On the Bandstand [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Buck Owens | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 17, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B000003GY4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,484 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On the Bandstand captures Buck Owens on the verge of stardom. "Act Naturally" was poised to hit number one; the band he calls simply "the boys" was about to become the Buckaroos. Owens's trademark Bakersfield sound is already in evidence: edgy, electrified honky-tonk spurred by Don Rich's driving Fender Telecaster guitar. Lots of covers here, including numbers by Mel Tillis, Willie Nelson, and Harlan Howard, as well as an old Leadbelly tune ("Cotton Fields") and the not-yet-a-total-chestnut "Orange Blossom Special." On the Bandstand also comes with two bonus tracks, duets Owens recorded with honky-tonk princess Rose Maddox around the same time. It would take a serious twangphobe not to like this record. --Mary Park

Product Description

This Sundazed reissue of Owens' 1963 release includes 2 bonus tracks 'Sweethearts In Heaven' (with Rose Maddox) and 'We're The Talk Of The Town' (with Rose Maddox), both originally released by Capitol as singles. 1995

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 -- Super collection of early Owens honky-tonk, October 17, 2003

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: On the Bandstand (Audio CD)

Despite the title and cover photo, this isn't a live album. Instead, the title suggests the collection of songs as representative of Owens' stage show circa 1962-63. The song list combines several Owens originals (both solo and co-writes), along with some contemporary hits of others, and a few more adventurously picked covers. It's a rousing set, filled with hot fiddle and weepy steel playing, and Owens brilliant voice front-and-center. By the time this album was released, the band was already climbing to chart fame with "Act Naturally," but at the time of recording, they were on the verge, just about to break into the clear.

Though Don Rich was still heavily focussed on playing fiddle, his electric leads shows off the sting that would spearhead the Bakersfield Sound. Similarly, Owens doubles his own vocals on a few tracks, but he and Rich spark up their remarkable harmonies on several others. Ralph Mooney's steel (especially on "I Can't Stop (My Lovin' You)") and Rich's fiddle (especially the winding line on the Owens/Red Simpson penned "King of Fools") are like a twangy call-to-arms against the smooth sounds then emanating from Nashville.

The band finds plenty of space for their musical talents, including an instrumental arrangement of the Ray Price ballad, "Release Me," with superb, flowing interplay between Jay McDonald's steel and Rich's fiddle. Rich gets an even brighter spotlight for his tone and technique on a cover of "Orange Blossom Special," and takes a solo vocal spin on Howard Harlan's "Sally Was a Good Old Girl." Owens and Rich work their signature harmonies on several tunes, including Mel Tillis' "Saw Mill," Leadbelly's "Cotton Fields," and John D. Loudermilk's "Diggy Liggy Lo."

Wanda Jackson's honky-tonk tune, "Kickin' Our Hearts Around" (written expressly for Owens, and sung in his finest drawl), was the only hit single originally included on this album. The rest of the album's tracks, generally not over-anthologized, presents new ground for many Owens enthusiasts. Varese's reissue adds both sides an Owens/Rose Maddox single as a bonus, the hit version of "Sweethearts in Heaven" (an earlier version, sung by Owens and Rich, is included as an original album track) and its flip, "We're the Talk of the Town."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You can't pick very much cotton., August 13, 2005

By 

Johnny Heering "trivia buff" (Bethel, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On the Bandstand (Audio CD)

This album marked the beginning of a pattern that would characterize most of Buck's LPs throughout his peak years of sixties' stardom. Each album would feature several Buck solo performances mixed with numbers showcasing the rest of his band, vocally and instrumentally. Only one of Buck's hit singles was on the album: "Kickin' Our Hearts Around", a song Wanda Jackson had written specifically for him. Over half of the album features cover versions of other artists' material. Buck sings lead on seven songs, with Don Rich singing two leads, Kenny Pierce singing one lead, and two instrumentals. The CD adds two bonus duets between Buck and Rose Maddox. This is a solid CD that should appeal to Buck's fans.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Buck Owens, May 26, 2007

By 

Lonnie M. Zsigray "weekend steeler" (Saint Louis,MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On the Bandstand (Audio CD)

Once this CD starts spinning you won't want it to stop.Some excellent tunes by a truely amazing artist.The steel guitar work is some of the best and would leave a hole in the music if it wasn't there.No collection of country music is ever complete without Buck Owens sitting at the very top.