Releases from two legends of country and blues highlight Omnivore Recordings’ November slate.  On November 13, the label will drop the second 2-CD retrospective dedicated to the music of Bakersfield’s favorite son Buck Owens, while two weeks later on the 27th, it will unveil a 4-CD box set spotlighting the singular career of Bobby Rush.

Buck ‘Em! Volume 2: The Music of Buck Owens (1967-1975) picks up where the first volume of the series, issued in 2013, left off.  Its 50 tracks trace the many accomplishments of Buck Owens during this busy period which found him continuing to write and record for Capitol Records even as he took on hosting duties for television’s popular Hee Haw.  Buck ‘Em! Volume 2 includes country chart-toppers like “Who’s Gonna Mow Your Grass,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Tall Dark Stranger,” fan favorites including “Ain’t It Amazing, Gracie” and the original version of “Streets Of Bakersfield,” duets with Susan Raye and Buck’s son Buddy Alan, plus live tracks, alternates, outtakes, and covers such as Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”  All told, seven tracks are new to CD and nine are new to the U.S.!

As with the first volume, the second Buck ‘Em! features liner notes drawn from Owens’ autobiography of the same name, co-written with Randy Poe.  Michael Graves, a Grammy winner for his work on Omnivore’s Hank Williams – The Garden Spot Programs 1950, has remastered.  It’s due on November 13.

On November 27, Omnivore has Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush chronicling the career of the Louisiana-born, Arkansas-raised blues legend who has befriended and shared stages with the likes of Etta James, Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.  The 4-CD box set takes its title from the 1971 Galaxy Records single that earned Rush a No. 34 berth on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, but Galaxy isn’t the only label represented.  Chicken Heads, with nearly 100 tracks and almost 5 hours of music,  also draws on the multiple Grammy nominee’s varied recordings for Checker, Jewel, Philadelphia International, LaJam, Urgent and his own Deep Rush label.

Chicken Heads is graced with a 32-page color booklet featuring new liner notes from Bill Dahl and testimonials from friends and fans of Rush including Mavis Staples, Keb’ Mo’, Elvin Bishop, Denise LaSalle, Leon Huff, Al Bell, and more. Michael Graves has remastered this collection of sizzling blues, funk and soul.  The career-spanning box is due on November 27!

You can peruse both track listings and place pre-orders below!

Buck Owens, Buck ‘Em! Volume 2: The Music of Buck Owens (1967-1975) (Omnivore, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 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)

CD 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) — Buck Owens and Susan Raye
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

Bobby Rush, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush (Omnivore, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1:

1. SOMEDAY
2. LET ME LOVE YOU
3. SOCK BOO GA LOO
4. MUCH TOO MUCH
5. GOTTA HAVE MONEY
6. CAMEL WALK
7. WAKE UP
8. THE THINGS THAT I USED TO DO
9. LET IT ALL HANG OUT
10. JUST BE YOURSELF
11. DONE GOT GOOD TO ME PT. 1
12. CHICKEN HEADS
13. MARY JANE
14. GOTTA BE FUNKY
15. GOTTA FIND YOU GIRL
16. BOWLEGGED WOMAN, KNOCK-KNEED MAN PART 1
17. NIKI HOEKY
18. SHE’S A GOOD ‘UN
19. GET YOU OUT OF HERE PART 1
20. I’M STILL WAITING
21. SHE PUT THE WHAMMY ON ME

CD 2:

1. I WANNA DO THE DO
2. HEY WESTERN UNION MAN
3. LET’S DO IT TOGETHER
4. BE STILL
5. TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER
6. SUE (Single Version)
7. MAKING A DECISION (Single Version)
8. BERTHA JEAN (Single Version)
9. WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER
10. FUNK
11. NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT
12. A MAN CAN GIVE IT (BUT HE CAN’T TAKE IT)
13. NINE BELOW ZERO
14. I AIN’T STUDDIN’ YOU (Single Version)
15. YOU, YOU, YOU (KNOW WHAT TO DO)
16. TIME TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN
17. I’M GONE
18. HANDY MAY
19. ONE MONKEY DON’T STOP NO SHOW

CD 3:

1. HEN PICKED
2. SHE’S SO FINE
3. BUTTERMILK BOTTOM
4. BIG FAT WOMAN
5. BOOGA BEAR
6. HOOCHIE MAN
7. SCOOTCHIN’
8. HE GOT MY ATTENTION
9. ALWAYS ON MY MIND
10. WET MATCH
11. UNDERCOVER LOVER
12. TOUGH TITTY
13. WHEN SHE LOVES YA
14. EVIL (Live)
15. RIDE IN MY AUTOMOBILE
16. RIVER’S INVITATION

CD 4:

1. FEELING GOOD (PT. 1)
2. NIGHT FISHIN’
3. TAKE ME TO THE RIVER
4. HELP ME
5. HOWLIN’ WOLF
6. UNCLE ESAU
7. WHAT’S GOIN’ ON
8. I GOT 3 PROBLEMS
9. BLIND SNAKE
10. SHOW YOU A GOOD TIME
11. DOWN IN LOUISIANA
12. YOU JUST LIKE A DRESSER
13. SWING LOW
14. ANOTHER MURDER IN NEW ORLEANS – Dr. John and Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin’
15. SITTIN’ HERE WAITIN’ – Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin’
16. IF THAT’S THE WAY YOU LIKE IT – Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin’
17. PUSH AND PULL Featuring Frayser Boy
18. DEDICATION (Excerpt)