Buck Griffin

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Albert C. "Buck" Griffin (born February 23, 1923 in Corsicana , Texas , † February 14, 2009 in Sayre , Oklahoma ) was an American country and rockabilly musician who started his career in the 1950s.

Life

Childhood and youth

Buck Griffin grew up in Oklahoma and Missouri . He received the nickname "Buck" (English for buck or donkey) from his father. At the age of twelve he learned to play the guitar , a few years later he founded his first band that performed at school events. After school, he worked in the Kansas oil fields , performing in honky tonks. At the same time he received his own nightly radio program on the radio station WKY.

Career

After the death of country star Hank Williams , who had a strong influence on Griffin, he met Joe Leonard, the owner of a radio station in Gainesville , Texas, and Lin Records. Griffin signed with him and recorded his first two records, I Don't Make No Nevermind and Meadowlark Boogie , in 1954 at the WFAA radio studio in Dallas . However, these went largely unnoticed by the public. His next records, however, became more successful and Griffin made it possible to perform with stars like Red Foley and Marty Robbins . On the radio, his singles were briefly among the most played singles. Griffin was far more successful as a songwriter. His Let's Elope Baby was successfully recorded by rockabilly stars like Wade Ray and Janis Martin . After an appearance in the Big D Jamboree Griffin was from the MGM Records under contract. There he developed into rockabilly and released today's classics such as Stutterin Papa . He also performed with the later country star Conway Twitty .

In 1960 the contract with MGM Records ran out; after that he recorded some insignificant records for various small labels. He published titles until the 1970s, after which he retired. In the last years of his life, Griffin increasingly struggled with health problems.

Buck Griffin died on February 14, 2009 at the age of 85 in a Sayre, Oklahoma hospital.

Discography

Singles

year title Record company
1954 It Don't Make No Never Mind / Meadowlark Boogie Lin Records
1954 Rollin 'Tears / One Day after Payday Lin Records
1954 Going Home All Alone / Lookin 'for the Green Lin Records
1955 Next to Mine / Lord Give Me Strength Lin Records
1955 Bawlin 'and Squallin' / Let's Elope, baby Lin Records
1955 Go-Stop-Go / Cochise Lin Records
1956 Little Dan / Neither Do I. Lin Records
1956 Stutterin 'Papa / Watchin' the 7:10 Roll By MGM Records
1957 Bow My Back / Old Bee Tree MGM Records
1957 Jessie Lee / You'll Never Come Back MGM Records
1958 The Party / Every Night Metro Records
1962 Pretty Lou / Girl in 1209 Hollyday Inn Records
196? First Man to Stand on the Moon / 26 Steps Lin Records
196? Too Many Honky Tonks /? Rotary Records
196? I Can't Keep My Wheels on the Ground / Flashing Lights, Wine and Me Rotary Records
196? One Day After Payday / No More Fun Rotary Records
196? Green River Towns / Greener Pastures Rotary Records
1964 Vietnam / Drinkin 'with the Blues Foundation Records
Unpublished titles
  • Broken Heart With Alimony
MGM Records (not released)

Albums

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary on Hillbilly-Music.com