal’s Sub Octave function without adding fuzz, which is how we started; in order for the clean signal to roughly equal the signal coming out of the pedal in this mode, the pedal’s Volume knob must be turned up all the way. Used this way, the effect sounds very good and tracks quite well, providing hefty tones when mixed with the clean signal. When you engage the Sub Into Fuzz, the pedal bumps output significantly, so you have to roll off the Volume knob before doing so (with the Sub Into Fuzz circuit engaged, the Volume knob becomes the primary output-level control).

    In designing this pedal, one of Dunlop’s goals was to develop a more-predictable version of the ’70s MXR Blue Box fuzz pedal, and the Slash achieves that. By blending its fuzz with the sub-octave effect, it can generate prime razor-cut-speaker tones, oozing with sludge and perfect for whipping out cool Deep-Purple-type keyboard riffs.

    To continue our orange-shag-carpet trip, we bypassed the sub-octave effect and used the pedal as a straight fuzz unit, which rendered some hairy, mind-bending tones. No doubt, though, the pedal’s strong suit is the ability to utilize the Sub Octave and Octave Up features, individually or together. The Octave Up effect is conjoined with its own fuzz sound that is blended using an internal gain trim. Turned all the way down, it adds just a touch of fuzz that sounds unique. In that context or in combination with the Sub Octave and the main fuzz, the pedal steps into Hendrix-like territory; particularly when a Strat is used to launch those familiar riffs.

    One feature we found particularly cool was the ability to bypass the fuzz. If you’re looking for a different sort of overdrive or distortion along with a sub-octave effect, this unit can deliver. Again, you can’t separate the Octave Up from its associated fuzz, but you can control the blend of the effect in the overall mix. We gave it a try through a 100-watt Marshall head, where the amp’s natural overdrive, blended with the Sub Octave, created a monolithic sound while retaining the amp’s natural overdrive. Awesome!

    There are a multitude of tones waiting to be discovered with this unit. Numerous voicings are accessible by experimenting with the interaction of different controls and switches. Whether you want to use the effect subtly to thicken up your tone, or in copious amounts to shake the collective innards of your audience, the MXR Slash Octave Fuzz has some great sounds awaiting discovery.

    Slash Cry Baby Classic SC-95

    Slash Cry Baby Classic SC95 Wah
    Price: $129 (street)
    Contact: jimdunlop.com

    The wah is an iconic and enduring guitar effect – steady favorite tool of expression for players of all genres. In recent years, many high-profile players have tied their names to “signature” wah pedals that tweak the output or some mechanical nuance. The new Cry Baby Classic SC-95 was conceived with input from the cat in the hat himself, who has thrown down a notable wah passage a time or two.

    The pedal has a true-bypass switch, custom-wound resonance inductor, die-cast housing with custom artwork (rust-and-black-color scheme matched on the PCB board, Slash’s tophat-skull logo molded into the treadle’s rubber pad), and dual side-mounted blue LEDs which display the unit’s on/off status.

    If you’re going to test-run a pedal with Slash’s name and imagery attached, logic would dictate you use his guitar of choice – a Les Paul with humbuckers. So we did, plugged into a 100-watt Marshall head and 4×12 cab… cranked. Immediately, the pedal proffered familiar rock-and-roll wah sounds the likes of which have been heard by millions over the years. The first distinctive attribute was the Slash wah’s wide sweep – a rich, vocal-like sound that maintained the fundamental tone of our rig. Dunlop tuned the pedal’s EQ sweep to a lower frequency, which helps give it a warm, thick sound devoid of harshness at any point. Not too dark, not too bright.

    Through a 15-watt/EL84-based combo, we were happy to hear how the pedal produced the same characteristics as through the arena-sized rig. With a single-coil Strat running clean through a 2×12 cab and playing the obligatory “Shaft”-style funk/rhythm, it performed admirably.

    The LED indicators are great a feature, especially when playing live, and the graphics (inside and out) look pretty cool, too. If you’re needing a wah that delivers a unique tone, looks sharp, and is well-built, the Slash Crybaby Classic is worthy of consideration.

    This article originally appeared in VG December 2012 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Bob Dylan

    Bob Dylan

    Bob DylanWhat to make of a box set compiling the half-century career of the most towering figure in American popular music? After all, Bob Dylan’s stature ensures that the target market already owns a goodly number (and in many cases, all) of the 41 live and studio albums contained here – and probably many in glorious 12″ analog.

    Flipping through the 272-page hardcover booklet that reproduces each album’s liner notes, here’s what guitar geeks will make of it: Michael Bloomfield, T-Bone Burnett, Mike Campbell, Eric Clapton, “Duck” Dunn, Jerry Garcia, George Harrison, Steve Jones, Mark Knopf ler, Danny Kortchmar, David Lindley, Roger McGuinn, Robbie Robertson, Duke Robillard, Mick Ronson, Mason Ruffner, Charlie Sexton, Slash, Mick Taylor, the Brothers Vaughn, Bob Weir, Ronnie Wood…

    Even without considering this murderer’s row (which doesn’t begin to account for the keyboardists and drummers), the package is beautiful and the music is stunning, especially amassed in such a fashion. But at $200-plus ($365 for a USB drive containing MP3 and lossless files), and with just 14 of the discs remastered and no previously unreleased bonus material included, Vol. One ultimately has to be a personal decision, especially with more Bootleg Series releases presumably coming down the pike.

    This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

    ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

    ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

    In two short years of existence, ZT Amplifiers has found a unique place for itself in the world of boutique amplification. ZT engineering guru Ken Kantor’s flagship amp is called The Lunchbox, so named because of its compact physical size. But the moniker utterly belies the fact the amp can pump out 200 watts of power.

    ZT recently launched two new models – the still-tiny Lunchbox Acoustic, and the slightly larger (but muscular) The Club. Expanding on the compact design of the flagship, the Lunchbox Acoustic is ZT’s first two-channel amp, with one channel dedicated to vocals, making it a suitable all-in-one rig for small- and mid-sized venues; imagine, all you singer/songwriters, having a 200-watt Class A/B amplifier that weighs 12 pounds and is able to easily fill even the most discriminating coffeehouse through its 6.5″ speaker.

    The feature-packed Lunchbox Acoustic has a number of options players need to effectively do their jobs. The Mic (vocal) channel can be used with any microphone or other devices, like a drum machine, keyboard, etc. This gem also has dedicated controls for Mic Gain and Instrument Gain, as well as a plate-style reverb with independent channel controls. You also have individual Bass and Treble controls to tailor the sound of each channel. There’s an effects loop, phantom power, three-position Anti-Feedback Control with bypass, Anti-Clip limiting circuit, phantom power, variable headphone/DI output, and even external speaker outputs. There is even an 1/8″ auxiliary input jack for plugging in external devices like an iPod or other portable music player.

    Weighing in at only an additional 10 pounds, The Club is designed for players looking for a more-traditional sound, but who still want a lightweight rig with plenty of headroom. The basic controls and features are similar, and it adds a vintage-voiced tone stack to make for a compact rig with lots of might.

    Starting with the tiniest of the two, the Lunchbox Acoustic is a very cool addition to the ZT line. For entirely too long, manufacturers have missed the boat in supporting the singer/songwriter to its full potential. This is where the Lunchbox Acoustic is absolutely brilliant. With a number of different instruments plugged into it the LB Acoustic had a nice, warm tone that was very usable. It will not replace a PA and a good DI, mind you, but this little dude will especially shine in the “house concert” and coffeehouse realms. And it’s difficult to overstate the convenience of a complete rig that can be carried in one hand!

    The amp’s plate reverb is conceived for acoustic guitar and for vocals, again making it convenient for players on the go. And the anti-feedback is a godsend – it’s easy to adjust to the room, for both instrument and vocals. It could use a little more top-end on vocals and a Midrange control would be helpful on both channels, but when you consider what this is and what you’re getting, it’s hard to complain.

    ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

    Equally as cool and a bit more diverse, sonically, The Club sounds good with a number of instruments. It excels at cleaner tones, but hitting it with a good overdrive pedal also reveals a number of usable tones. Its shining moment happens when it’s asked to serve as a high-output jazz amp. Sonically reminiscent of an old Polytone, with lots of headroom, its overall voicing is very pleasant, and hollowbody instruments sound wonderful through it; there’s a nice, natural articulation and attack with tube-like tendencies. In our tests, it responded particularly well to a ’56 Guild archtop, and also worked well for upright bass (the Lunchbox Acoustic did likewise, which was a pleasant surprise).

    Compared to the original Lunchbox, it’s fun to see how ZT’s line had progressed. Most notable are the improvements in tone, especially how low-end has improved in both models. Both of these amps are also significantly quieter at higher volumes.

    Neither of these will replace a high-end boutique amp or small PA. But if you’re looking for better-than-average tone in a tiny package, they’re worth checking out. The sounds are warm and full. And while The Club is obviously the better choice for electric players, the Lunchbox Acoustic is perfect for traveling songwriters.

    ZT Amplifiers’ Lunchbox Acoustic and Club
    Price: $549 (Lunchbox Acoustic [Below], list), $599 (The Club, list).
    Contact: ztamplifiers.com.

    This article originally appeared in VG January 2011 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Sean Weaver

    Sean Weaver

    Sean WeaverWeaver’s album of solo guitar features instrumental treatments that range from “La Alborada (Little Music Box),” a heart-tugging classical piece by Francisco Tarrega, to Rodgers and Hart’s “Little Girl Blue,” to a beautiful working of Don McLean’s “Vincent.”

    The reflective mood of the album runs through high-stepping versions of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” W.C. Handy’s fundamental blues classic, “St. Louis Blues,” and an inspired medley that has Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” segueing neatly into George Harrison’s “I Need You,” which may provide the disc’s best moments.

    Those songs are among each writer’s best and even without lyrics, in Weaver’s hands, “I Need You” retains all the quality of youthful yearning that makes it one of Harrison’s most passionate.

    Paul McCartney’s “For No One” follows. It’s a fresh, respectfully faithful interpretation that shows the strength of McCartney’s melody and Weaver’s clean, precise yet emotionally compelling playing.

    There are strains of rag-influenced Piedmont and swing here, among multiple other elements. But Weaver’s most obvious inspiration is probably Chet Atkins, and it isn’t hard to imagine Atkins smiling with approval at this album.

    This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • The MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion

    The MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion

    The MXR Custom Badass 78 Distortion

    Dunlop Custom Badass ’78 Distortion
    Price: $79
    Info: jimdunlop.com

    Custom Badass is a new division of MXR that offers the company’s engineers’ hot-rodded takes on popular designs.

    Packaged in MXR’s classic small housing, the ’78 Distortion is a bit lighter and has a more squared look compared to most MXR units. It has 1/4″ in/out jacks, a true-bypass stomp switch, and a 9-volt DC jack. Controls are for Output, Tone, and Distortion, and there’s a mini-switch labeled Crunch. This additional switch opens up the harmonic content of the pedal via switching the type of clipping used in the gain stages.

    Using a reissue Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Telecaster plugged into a ’65 Fender Deluxe Reverb and Dr. Z Carmen Ghia, chords played at low drive levels offered impressive clarity, with a nice bit of crunchy sizzle on top. Dialing up amp volume, sounds went from jangly grit to nice power-chord tones and cutting lead tones that were pleasing to the ear.

    Combining the Deluxe with the Les Paul, the character of the pedal becomes more evident, and it’s easy to dial in various crunch tones, and wail on oft-played classic-rock tunes. No matter the guitar or setting, the pedal is a well-reasoned machine.

    Engaging the Crunch control adds openness and presence to the tone. MXR says the button changes the LED- and diode-clipping stages, causing the tone to be more open/less compressed. All of the controls on this box are well-conceived. Tone is a useable treble cut/boost that allows for dialing in dark or clear tones, no matter the guitar. The Output can more than adequately compensate for low drive settings, while the Distortion knob can take it from a light crunch to heavy full-on saturation.

    Being mass-produced, the ’78 Distortion does forsake boutique touches in favor of board-mounted jacks, pots, and switches. But that doesn’t change the fact it’s a sweet-sounding pedal.

    This article originally appeared in VG December 2012 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • The Fender Bullet Deluxe/JP-90

    The Fender Bullet Deluxe/JP-90

     

     

    (LEFT) An early-’80s Fender Bullet Deluxe. (RIGHT) 1990 Fender JP-90.

    Fender has tried more than once to market basses with a low-budget vibe. And while the idea is laudable, most of the offerings never really caught on.

    In the early ’80s, Fender – then owned by CBS – was on a downward slide thanks in part to quality-control issues and uninspired products. And while the Bullet guitars and basses introduced in 1982 seemed like a solid idea, the masses weren’t buying it. So, domestic production of the model was discontinued the following year and production shifted overseas.

    The Bullet Bass was offered in two versions; the B-34 had a standard-sized body and 34″ scale, while the B-30 had a 30″ scale with a slightly smaller body. Both had a classic silhouette and were made of alder.

    The B-34 had a vintage-inspired headstock on a maple neck with 20 frets. Its split-oval pickups resembled those on a Mustang Bass (which had been discontinued the previous year), and it had a Precision-style bridge/tailpiece and Strat-like Volume and Tone knobs – nothin’ fancy.

    In 1985, Fender changed ownership for the third time, and by the end of the decade had re-established its place in the market. The JP-90 debuted in 1990 (the number making obvious reference to the decade) and was one of the earliest collaborations between Fender’s factory in Corona, California, and its then-new factory in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; bodies and necks were made in Ensenada, then shipped to Corona for assembly.

    The JP designation intimates at its connection to the Fender Jazz and Precision basses (J was listed first because its appearance owed more to the Jazz). The headstock was slightly smaller than its namesakes’, and topped a slim maple neck (like the Jazz) with a 34″ scale and a rosewood fretboard with 20 frets. The poplar body had a Jazz-inspired silhouette distinguished by two subtle incongruities Fender used to give it modern flair; the cutaway horns are slightly more pointed than those on the Jazz and Precision, and the beveling on its edges wasn’t quite as rounded. It did, however, retain the forearm bevel on front and “belly cut” bevel on back, and was offered in three colors – Arctic White, Black, and Torino Red.

    The JP-90’s no-frills concept carried over to its electronics, which consisted of two pickups in the “P/J” configuration; one offset, as on the Precision, one straight, as on the Jazz. Controls included simple Volume and Tone knobs and a three-way mini-toggle for pickup selection. The array was set in a black-plastic pickguard.

    The JP-90 initially caused excitement among the Fender sales force because it was American-made and listed for $499 retail. But sales were slow despite its pricing, and it was discontinued by ’94.

    Apparently, Fender bass players were (and are) traditionalists, favoring the Precision and Jazz and their numerous variants. But the good news for the Bullet and JP-90 is that in the used-instrument market they are today appreciated for what they are – simple, easy-to-play, American-made Fender basses, available at a decent price.

    Fender Bullett Deluxe/JP-90

    Price: $500-$700

    Contact: http://www.fender.com

    This article originally appeared in VG August 2011 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Buck Owens

    Buck Owens

    Buck Owens autobiographyBuck Owens never minced words. I know. I interviewed him and others in his inner circle in 1992, while annotating Rhino’s Buck Owens Collection box set. Detailing his scorn for Nashville’s music industry, he held nothing back – although he did note that time had mellowed his views. Given Music Row politics, some involved with the project feared his barbs might undermine manager Jack McFadden’s campaign to get him into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Owens, who had approval on my notes, made the final call: his remarks stayed. Four years later, he entered the Hall of Fame.

    Owens talked of writing his autobiography for years; by 2000, he amassed 100 hours of taped reminiscences. With his health failing, he never selected a coauthor prior to his death in 2006. The Owens estate chose Duane Allman biographer Randy Poe.

    Owens was often in hyperdrive in our conversations, his memories always sharp and incisive. In retaining that clear voice and wit, Poe adds immediacy to a narrative that starts with Owens’ youthful Dust Bowl days, farm labor, picking guitar in Bakersfield, and buying his first Telecaster. Detailing his peak years, Buck recounts stories from the road, recalling recording sessions and songs right down to chart position (the companion two-CD set contains the highpoints). The origins of both his famous red, white, and blue guitars and the Crystal Palace, his Bakersfield restaurant-museum, get ample space.

    While paying homage to all the Buckaroos, it’s no surprise he delves deeply into his friendship and intuitive musical relationship with Tele picker and fiddler Don Rich, as well as his own breakdown after Rich died in a 1974 motorcycle accident.

    At times, Owens is tough on himself, expressing regrets about his mediocre ’70s Warner Bros. recordings and remaining on “Hee Haw” so long that many knew him as a comic, not a singer. There are glimpses into the business savvy that made him one of country music’s wealthiest entertainers.

    Along with candid, acerbic comments about Capitol Records bureaucracy, Owens heaps praise on longtime producer Ken Nelson while criticizing Nelson’s blatant conflict of interest, forcing songs on Capitol acts published by a company the producer secretly co-owned. His disgust is palpable recalling the crackpot clergyman who claimed Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was a drug song, undercutting the success of his own 1971 country version.

    Autobiographies are selective by nature, and Buck ’Em is no different. Only occasionally does he touch on his messy marital history. There’s only one significant typo, where Nashville session bassist Bob Moore’s name is confused with Buck’s regular session bassist Bob Morris. The overall chronology is clear and accurate. The narrative never bogs down up to the year it ends, 2000.

    The stunner is an afterword covering Owens’ final six years. While many heard of cardiac problems, few were aware of the root causes: clinical depression and chronic knee pain that led him to self-medicate with various prescription drugs. It seems a tragic ending, but for one thing. Hours before he died, he met Oregon tourists at the Palace who drove hours in the hope of seeing him perform. Unwell, not planning to play, he sang for an hour and a half, went home – and didn’t wake up.

    For Buck Owens, it was, in its own way, a fairy-tale ending.

    This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Rock ‘N Roll Relics, Bruce Kulick Team on BK Guitar

    Rock N Roll Relics to introduce Kulick BK guitarBruce Kulick, former Kiss guitarist and current axe man for Grand Funk Railroad, will be showing a prototype of his forthcoming BK guitar at Winter NAMM. Inspired by the vintage Les Paul Junior Kulick used on many well-known recordings, the BK, which will be produced by Rock N’ Roll Relics, has a mahogany body and a humbucking pickup. A limited edition, all will be signed by Kulick. For more, visit Rebel Guitars.