Buck Barry Singing Cowboy of WOOD TV
Every town with a television station had their own local celebrities, and they still do. The local weatherman is still recognized when he goes to the mall, and local broadcasters still make their appearances at local food festivals and such. My local celeb as a boy was Buck Barry. Check out the primitive "cowboy style double B brand" signature!
I've found two pieces of Buck Barry detritus since moving back to Michigan and each brought a smile, as I was on Buck's afternoon show along with the other members of my cub scout troop. How my (Den) mother arranged for it is a mystery now, but it was just one of the things she did while raising me which I have learned to appreciate. No, I did not "buck up" in cowboy drag like the little buckaroos here…I wore my cub scout uniform, and remember being terrified to lead the pledge of allegiance at the start of the show.
Buck Joseph Barry was a singing cowboy with Gene Autry Credentials. He was born in 1917 and rode with the Col. Tim McCoy Wild West Show starting in 1938. He landed a radio gig on WOOD radio which eventually led to his afternoon television show. He often yodeled on the show and played a sunburst Gibson while doing it. He recorded one 45 rpm with The Countrymen and gave a lesson on the flip side.
The Cowboy revival band "Riders in the Sky" have a special relationship with Buck's memory…Fred "Too Slim" LaBour who plays bass in for the band is a Grand Rapids native and credits Buck with their yodeling.
The Buckaroo Rodeo ran for nearly 15 years on WOOD-TV out of Grand Rapids.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum, who mounted a Buck Berry exhibit in 1997, provides the studio set photograph above. More information on Buck is HERE and his wiki is HERE
Buck is buried in Texas.
Official Buck Barry postcard swag collection LIttle Jimmy Linderman
i remember running all the way from Henry School to College st to be on the show.
ReplyDeleteIs this blog still live.
DeleteLived about a Mile from his home on 5 Mike NE. His horse was there occasionally.
DeleteWow, does this ever bring back memories! We want to use this theme to decorate our 4H barn next year.
ReplyDeleteMy brothers and I actually entertained with Buck at various venues in the GR area. He was always very kind to us backstage.
ReplyDeleteI was on the Buck Barry show when I was around 10 years of age in 1964? I won the canoe race!! Wish I could see that in the archives as the show's were all taped I think.
ReplyDeleteI was on the buck berry show myself when I was about 10 years old. I think when he finally left to show they changed it over to the Captain Woody show on channel 8.
DeleteBuck sang for me at a Creston High School Christmas concert. I met him at W.O.O.D.-TV while we were taping a choir Christmas program. He and I instantly "clicked". I heard him sing and there was something in his voice that captivated me. Sort of a "Jim Neighbors" moment.I invited him to sing "The Lord's Prayer" at our Christmas concert. He was thrilled and said it had always been his dream to "sing concert music". We of course received daily promos on Buck's radio show. He urged all the little Buckaroos to "come and hear Buck sing in a real concert". And of course he urged the Buckeroos to bring their moms and dads.Needless to say, we filled the house. I was thrilled to play the piano accompaniment for his solo, and later he recorded "The Lord's Prayer" on a 45rpm.He was a great man,a superb entertainer and he had a heart of gold. I am writing my memoirs and one of the stories will be about the man, my friend, Buck Berry.
ReplyDeleteI was on the show Don McDowell
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember when Buck Berry and Thunder raced a race car at the Speedrom?
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