Hey Buckaroos! Omnivore Recordings has unearthed what they're describing as the earliest full concert recording of Buck Owens and his legendary band onstage, and they're bringing it to fans on March 28. The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964 arrives on vinyl - no CD version has been announced yet - with eighteen cuts from the Bakersfield group.
The album captures Owens, Don Rich, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley, and Willie Cantu at the peak of their collective powers performing a string of favorites including the chart-topping likes of "Act Naturally," "Love's Gonna Live Here," "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)," and "My Heart Skips a Beat." The band also performed classics (the fiddle standard "Orange Blossom Special," cowboy favorite "Streets of Laredo," and genre-defying ballad "Release Me") and more contemporary tunes (Roger Miller's "Dang Me," "Long Tall Texan," and even "Twist and Shout" as a nod to Capitol labelmates The Beatles).
Two years later, in 1966, Capitol would preserve the Buckaroos' Carnegie Hall concert on a renowned live album, but this long-lost recording displays much of the same energy and electricity with some unique repertoire ("Release Me," "Orange Blossom Special," "Close Up the Honky Tonks," "Dang Me," "Hello Walls No. 2," "Twist and Shout," and others). The recording has been newly restored and mastered by Michael Graves for this release.
The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964 is presented in a Capitol-style jacket on "strawberry jam"-colored vinyl. It arrives from Omnivore on March 28. You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Buck Owens and His Buckaroos, The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964 (Omnivore OVLP-576, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Side One
- Intro
- Act Naturally
- Love's Gonna Live Here
- Together Again
- My Heart Skips a Beat
- Band Intros
- Orange Blossom Special
- The Streets of Laredo (The Young Cowboy)
- I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)
- Close Up the Honky Tonks
Side Two
- Mexican Polka/Buck's Polka
- Truck Drivin' Man
- A-11
- Release Me
- Hello, Trouble
- I Don't Hear You
- Dang Me
- Hello Walls No. 2
- Long Tall Texan
- Twist and Shout
Being from Richmond I am super excited and curious about the details of this, the venue most of all. I think it might have been either the Strand (now demolished) or the Mosque (still standing but a different name now after "Mosque" was deemed politically incorrect in the 90's.) I cannot wait to get into the liner notes. One of my rare vinyl purchases but hopefully they will follow it up on CD.
CD please!