The Reverberating Influence of Bakersfield and the Bakersfield Sound on Country Music

Country music, as a diverse genre with rich historical roots, owes its evolution to various regional sounds and influential musical hubs. Among these, the city of Bakersfield in California holds a significant place, thanks to its unique musical style known as the Bakersfield Sound. The Bakersfield Sound and its associated artists played a pivotal role in shaping the country music landscape, bringing a fresh and distinctive perspective to the genre. This essay explores the importance of Bakersfield and the Bakersfield Sound, highlighting their enduring impact on country music.

The Bakersfield Sound emerged in the 1950s as a response to the prevailing Nashville Sound, which often incorporated orchestral arrangements and smoother tones. Bakersfield, with its honky-tonk bars and vibrant music scene, fostered a raw, energetic sound that resonated with a different set of audiences. The signature elements of the Bakersfield Sound included a twangy, amplified electric guitar, a driving rhythm section, and heartfelt lyrics that often reflected the working-class struggles and life in the Central Valley.

Influential Artists:

Buck Owens, born Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. in 1929, was a legendary figure in the Bakersfield Sound movement. He rose to fame with his band, The Buckaroos, and became one of the most influential artists in country music history. Owens brought a fresh, energetic sound to the genre, blending traditional honky-tonk with a rock and roll edge. His hits like "Act Naturally" and "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail" propelled him to the top of the charts and solidified his status as a country music icon. Buck Owens' contributions to the Bakersfield Sound continue to resonate with musicians and fans alike.

Merle Haggard, born in 1937, is often regarded as the cornerstone of the Bakersfield Sound. His life experiences, including a troubled past and time spent in prison, deeply influenced his music. Haggard's songwriting captured the struggles and sentiments of the working class, resonating with audiences across the nation. Songs such as "Mama Tried," "Okie from Muskogee," and "The Fightin' Side of Me" not only became chart-topping hits but also became anthems for blue-collar America. Merle Haggard's honest and relatable music continues to shape the country music landscape.

Wynn Stewart, born in 1934, was a pioneering artist in the Bakersfield Sound movement. Known for his smooth vocals and honky-tonk style, Stewart's contributions were instrumental in shaping the sound of Bakersfield country music. He had a string of hits in the 1960s, including "Wishful Thinking" and "It's Such a Pretty World Today." Stewart's music reflected the struggles and joys of everyday life, and his distinctive sound influenced subsequent generations of country artists.

Dwight Yoakam, born in 1956, emerged in the 1980s as a prominent artist carrying the torch of the Bakersfield Sound. Influenced by the traditional honky-tonk style of his predecessors, Yoakam brought a contemporary twist to the genre. His blend of country, rock, and pop sensibilities appealed to a wide audience. Hits like "Guitars, Cadillacs" and "Honky Tonk Man" showcased his distinctive twangy vocals and solidified his place in country music history. Dwight Yoakam's music bridged the gap between traditional and modern country, ensuring the continued legacy of the Bakersfield Sound.

Jean Shepard, born in 1933, was not only a trailblazing female artist in the Bakersfield Sound era but also one of the most prominent women in country music history. With her powerful voice and emotionally charged performances, Shepard gained recognition for hits like "A Dear John Letter" and "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)." She became one of the first female members of the Grand Ole Opry and played a crucial role in paving the way for future generations of women in country music.

Bonnie Owens, born in 1929, was a talented singer and songwriter who made significant contributions to the Bakersfield Sound. She was married to Buck Owens and collaborated with him on several duets, including the popular "Together Again." Owens' distinctive voice and heartfelt performances added depth and emotion to their music. As a solo artist, she also achieved success with songs like "Don't Take Advantage of Me" and "That Little Boy of Mine." Bonnie Owens' contributions to the Bakersfield Sound were highly influential, both as a collaborator and as an individual artist.

Rose Maddox, born in 1925, was a dynamic and charismatic performer known for her energetic stage presence and soulful voice. She was a member of the Maddox Brothers and Rose, a popular sibling band that blended country, rockabilly, and boogie-woogie sounds. Maddox's powerful vocals shone through on hits like "Philadelphia Lawyer" and "Sally Let Your Bangs Hang Down." Her impact extended beyond the Bakersfield Sound, as she became a prominent figure in West Coast country music and a source of inspiration for female artists in the genre.

Kay Adams, born in 1941, was a notable female artist in the Bakersfield Sound movement. Her rich, distinctive voice and versatile singing style allowed her to tackle various subgenres of country music. Adams gained recognition for her hits like "Little Pink Mack," which showcased her ability to infuse humor into her music, and "Six Days a Waiting," which displayed her soulful and emotive delivery. Kay Adams' contributions as a female artist added diversity and depth to the Bakersfield Sound.

Liz Anderson, born in 1927, was a singer, songwriter, and matriarch of the Anderson family, which included her daughter, Lynn Anderson. Known for her clever and introspective songwriting, Anderson penned hits such as "Mama Spank" and "The Fugitive." Her music often delved into personal experiences and tackled topics that resonated with listeners. Anderson's talents as a songwriter and her distinct voice left an indelible mark on the Bakersfield Sound and influenced subsequent generations of female artists.

Impact on Country Music:

The Bakersfield Sound's influence on country music cannot be overstated. It revitalized the genre at a time when it was moving towards a more polished and orchestrated sound. Bakersfield's raw, stripped-down approach represented a return to the roots of country music, resonating with listeners seeking a more authentic musical experience.

Moreover, the Bakersfield Sound introduced a new generation of artists who challenged the status quo and pushed the boundaries of country music. It inspired countless musicians to embrace their individuality, infusing their music with regional influences and personal stories. Artists like Dwight Yoakam, who emerged in the 1980s, carried forward the Bakersfield Sound tradition, adding their own contemporary twists to the style.

The Bakersfield Sound's legacy continues to reverberate through modern country music. Its impact is evident in the works of contemporary artists who draw inspiration from the raw honesty and independent spirit that defined the Bakersfield Sound. Its influence can be heard in the music of acts like Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and many others who are reshaping the genre by blending traditional elements with their unique artistic visions.

Furthermore, Bakersfield's contribution to country music is celebrated through its museums, festivals, and annual tribute concerts, which honor the legacy of influential artists and preserve the Bakersfield Sound for future generations. These endeavors ensure that the sound and spirit of Bakersfield remain an integral part of country music's narrative.

Bakersfield's imprint on country music through the emergence of the Bakersfield Sound and the contributions of artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard is indelible. The Bakersfield Sound's rebelliousness and commitment to authenticity shook the country music landscape, inspiring countless musicians to find their own voices and redefine the genre. Its lasting impact on contemporary artists demonstrates that the raw and unfiltered spirit of Bakersfield continues to shape and evolve country music, ensuring its relevance and vitality for years to come.

The Day The Music Died: To Those Country Music Lost in 2018

K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She's ever so gracious to provide wonderful tributes to honor those to whom the music we treasure just wouldn't be the same without. Thank you, K.F.

Here are the people who sang their final song in 2018.

Sammy Allred (May 9, unknown cause, age 84): known to a generation of fans as "Sam Geezinslaw" of the Geezinslaw Brothers, he was also a longtime, award-winning Austin, Texas DJ.

Casey Anderson (November 26, natural causes, age 92): the former husband and songwriter partner of Liz Anderson and the father of Lynn Anderson.

Rayburn Anthony (April 21, unknown cause, age 80): rockabilly singer/songwriter for Sun Records in its early days, he later became a member of Billy Walker's band and co-wrote Walker's #1 hit "Sing Me a Love Song to Baby."

Charles Aznavour (October 1, natural causes, age 94): the "French Frank Sinatra" was an accomplished singer and songwriter. One of his best-known songs, "Hier Encore," was a 1969 country and pop hit for Roy Clark as "Yesterday, When I Was Young."

Stu Basore (February 5, Lewy Body dementia, age 80): steel guitarist who played with numerous greats, including providing the mournful steel on Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You."

Delia Bell (June 15, natural causes, age 83): longtime bluegrass performer as a solo act and as part of a duet with Bill Grant.

John T. Benson III (October 28, natural causes, age 90): Gospel Music Hall of Fame former head of the Benson Music Company, founded by Benson's grandfather and recognized as the oldest permanent music organization in Nashville.

Ponty Bone (July 13, progressive supranuclear palsy, age 78): legendary Texas accordion player who had his own band, the Squeezetones, as well as touring as a member of Joe Ely's band.

Jerry Chesnut (December 15, natural causes, age 87): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famers who gave the world songs ranging from heartbreak ballads ("It's Four in the Morning," "A Good Year for the Roses") to vibrant foot-stompers ("T-R-O-U-B-L-E").

Brandon Church (June 29, seizure, age 36): brother of singer Eric Church and co-writer of his brother's hit "Without You Here."

Roger Clark (May 24, heart attack, age 67): Muscle Shoals session drummer who worked on albums by artists as diverse as Carl Perkins, Hank Williams Jr., Conway Twitty, and T.G. Sheppard.

Roy Clark (November 15, pneumonia, age 85): Country Music Hall of Fame singer, multi-instrumental wizard, and Hee Haw host who delighted audiences for decades.

Upcoming Buck Owens Double CD Features Previously Unheard Recordings

Artist: Buck Owens
Album: Buck ’Em! Volume 2: The Music of Buck Owens (1967-1975)
Label: Omnivore
Release date: Nov. 13, 2015

The hero of Bakersfield, California has a another new compilation album coming out in November, this one capturing his output from 1967 to 1975 and features several new live and previously unheard recordings. If Volume 1 started the story, Buck ’Em! Volume 2 continues it, tracing the influential music of Buck Owens via 50 tracks.

From #1 singles like “Who’s Gonna Mow Your Grass,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Tall Dark Stranger,” to favorites including “Ain’t It Amazing, Gracie” and the original version of “Streets of Bakersfield,” Buck ’Em: Volume 2 continues the journey of Owens throughout his run into the 1970s and into the homes of America on Hee Haw. 

It also features notes and photos culled from the best-selling book, Buck ’Em! The Autobiography of Buck Owens by the artist with Randy Poe.

Disc 1:
1. Happy Times Are Here Again
2. Sweet Rosie Jones

3. Your Mother’s Prayer
4. You’ll Never Miss the Water (Till The Well Runs Dry)
5. If I Had Three Wishes

6. Let the World Keep on a Turnin’ — Buck Owens and Buddy Alan

7. Things I Saw Happening at the Fountain on the Plaza When I Was Visiting Rome or Amore

8. Darlin’, You Can Depend on Me (alternate version)
9. I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail (live at the White House)
10. Who’s Gonna Mow Your Grass
11. We’re Gonna Get Together — Buck Owens and Susan Raye
12. I’ve Got You on My Mind Again (live in London)
13. Johnny B. Goode (live in London)
14. Today I Started Loving You Again — Buck Owens and Bettye Swann (outtake)

15. Big in Vegas (live in Las Vegas)
16. Las Vegas Lament (live in Las Vegas)
17. The Kansas City Song
18. Down in New Orleans (early version)
19. Tall Dark Stranger (live in Scandinavia)
20. I Wouldn’t Live in New York City (If They Gave Me the Whole Dang Town)
21. Bridge Over Troubled Water
22. (I’m Goin’) Home

23. Ruby (Are You Mad)

24. Corn Likker
25. I’ll Still Be Waiting for You (live in Reno)

Disc 2:
1. Arms Full of Empty

2. Ain’t It Amazing, Gracie

3. You Ain’t Gonna Have Ol’ Buck to Kick Around No More

4. I Love You So Much It Hurts

5. Something’s Wrong

6. In the Palm of Your Hand

7. Streets of Bakersfield

8. The Good Old Days (Are Here Again) —
9. I Won’t Be Needing You
10. It Never Will Be Over for Me
11. Big Game Hunter

12. (It’s a) Monster’s Holiday
13. Stony Mountain West Virginia
14. Holdin’ On

15. On the Cover of the Music City News (live in Japan)

16. Made In Japan (live in Japan)

17. Somewhere Between You and Me — Buck Owens and Susan Raye (live in New Zealand)
18. Rollin’ in My Sweet Baby’s Arms (live in Australia)
19. Great Expectations

20. 41st Street Lonely Hearts’ Club
21. Weekend Daddy

22. He Ain’t Been Out Bowling With the Boys (outtake)

23. A Different Kind of Sad (outtake)
24. The Battle of New Orleans

25. Country Singer’s Prayer
 

New Best Of Dwight Yoakam Album To Highlight Career Works In The New Century

While Dwight Yoakam's line of hits in the 80's and early 90's was commercially some of the best coming out at the time, it's been his career over the last decade or so that has been an undeniable hit with critics. The great demonstration of this has been his multitude of wins at the Americana Awards over the last couple of years.

Now word comes out that New West Records will release the new Yoakam compilation, 21st Century Hits: Best of 2000-12, on October 1. The album chronicles for the first time the key singles, hits and beloved songs Yoakam recorded while on New West Records, Warner Brothers and Koch between 2000-12. The collection picks up where the multiple Grammy Award winner's last greatest hits compilation left off and will bring the listener right up to his latest album, 2012's 3 Pears. It will be available digitally, on CD and as a deluxe CD+DVD combo featuring five music videos: "Close Up The Honky Tonks, "Intentional Heartache," Blame The Vain," "Back Of Your Hand" and "Late Great Golden State." The bonus DVD will also contain hi-res 24/96 audio playback of the album.

The 14-track LP is compiled of essential singles from five albums including Tomorrow's Sound Today, Population Me, Blame The Vain, Dwight Sings Buck and 3 Pears as well as the smash hit "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" as featured in the film "The Break-Up," and the never before commercially released duet with Michelle Branch, "Long Goodbye." Also included is the Willie Nelson duet "If Teardrops Were Diamonds" and the rollicking "A Heart Like Mine" produced by Beck.

Opening the album is "The Sad Side Of Town," a torchy Buck Owens-Yoakam co-write delivered with aching restraint. Yoakam's homage to former mentor Owens, Dwight Sings Buck, is represented here with three tracks including Yoakam's take on The Baron of Bakersfield's perennial favorite, "Act Naturally." His 2005 New West debut, Blame The Vain, which saw Yoakam taking the reins for his first-ever self- produced album, is highlighted here with four tracks including the rocking, uproarious "Intentional Heartache," the twangy, boot-stomping "I Wanna Love Again" and the Hammond organ-laced country-rock title track.

Few entertainers have attained the iconic status of Yoakam. In his illustrious three-decade career he has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, has amassed 12 gold albums and nine platinum or multi-platinum albums and is a 21-time nominated Grammy award winner. 21st Century Hits shines the spotlight on this country pioneer's second act, which showcases him embracing rock, Americana, pop and soul with aplomb and the same fiery passion first displayed on his trail blazing 1986 debut.

DWIGHT YOAKAM'S 21ST CENTURY HITS: BEST OF 2000-12 TRACK LIST
1. The Sad Side Of Town (Tomorrow's Sounds Today)
2. Late Great Golden State (Population Me)
3. The Back Of Your Hand (Population Me)
4. If Teardrops Were Diamonds (with Willie Nelson) (Population Me)
5. Long Goodbye (with Michelle Branch) (Previously Unreleased)
6. Intentional Heartache (Blame The Vain)
7. Blame The Vain (Blame The Vain)
8. I Wanna Love Again (Blame The Vain)
9. Just Passin' Time (Blame The Vain)
10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (The Break-Up Soundtrack)
11. Close Up The Honky Tonks (Dwight Sings Buck)
12. My Heart Skips A Beat (Dwight Sings Buck)
13. Act Naturally (Dwight Sings Buck)
14. A Heart Like Mine (3 Pears)
 
Bonus DVD
1. Close Up The Honky Tonks
2. Intentional Heartache
3. Blame The Vain
4. Back of Your Hand
5. Late Great Golden State

Vince Gill And Steel Guitarist Paul Franklin Announce New Collaborative Tribute Album Together

MCA Recording and 20 Grammy Award-winning artist Vince Gill and famed steel guitarist, Paul Franklin, announced the upcoming release of Bakersfield on July 30 via MCA Nashville. Gill and Franklin pay tribute to the “Bakersfield” sound by performing songs from two of Bakersfield’s sons; Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.

Gill and Franklin share the producing duties on the ten song set that makes up Bakersfield. Bakersfield was tracked in two days at Gill’s home studio, backed by a stellar band made up of John Hobbs, piano; Greg Morrow, drums; Willie Weeks and Brad Albin, bass; J. T. Corenflos, electric rhythm guitar; and Time Jumpers Kenny Sears, Larry Franklin,Joe Spivey, fiddles and Dawn Sears on harmony vocals.  Gill played all the acoustic and electric guitar fills and solos.

“This is just as much a guitar record for me as it is a singing record,” Gill says, “But it was fun for me to sing a whole record of the greatest songs ever. I guess what I’m real proud of is that when it’s one of Buck’s songs, I sing it very much in that vein. And the Haggard songs are very much in the vein he sang.  With Buck’s songs, you won’t find much vibrato in my vocals, and with Merle’s, it will come down to a low note and that quiver.”

“This may be Vince’s greatest project,” Franklin declares.  “What a showcase!  I’ve heard him sing for 30 years, but he sings licks on this record I never heard before.”

Merle Haggard who writes the albums liner notes says “Vince and Paul offer a great new touch on a great old sound. It was great, certainly to hear my music done with the great touch of Vince and Paul.  I feel highly complimented.  But it was especially great to hear what they did with Bucks stuff.  Some may not notice, but I for one knew how great Buck really was, first as a musician, then as an artist.”

The iconic singer/songwriter adds, “I can only give the entire project a big ole double, thumbs up!  Well done guys, the West Coast takes a bow.”

Full track listing:

Title                                                     Made Famous By

1.  Foolin’ Around                                Buck Owens (Written by Harlan Howard and Buck Owens)

2.  Branded Man                                  Merle Haggard (Written by Merle Haggard)

3.  Together Again                                Buck Owens (Written by Buck Owens)

4.  The Bottle Let Me Down                 Merle Haggard (Written by Merle Haggard)

5.  He Don’t Deserve You Anymore     Buck Owens (Written by Arty Lange and Buck Owens)

6.  I Can’t Be Myself                            Merle Haggard (Written by Merle Haggard)

7.  Nobody’s Fool But Yours               Buck Owens (Written by Buck Owens)

8.  Holding Things Together                  Merle Haggard (Written by Bob Trotten and Merle Haggard)

9.  But I Do                                          Buck Owens (Written by Tommy Collins)

10. The Fightin’ Side Of Me                 Merle Haggard (Written by Merle Haggard)

Upcoming January and February Country & Bluegrass Album Releases

There's lots of new music being released over the course of the next two months by a lot of quality artists. From mainstream crossovers like Darius Rucker to critical darlings The Steeldrivers, there's really something for everyone. Anything you're looking forward to?

January 15

Katie Armiger – Fall Into Me

Lulu Roman – At Last

January 22/23

Gary Allan – Set You Free

Darius Rucker – True Believers

Buck Owens – Honky Tonk Man

Don Rich – Sings George Jones

Randy Houser – How Country Feels

Henry Wagons – Expecting Company?

Tim McGraw- Tim McGraw and Friends

Rich Mahan – Blame Bobby Bare

Ted Russell Kamp – Night Owl

January 29

Kris Kristofferson – Feeling Mortal

Sarah Darling- Home to Me EP

Jacob Jones – Good Timin’ in Waynetown

Blue Sky Riders – Finally Home

Dale Watson – El Rancho Azul

February 5

Jewel – Greatest Hits

Tim McGraw – Two Lanes of Freedom

The Steeldrivers – Hammer Down

Holly Williams – Highway

Chris Stamey – Lovesick Blues

Townes Van Zandt – Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972

John Corbett – Leaving Nothin’ Behind

February 7

Mary Gauthier – Live at Blue Rock

February 12

Dustin Welch – Tijuana Bible

Merle Haggard – The Complete ’60s Capitol Singles

George Jones – The Complete United Artists Solo Singles

Wanda Jackson – The Best of the Classic Capitol Singles

Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis – Cheater’s Game

February 26

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell – Old Yellow Moon

The Mavericks – In Time

Wayne Hancock – Ride

February 28

Ryan Cook – Wrestling With Demons

Unheard Buck Owens Album To Be Released In January

Six years after his death, Buck Owens will have new unheard music see the light of day. Omnivore Recordings, digging a little deeper, found two albums worth of never-before-released music from the Buckaroos camp: Buck Owens’ Honky Tonk Man- set for release January 23, 2013.

The 18 tracks on Buck Owens’ Honky Tonk Man were culled from the vast trove of material he recorded at his Bakersfield studio for the rural hit comedy TV series Hee Haw in the early ’70s. The set is a concise tutorial on the history of country music — from “In the Jailhouse Now,” a song first popularized by Jimmie Rodgers in 1928, to “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer,” a hit for Johnny Russell in 1973. Many of the songs Owens did for Hee Haw were originally recorded by his biggest and earliest influences: Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys’ “Stay a Little Longer”; Hank Williams’ “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It,” “Jambalaya” and “Hey Good Lookin’”; Hank Snow’s “I’m Moving On”; and Jack Guthrie’s “Oklahoma Hills.” Owens also nodded to fellow Bakersfield Sound stalwart Merle Haggard on “Swinging Doors.”

The CD’s title track, “Honky Tonk Man,” is a song first popularized by Johnny Horton in 1956. Thirty years later it became an even bigger hit for Dwight Yoakam, an avowed Bakersfield Sound disciple.

Dwight Yoakam To Release 3 Pears In September

On September 18th, 2012, Grammy-Award winner Dwight Yoakam will release his first all new studio album in seven years, 3 Pears on Warner Bros. Records.  The 12-track release, his 26th, is produced by Yoakam, along with two songs co-produced with Beck; “A Heart Like Mine” and “Missing Heart”. Fans can hear a teaser of the track, “Trying,” now on Yoakam’s newly launched website www.DwightYoakam.com.

From the press release:

3 Pears exemplifies Yoakam’s ability to incorporate multiple, competing influences into a piece of cohesive art. It balances his country core with a fiercely independent embrace of rock, Americana, pop and soul and builds on his trademark edginess with a notable, growing positivity. 3 Pears contains heartfelt love songs, which showcase Yoakam’s authentic country vocals while maintaining his unmistakable classic sound.  

Yoakam will be honored by the Academy of Country Music with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award at the 6th Annual ACM Honors event on September 24th in Nashville.  The prestigious Award honors individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre.  Past recipients include Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Sr. and Hank Williams, Jr. Yoakam also recently narrated the current exhibit at The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum; The Bakersfield Sound:  Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and California County, showing through the end of next year. The exhibit explores the roots, heyday and impact of the Bakersfield Sound, the loud, stripped-down and radio-ready music most closely identified with the careers of Country Music Hall of Fame members Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.  

Dwight Yoakam’s 3 Pears Track Listing:  

1. Take Hold Of My Hand
2. Waterfall
3. Dim Lights, Thick Smoke
4. Trying
5. Nothing But Love
6. It’s Never Alright
7. A Heart Like Mine
8. Long Way To Go
9. Missing Heart
10. 3 Pears
11. Rock It All Away
12. Long Way To Go (Reprise)

Songwriter Jerry Leiber Passes Away

Jerry Leiber, half of one of the most celebrated and successful songwriting teams of the 1950s and '60s, has died of cardiopulmonary failure following a lengthy illness. He was 78.

Leiber will be most remembered in country circles for co-writing the legendary Johnny and June Carter Cash song, "Jackson." Additional country stars to cover Leiber-written tunes include George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Buck Owens, Ray Stevens, Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, The Rascals, Old Crow Medicine Show, Hank Snow, Jerry Reed, Ray Charles, Clay Aiken, Mandy Barnett and Ronnie Dunn.

With his partner Mike Stoller, Leiber was the author of such hits as "Hound Dog," "Jailhouse Rock," "Loving You," "Yakety Yak," "Stand by Me" and many others. Leiber wrote the lyrics, Stoller the music. The two were among the first and most successful songwriters and producers to merge rhythm and blues with pop music in the 1950s.

Leiber came from Baltimore and met Stoller in Los Angeles in 1950. They bonded over a mutual love for rhythm and blues and had a profound impact as pop music began to absorb black music as it mutated into rock 'n' roll. Before they were 20, the two had written songs for such R&B stars as Ray Charles, Big Mama Thornton and Charles Brown. Besides writing a number of Elvis Presley's biggest hits, Leiber and Stoller produced the Coasters, for whom the pair produced the hits "Charlie Brown," "Young Blood," "Little Egypt" and "Poison Ivy." Their other songs included Ben E. King's "Stand by Me," the Drifters' "On Broadway," the Clovers' "Love Potion #9" and Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is."

Leiber and Stoller's catalog was used as the basis for the 1995 Broadway revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe." Their last major hit as producers came in 1972, when they produced Stealers Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You," which was later used to great effect in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs."

They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985, the Producers Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two years later.

TNS Video History- Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens- "Streets of Bakersfield"

Happy Halloween With A Little Buck Owens "(It's A) Monster's Holiday"

That Nashville Sound wishes you and your family a wonderful Halloween. We thought we'd celebrate with a little fun song from Hee Haw veteran Buck Owens called "(It's A) Monster's Holiday."