Buck Owens vs Tom Brumley

Gary Cooper · Post by **Gary Cooper** » 22 Jul 2015 3:42 pm

I read that Buck Owens wanted to fire Tom Brumley because Tom's play o by was not good enough. This was sometime around Tom's Toether Again. What was Buck thinking?

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 22 Jul 2015 5:01 pm

Where did you read that? Do you have a copy of what you read?

Gary Cooper · Post by **Gary Cooper** » 22 Jul 2015 5:04 pm

Rick, I believe it was in the notes of Jeff Newman's tab to the song.

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 22 Jul 2015 5:19 pm

Seeing as both men are gone, this can lead to nothing good...

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 22 Jul 2015 5:31 pm

From what I read in the Buck Owens bio by Eileen Sisk ( a must for Buckaroos fans as there are great interviews with Brumley, Doyle Holly and Willie Cantu) was that Tom Brumley was given a raise immediately after the first week of shows to like $180 a week, where the rest of the band was getting somewhere around $75 each. He would again give him another raise a few weeks later. For Buck Owens to give anybody a raise was a historic moment, so that tells me he highly valued Tom's ability and sonic addition to the band. Also, Owens kept Tom close to home, denying him opportunities to record with other luminaries, such as Ray Charles, by not telling Brumley about the offers. He didn't want anybody poaching him, which would probably have been pretty easy considering how little he and the rest of the band were paid for their contributions.

post script---Brumley recorded Together Again on a half destroyed Fender that he and Don Rich were able to cobble together before a series of engagements. Buck Owens told him they had a steel for him, so Brumley didn't think he needed to bring his own. But the previous steel player, or band , had purposely demolished it in protest to the firing of the previous steel player, whose name slips me at the moment. According to Cantu, Holly, adn Brumley, that incarnation of the Buckaroos never rehearsed...ever.

Gary Cooper · Post by **Gary Cooper** » 22 Jul 2015 5:40 pm

The following is from Newman's volume 25..Together Again tab, "shortly after this record (together again) was recorded, Buck Owens approached Tom Brumley and told him he was fired because he didn't play well enough for his band. The record became a hit in no time and Mr. Owens obviously recanted this statement and kept him on for another two weeks or so."

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 22 Jul 2015 8:37 pm

Now here is a thread that needs closing!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Jul 2015 12:38 am

Gary Cooper wrote:The following is from Newman's volume 25..Together Again tab, "shortly after this record (together again) was recorded, Buck Owens approached Tom Brumley and told him he was fired because he didn't play well enough for his band.

Though I like to hear those stories, I'd have to classify that comment as hearsay. Now, I've heard that Buck could be hard to please, but I've also heard plenty other stories about musicians that got fired, and then re-hired the next day, so I wouldn't make a big deal about it. Tom was with Buck for quite a while, and that tenure speaks for itself.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 23 Jul 2015 4:45 am

From here:

http://www.vintageguitar.com/3458/buck- ... buckaroos/

As “Act Naturally” raced up the charts toward #1 in November, 1963, McDonald quit. At the time, Tom Brumley co-owned a homebuilding business in Austin, Texas. “I hadn’t played for a year. I’d been buildin’ houses and more or less thought I was out of the music business. I never thought I would have a career there. Lo and behold, the phone rang one day, and it was Buck.” He wanted Brumley to replace McDonald. Ecstatic at the chance to return to professional music, he packed his car but left his steel behind.

“The only thing I brought out to Bakersfield was my ’59 Bassman amp which I still have. I used that until (Fender) gave us Twins in late ’64 with JBLs, but I used a Fender 1000, and Buck said, ‘Don’t worry about it. Fender will give you a new one, so just leave it.’ I had a load going out anyway. I thought I’d have a brand new Fender 1000 when I got there.” He also assumed there’d be extensive rehearsals.

Not quite. “The first time I played with Buck was live onstage in a big club in L.A. when I had to back up Rose Maddox first. And that was an exciting deal because I didn’t get to see my guitar until an hour before gig time.” The steel was not only not factory fresh; it was McDonald’s old one – now considerably worse for wear. Brumley opened the case to find the Fender 1000 with its strings torn off, adding, “All the cables were loose underneath and one pedal had busted off. So me and Don got on it, got strings on it and I got two pedals workin’ and away we went.”

On January 28, 1964, Brumley – still using the trashed Fender – did his first recording with Buck at the Capitol Tower. “I cut ‘Together Again’ with that same (guitar), two pedals and that was it.” Though he hadn’t touched his steel in a year, Brumley had no trouble acclimating himself. “The first I did with Buck was the ‘Together Again’ session, and I did ‘Bud’s Bounce.’ He asked me to do an instrumental… Some of the things we never heard until we got in the studio – in fact, most of ’em. We never had one rehearsal with Buck.

Gary Cooper · Post by **Gary Cooper** » 23 Jul 2015 5:12 am

Daniel and Greg, thank you very much for your addition to the history of the PSG, especially in regards to Tom Brumley. It was TOGETHER AGAIN that sparked my interest in the PSG. To learn about how it came to be, what instrument was actually used, etc, is fascinating to me, and hopefully other members of the forum.

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 23 Jul 2015 11:18 am

I won't go into the details as it was so long ago and since they are all gone I think it is okay to tell it now. I was in the same motel room when Buck was saying he was going to drop using steel. Don Rich was saying no way. I never heard Buck say why.
Some time later Tom, Don and I were in a café in Mt. Can't recall how they knew where I was at. Think they had just got back form Japan. Buck wasn't with them. Think he had taken a plane back to Ca.

Tom told me not to tell any one which I didn't that he was quitting Buck and going to work for Rickey Nelson. He said the pay would be better and he would be more free to play like he wanted. This is all I recall except things that I was told that I do not care to repeat. Tracy

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 23 Jul 2015 11:31 am

You may not like me for saying this, but the truth is there was less and less steel, 'till it finally faded, on Rick Nelson's records.

Gary Cooper · Post by **Gary Cooper** » 23 Jul 2015 1:07 pm

Joachim, you are exactly right!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Jul 2015 2:14 pm

... I didnâ€™t get to see my guitar until an hour before gig time.â€ The steel was not only not factory fresh; it was McDonaldâ€™s old one â€“ now considerably worse for wear. Brumley opened the case to find the Fender 1000 with its strings torn off, adding, â€œAll the cables were loose underneath and one pedal had busted off. So me and Don got on it, got strings on it and I got two pedals workinâ€™ and away we went.â€

I imagine that Tom was pretty frustrated with that, but it probably would not have been a big deal, except for Tom being new with the band, and expecting a new instrument.

All the cables were loose underneath? Heck, throw any cable Fender in a car or bus, and drive 500 miles, and they would all be loose (nature of the beast, with no locks on those turnbuckles. But that only takes about 60 seconds to fix).

Only 2 pedals working? Well most players only had 3 on that neck, anyway. Any good player can play a ton of music with just A&B.

All the strings were torn off? Again, not a big deal, since you'd likely be expected have new strings when you debut with a new band.

I'm not making light of the whole thing, but just trying to put it in perspective, because a lot of us have been there too! $:\$

Tom Brumley · Post by **Tom Brumley** » 23 Jul 2015 3:28 pm

Well, I just got on here and want to let you all know that your stories are all wrong...I will be replying the TRUTH in a little while whenever I calm down...

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 23 Jul 2015 3:32 pm

donny...on your first recording session with a new band, did you ever record a legendary hit?
or was that just tom and jerry?

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 23 Jul 2015 3:45 pm

Thanks Rolene; and I was gunna say almost the exact same thing you did..ha...but I remembered very quickly that this particular forum has so many stories on it; coming from so many in our past and from the good ole days...and unfortunately many of them stories were told incorrectly and even someone like yourself that was living your life with Tom; won't be able to fix the horrible lies that one may be believing for whatever reason..ha.
Just trying to protect your feelings "mom"....Love you.
Ricky

Tom Brumley · Post by **Tom Brumley** » 23 Jul 2015 3:48 pm

Hey guys... This is Todd Brumley... Tom's son. I just wanted to give you guys a little insight to this whole conversation. I know there are all kinds of rumors, and stories that are floating out there which lead you to believe a lot of different things about the whole situation with my dad and Buck Owens. First of all, I want to let you know that dad was never in a situation where Buck was going to fire him. In fact, dad was such an important part of Buck's sound that he wouldn't even let him record on Ray Charles' cut of Crying Time. He let everyone in the band, besides dad and Don Rich cut with Ray, but withheld dad and Don, because they were the "Buck Owens sound." Buck was always more than satisfied with dad's playing... He never expressed any feelings that dad wasn't playing good enough, ever! Buck was overjoyed with dad's playing! The real story about dad leaving was this... Buck wouldn't let dad quit when he decided to move on. He didn't want to lose the "sound" that dad gave the Buckaroos. Another thing I would like to address is that when dad left Buck, he never even heard about the gig with Ricky Nelson... Dad was pursuing a career building steel guitars... He had just bought the ZB Custom steel guitar company and was moving it to Bakersfield. He was tired of being on the road. Jeff Newman was never even a part of the Buckaroos, and never even knew the dynamics of dad's relationship with Buck and the Buckaroos... He was in Nashville... The Buckaroos were in Bakersfield! Before anyone starts spreading rumors, from now on... Please contact mom... She will tell you the real story. She's upset with these postings, and I am posting this because I don't like to see her upset. Blessings to everyone! God bless my dad!

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 23 Jul 2015 3:52 pm

Thank you Todd.

Curt Shoemaker · Post by **Curt Shoemaker** » 23 Jul 2015 4:01 pm

Thank you, Todd, for the insight into Tom's career. A lot of what you talked about is what Tom had told me in the years we were together. The only thing that I can add is that he was a dear friend and one of the greats in the steel guitar world.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 23 Jul 2015 4:17 pm

Tom Brumley wrote: [Buck] wouldn't even let him record on Ray Charles' cut of Crying Time.

How could Buck control who played on a Ray Charles record?

Tom Brumley · Post by **Tom Brumley** » 23 Jul 2015 4:26 pm

Ray called Buck and asked to have them record on his record and Buck didn't tell them that Ray wanted them. As simple as that.

Tom Brumley · Post by **Tom Brumley** » 23 Jul 2015 5:00 pm

I'm thinking Gary Cooper has nothing to do at all !!!You better get your stories straight before you post any of these stupid stories ...besides what does it matter to you?????? And Tracy Sheehan.... ..Tom quit Buck to get off the road and he bought the ZB Guitar Co to run...He didn't go to work for Rick for a year after he built guitars...Never even thought of working for Rick when he quit Buck....Jeff Newman wrote something that was told to him because he was never around the Buckaroos or Tom...We lived on the West Coast and he lived in Nashville...so that story was incorrect !!!!!!!! I guess when someone gets to be number one in the business there are a lot of jealous people that start rumors and rumors are all they are...!!! Buck NEVER once thought about firing Tom....that's why he sued Tom when he quit for hurting his sound....love you Ricky Davis....

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 23 Jul 2015 5:30 pm

Todd or Rolene...

Do you remember the years that Tom had the ZB company. This is maybe off topic, but I am trying to pin down when the two ZB's I owned were made.

Thank you.

Tom Brumley · Post by **Tom Brumley** » 23 Jul 2015 5:37 pm

Richard, you can find out from Greg Jones any of that information...his email is zbmul65@aol.com..

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