Eye Street Entertainment / 8-2-12

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 2, 2012

Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com

Index Union Cemetery guided tour .................. 22 Arts Alive .................................................. 23 15th annual Lowrider Nationals .............. 24 Play: As told by children.......................... 25 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 26 Guitar Masters at Bell Tower series........ 27 Rediscovering Bakersfield’s museums.. 30 Calendar .............................................. 32-33

In luck if you love Buck Joe Nichols headlines annual Owens party BY MATT MUNOZ Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com

J

oe Nichols has been given some career-enhancing advice over the years, but none has stuck with him quite as much as the pearl of wisdom he got from Buck Owens during a promotional stop in Bakersfield early in his career. Fresh faced, bushy-haired and eager to strut his stuff, Nichols said he was confident he had made an impression on Owens, who didn’t always have the time to visit with artists stopping by his KUZZ radio studio or Crystal Palace. “At one point he told me, ‘Boy, I sure like ya kid, but you gotta cut Owens that dang hair.’ And of course, on my next album, I had short hair,” laughed Nichols, 35, during a phone interview. “He later wrote me this long letter that said, ‘A lot of people have taken my advice and gone a lot of places in this business, and thank you for cuttin’ that hair.’ That album happened to be one of the bigger ones, too. He was just a great, fun guy who sure knew a lot about the business of country music.” Nichols will be savoring that and other memories of his mentor when he returns to the Crystal Palace on Aug. 16 to headline Buck’s Birthday Bash. Aug. 12 is the 83nd anniversary of Owens’ birth. Nichols also performed during the 2005 outdoor concert for the unveiling of life-size bronze statues of country legends like Owens, Merle Haggard and George Jones that now stand inside the Crystal Palace (though the highlight of the occasion, arguably, was when Garth Brooks got down on one knee and popped the question to then-girlfriend Trisha Yearwood). “That was one of the most amazing evenings of my life. It’s an honor to come back and headline another special occasion.” Though he has nine best-selling CDs under his belt and a string of hit singles like “Tequila

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE NICHOLS

Country singer Joe Nichols headlines this month’s Buck Birthday Bash on Aug. 16.

Buck’s Birthday Bash with Joe Nichols When: 7 p.m. Aug. 16 Where: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. Admission: $87 to $112 Information: 328-7560 or buckowens.com

Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” “Brokenheartsville” and “What’s a Guy Gotta Do,” Nichols has had a career of mixed blessings. After a public meltdown in 2005 that he said was the result of substance abuse, Nichols admitted himself to a treatment facility. Following his stay, he returned to work, recommitted to his family, work and a healthy lifestyle. It’s a journey reflected on his latest CD, “It’s All Good.” “I’ve found that even good days aren’t so bad and how truly blessed I am after all these years.

I’ve got a beautiful new baby girl and beautiful, tolerant, loving wife. Well, moderately tolerant,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve tried to stay on a path of getting into the gym regularly, and trying to keep fair food from killing me. I don’t wanna look like one of those guys who looks like they’ve been eating corn dogs for seven years solid.” His resilient attitude has allowed him to reflect on the changes happening in the industry. No longer the new kid on the block, he’s been able to listen much more objectively to what’s going on around him. “Country radio right now sure seems directionless. It’s more of a pop format now more than ever. I don’t think country music is in trouble, because it sells. I think it’s become more of a brand-less genre. To me, it feels like top-40, adult contemporary, and all similar genres. They’re all kind of merging together. One of the coolest things about country

music to me was always the identifiable nature of it. Years ago you knew when you were listening to a country music radio station. That’s why on soundtracks and movies they use a classic country song, they never use anything that’s currently being played. It has nothing to do with how good the music is; the problem is, it’s just hard to put a label on it now.” And that’s why Nichols continues to draw inspiration from Owens and other groundbreakers. “There are a lot of good young voices out there. The big mistake a lot of us make is: Go for radio and play what radio will play. That is a very middle-of-thepack-following mentality. Be a leader and do something unique; people will remember that about you and respect that about you. “The music of Buck Owens will live on forever because of that. He’s one of the biggest figures in the history of country music, and

he did it his way all the way from California.”

Buck Bashes Bakersfield may have been Buck’s home, but it’s not the only city that still reveres his music. Chicago, Phoenix and Nashville are among cities in the country that host their own annual Buck Bashes. But apart from the Crystal Palace, no venue throws a bigger celebration than Austin’s Continental Club, whose annual celebration of Owens predates even the Bakersfield shindig. This year marks the 21st annual event, which will be held on Aug. 12, Owens’ birthday. “I can’t remember what year it was, but Buck and I once chartered a jet with guitarist Jim Lauderdale, and surprised them in Austin one year at the Continental Club,” recalled Buckaroo keyboardist and band leader Jim Shaw. “The looks on the crowd when we walked in was really Please see BASH / 29


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