The local inhabitants of my "Cuba, Alabama" weblog began an interesting discussion last October as we attempted to answer the question:Who was The Best White Southern Soul Singer. Jim Hodges, formerly of Dothan and now living in San Diego, listed Tuscaloosa's Johnny Townsend, Daytona's Gregg Allman, Dothan's Wilbur Walton Jr., Montgomery's Sonny Greer, Tampa Bay's Rodney Justo, Hamilton, Ontario's King Bisquit Boy[note: southern Canada], Tuscaloosa's Eddie Hinton, Atlanta's Ronnie Hammond, Mobile's Jimmy Hall and his top spot was reserved for Ms. Bonnie Bramlett. I added Leon Russell, Delbert McClinton, Tony Joe White, Big Ben Atkins and Billy Gibbons to the list and then Robert Nix sent me the following email:

Subject:RE: Brody Makes The Cover of SI plus Cocker, Delbert, Tony Joe, Mylon, Big Ben,and Billy from ZZ!!!!
Date:Tue, 4 Oct 2005 22:34:14 -0500
HEY THERE,
JUST THOUGHT I WOULD THROW ANOTHER WRENCH INTO THE WORKS ON THE GREATEST WHITE SOUTHERN SOUL SINGER. HOW ABOUT A LITTLE OFF-SPRING OF SOUTHERN ROCK FROM THE BLACK CROWES, CHRIS ROBINSON!!! ALISON AND ME WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS WHEN THE PHONE RANG AND WE WERE INVITED TO COME DOWN TO THE LATEST ROCK STUDIO IN NASHBOB,' 16 TONS', AND HANG WITH CHRIS AND THE REST OF THE CROWES ON WEDNESDAY.WE JUST LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SHOOK OUR ROCK'N'ROLL HEADS AND SAID "CHRIS ROBINSON, NO SHIT!!!!!"SO THERE YOU HAVE IT!! CHRIS HAS OUR VOTE.KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND KEEP THE BABY FAITH!!!!
YOUR BUDDIES,ROBERT AND ALISON NIX........................
HEY YA'LL:Man, you gotta check out the Black Crowes website. http://www.blackcrowes.com/The Black Crowes Radio is on that site & it's nothing but continuous live tracks. IT IS BOTH EXTRAORDINARY AND SUPERB!BEST,roberto http://robertoreg.blogspot/P.S. If you're ever curious about what roberto is up to on the Web, google the word robertoreg and you will get a variety of hits on the old screwball from Notepote.

Oh yeah, check out "Cuba, Alabama" for the stuff that Mar-Teks keyboardist Robert Mims sent me!

From : Rob
Sent : Wednesday, April 26, 2006 3:30 PM
To : robertoreg@hotmail.com
Subject : More information about Buddy Buie



You don't know me but I have been reading your blog
concerning the happenings in and around Dothan in the
60's. I like everyone else (it seems) played in a
local band called "The Mar-Teks" so it has been very
nolstagic to read about the bands of the south. I
presently live in Dallas, TX and don't get to "LA"
(lower Alabama) very often so it's good to hear of
people of the past.....enough about me..........

I am writing to let you know of an article in The
Dothan Eagle (in case you haven't seen it) concerning
Buddy Buie. It is on-line at:

http://www.dothaneagle.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=DEA/MGArticle/DEA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137835594219&path=!frontpage.


If this doesn't work, just go to The Dothan Eagle
homepage and see the headline article of Buddy.

Once again, thanks for your efforts. I look forward to
reading the "next bit of information" that someone
submits to your blog.

A transplanted Texan from "God's Country",
Robert Mims




I had forgotten about this picture. It was a publicity
shot taken in 1967 somewhere around Dothan.

The members of the band (l to r): Jimmy Watford
(vocals), Stanley Jones (drums), Jimmy Johnson (lead
guitar), Charlie Roberts (bass), and Robert Mims
(keyboard).




Attached is another picture of The Mar-Teks taken in
Dothan at the National Peanut Festival. We were the
backup band for the "headliners", Billy Joe Royal,
Tommy McLain and Ronnie Dove.

We had just released our 1st record: "If I'm Gonna Be
Your Man" / "Don't Take It Out On Me".....which, by
the was was cut in Muscle Shoals.

The band members in the attached picture are: (l-r):
Robert Mims, Charlie Roberts, Stanley Jones (hidden on
drums), Jimmy Watford and Jimmy Johnson.

As a "side-bar", the photographer for all pictures was
the current U.S. Representative from Alabama, Terry
Everett.
http://wwwc.house.gov/everett/

From:
"rodney"
To:
"robert register"
Subject:
Re: WHOO! SOUL PATROL! Taylor Sings "The Day Bear Bryant Died" At The 2006 Rededication of Bryant-Denny!
Date:
Fri, 28 Apr 2006 08:26:43 -0400

About Berry Oakley....he was a really nice guy who I think by the time he started playing with the Roeman's had stopped backing Tommy Roe.
I remember being with Berry in the Clermont Hotel which was where all the musicians used to stay in Atlanta on two really momentus occasions in my life.
The day Sergeant Pepper was released, Berry had a copy and brought it to the Hotel where we were both staying.I remember the excitement watching Berry break the cellophane in anticipation of what we might be hearing.
It's difficult to communicate today, what the anxiousness was like in anticipation of a new Beatle record.Because every time they did something,you could be assured that it would not be a repeat of the music that preceded it.
As we started listening to the album we both had an incredulous look "Holy Shit!, What are bands going to do now ? "
John Rainey Adkins came into the room later and we played the Album for him,and we knew that the bar had been raised.
Ironically,that specific challenge probably did more to shape the destiny of The Candymen than anything that had preceded it.

The second incident was that Berry was in my room when I called my first wife to say "hi"(Long distance was considered expensive in those days and casual conversation was kind of an indulgence) and she told me that she had just returned from the doctor and been told that she was pregnant,making Berry the first person to know that I was going to be a father.

By the way,
"The Barlows ?'"

One of them had beautiful blue eyes.

Dear Robert Register,
On Monday, May 1, 2006 at RCA Studio B on Music Row, Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell will officially issue a proclamation honoring the late Roy Orbison, one of Music City's most influential writers and singers.

The tribute, to be presented at 12:30 p.m. at the famed recording studio where Orbison recorded "Only The Lonely," "In Dreams" and many other hits, will cite Orbison's "significant cultural impact to the city of Nashville, the state of Tennessee and the entire world."

April 23 marked what would have been Roy Orbison's 70th birthday, and Mayor Purcell's proclamation is one of many worldwide events celebrating the legacy of this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and legendary American artist. All media are invited to attend Monday's ceremony.

Legacy Recordings recently issued the first career-spanning 2CD set encompassing Orbison's key recordings from the Sun, Monument, MGM and Virgin record labels. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland recently opened "Haunting and Yearning: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison," a comprehensive exhibit with more than 100 artifacts from Orbison's career. XM Radio featured Roy Orbison Month that included a four-hour documentary and a tribute show from RCA Studio B with Rodney Crowell, Raul Malo, James Burton and others.

Also, a campaign is well underway to earn Roy Orbison a much-deserved U.S. postage stamp. A petition in favor of the stamp has more than 15,000 names including Bono, Olivia Harrison, Gregg Allman, Pete Fountain, George Clinton, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones and Loretta Lynn.

Roy Orbison possessed one of the great rock and roll voices: a forceful, operatic bel canto tenor capable of dynamic crescendos. He sang heartbroken ballads and bluesy rockers alike, running up a formidable hit streak in the early Sixties. From the release of "Only the Lonely" in 1960 to "Oh! Pretty Woman," a span of four years, Orbison cracked the Top Ten nine times. Orbison's most memorable performances were lovelorn melodramas, such as "Crying" and "It's Over,"" in which he emoted in a brooding, tremulous voice. The melancholy in his songs resonated with listeners of all ages, but especially heartsick teenagers who knew how it felt to lose in love.

During his remarkable career, Roy Orbison received multiple Grammy awards including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award and is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1990, two years after his death, Roy received a Grammy for best male vocalist for his performance of "Oh! Pretty Woman" from Black & White Night. The love and respect for the writer and singer, Roy Orbison, didn't end the day he died in December of 1988, and it is still ongoing.

Thanks for being a fan!
RoyOrbison.com
April 28, 2006

From :
Buddy Buie
Sent :
Thursday, April 27, 2006 4:31 PM
To :
robert register
Subject :
Re: Berry Oakley.

RR .
Barry did play with the Roemans. The band and PAUL COCHRAN http://paulcochran.com
hired him as a roadie when they were playing in Wisconsin. He later became the bass player when the other one quit.
BB

On Apr 27, 2006, at 7:50 AM, robert register wrote:

Berry was around Tampa Bay for a long time and I believe he played guitar for Tommy Roe and The Romans. I'll forward this to Buddy & Rodney and see if they remember anything about him.


From: "Richard Burke"
To: "Robert Register"

Subject: Berry Oakley.
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:26:43 -0500

Don't forget Berry Oakley, who I think is one of the greatest bass players on record. I think a year and a week and one or two blocks away from Duane's last stand. Made the crossing the same way as Duane, If I ain't wrong.
Later...
rbiii


From :
Rob
Sent :
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 3:30 PM
To :
robertoreg@hotmail.com
Subject :
More information about Buddy Buie

You don't know me but I have been reading your blog
concerning the happenings in and around Dothan in the
60's. I like everyone else (it seems) played in a
local band called "The Mar-Teks" so it has been very
nolstagic to read about the bands of the south. I
presently live in Dallas, TX and don't get to "LA"
(lower Alabama) very often so it's good to hear of
people of the past.....enough about me..........
I am writing to let you know of an article in The
Dothan Eagle (in case you haven't seen it) concerning
Buddy Buie.

It is on-line at:
http://www.dothaneagle.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=DEA/MGArticle/DEA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137835594219&path=!frontpage.

If this doesn't work, just go to The Dothan Eagle
homepage and see the headline article of Buddy.
Once again, thanks for your efforts. I look forward to
reading the "next bit of information" that someone
submits to your blog.
A transplanted Texan from "God's Country",
Robert Mims

Hey Robert!
ID THIS PICTURE FOR "CUBA, ALABAMA"!



ATTENTION: The names of the following trio of marvelous Dothan sisters have been changed to protect the guilty!

Subject :
The Barlow Sisters

Hi Robert,
I would like to know if Buddy and the rest of the guys remember the famous Barlow sisters.(Mary Jane, Gloria & Meatball).They were kind of famous for being groupies around Dothan.

Bill


Subject:
Re: WARNING: Confidential! Meant For Inner Sanctum Rec Center Eyes Only! Do Not Forward!
Date:
Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:23:08 -0500

I remember Mary Jane and her younger sister were sexy and exotic.. MEATBALL on the other hand,,,,,
f


Subject:
Re: WARNING: Confidential! Meant For Inner Sanctum Rec Center Eyes Only! Do Not Forward!
To:
"robert register"

In answer to Bill's question : YES , YES , and YES . Some sights really open a young man's eyes .
Uncle T



Subject:
Re: WARNING: Confidential! Meant For Inner Sanctum Rec Center Eyes Only! Do Not Forward!
Date:
Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:16:29 -0500

The first time I met Mary Jane Barlow, she was standing alone in a crowd of frenzied James Gang fans, at the Dothan Rec. Center, in the mid to late sixties. She stood out in the crowd of high school, and college kids with a very short, low cut, tight dress, and high heels. I remember thinking, "this is a real woman”. Intrigued, I introduced myself, and asked her to dance. In an alarmingly unpleasant country drawl she said, "I nevah’ dy’ance." She never took her eyes off Wilber Walton and the band. I told her I was a musician, and played in a band. She was unimpressed. Desperate, I started dropping names, and mentioned that I played in a band with John Rainey Adkins' little brother, David. She finally looked at me and said, "ooh yeah", and turned back to the band, ignoring my feeble attempt at a pickup. I knew I was getting nowhere, and could feel the sting of rejection. I melted into the crowd… I fucked her later that evening, in a dream…
f

OK, y'all asked for it!!!!! Tah Dah!!!!!
The absolutely last installment on the Buddy Buie 4-13-06 interview with Finebaum http://finebaum.com


FINEBAUM IS AS FINEBAUM DOES!
THE PAUL FINEBAUM RADIO NETWORK!

[play a recording of "Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight"

Paul: Another one of Buddy's hits!
And we haven't got half done today!
We're booking you again!

Buddy: I'd love to come back!

Paul: We're booking you for the whole summer!

LAUGHTER

Paul: Let's continue with some more phone calls.
Mack is calling from Dothan, Alabama. Hey, Mack!

Mack: Hey Paul! How're you doing, buddy?

Paul: How're you doing?

Mack: Great show! Man, Buddy! Great to finally talk to you!

Buddy: Good talkin' to you!

Mack: My brother, Shannon Meckly and I were driving by on Irwin Street about a year ago. You know, we were driving in that neighborhood over by Southside and he told me, "Buddy Buie grew up in that house!"

Paul: National Landmark!

Buddy: 1008 Irwin Street!

Mack: That's right! I just wanted to say, Paul, only one thing's bigger than Buddy's music and that's Buie's Cafe!

LAUGHTER

That his father owned. His great parents!
On Foster Street!
That's a wonderful place to eat!
Of course, it's no longer there now, but, uh, I called Harrison Parrish and told him you were on and called up Bobby's brother, Jimmy at the bank over there to tell them you were on but, uh, just wanted to say, uh, how I followed your music, uh, do you ever get down to Dothan, Buddy?

Buddy: All the time! My mother lives there and I go... you know, I live at the lake. I live at Eufaula.

Paul: Thanks Mack. Appreciate the call.
Of the Atlanta Rhythm Section songs, is there one you would take with you to your grave? If you could take one of the bunch?

Buddy: Well, if I had to differentiate between hits and album cuts, there was an album cut called "Dog Days" that's near and dear to my heart,and, um, but the hits, uh, I suppose...
It's hard for me to pick. It's like, "Which child do you like best?"
It's hard for me to do that.

Paul: Pretty good stuff! Let's continue with Buddy Buie. Jesse is calling from Montgomery. Go right ahead, Jesse.

Jesse: Hey, Buddy!

Buddy: Yes.

Jesse: You know I never met you but I was a friend of John Rainey's.

Buddy: Oh really!

Jesse: When you said that name, I thought,"HE WAS THE MAN!"

Buddy: If it hadn't been for John Rainey, I wouldn't be having this conversation with Paul right now!

Jesse: Well, I tell you, people probably don't know him because he never wanted to travel out of Houston County...

Buddy: That's true, too!

Jesse: But he was The Man when it came to playing and arranging music!

Buddy: Yeah, he was great!

Jesse: And my favorite song of yours is "Georgia Pines"!

Buddy: Well, thank you.

Jesse: That was a great, great song.

Buddy: The great Wilbur Walton!

Jesse: Yeah. Let me ask you this. Do you know what's happened to Joe South?

Buddy: I talked to Joe not too long ago. He's doing fine. He's living in Atlanta. He's not writing much anymore but he's a great one!

Jesse: He was a great one!

Paul: 'Preciate the call. Let me ask you about, you... did,uh,
two songs for B.J. Thomas.

Buddy: Um, hum.

Paul: He was certainly...
How did that relationship come about?

Buddy: B.J., his producer...
His producer at the time was a guy by the name of...
uh, I mean his manager was guy named Steve Tyrel.
Now Steve has made the jump from a manager to one of the prominent jazz singers right now so he brought him to me and B.J. and I became friends.
Matter of fact, I'm gonna see him down in LaGrange, Georgia in a couple of weeks.

Paul: One of them right here!

[play a recording of "Most Of All"]

Paul: "Most OF All" You also did "Mighty Clouds of Joy"

Buddy: "Mighty Clouds of Joy"! Yeah!

Paul: Wasn't a bad one here!

Buddy: Al Green recorded that too!

Paul: He sure did!
Let's grab one or two more calls...
Unfortunately, we're just running out of time here but Terry is down in Dothan. Hey Terry!

Terry: Hey Paul. Buddy, I didn't get to talk to you. Are you still involved with ARS and are they going to be doing any new studio things and
#2: I had an opportunity to interview Barry Bailey doing a Southern Rock Radio Show and he told me that his personal favorite ARS album was the first album but, you know, you can't find it on CD now and I was wondering why...

Buddy: It was the only...
We did...
That was for MCA Records. You can go...
If you can go to amazon.com
or to, what's the big site, some of the Internet sites and some foreign record companies have it but as far as the band, The Rhythm Section, yeah, they're still playing. A lot of the members of the band, the original members, have gone their own separate ways and the great guitar player, Barry Bailey has retired. He retired about three months ago.

Terry: I wasn't aware of that.

Buddy: The band's still doing great and as far as recording...
but on this...
I don't know if you heard that Bear Bryant song we played a few minutes ago...
On that album we're gonna have Rhythm Section cuts. We gonna put some of the old stuff on there and then Ronnie Hammond, who sang "The Day Bear Bryant Died" is with the Atlanta Rhythm Section.
He's retired though.

Paul: So many great songs for The Atlanta Rhythm Section!
For the CLASSICS IV!
The Lettermen!
Buddy Buie, who's heading toward...
He's in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame!
He's in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame!
& now he's in the FINEBAUM HALL OF FAME!
because this is one of the best shows we've had in a long time!

Buddy: Thank you so much! I've really enjoyed being here!

Paul: We hope to see you this summer.

Buddy: I'd love to come back!

Paul: We'll pause right here.

posted by gabbpenn at the Limestone Lounge http://limestonerecords.com


Re: Criteria Recording Studio
1969- August 29: Wilson Pickett recording session at Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

October 3 or 6: Aretha Franklin recording session at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

October 27: Wilson Pickett recording session at Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

November 19: Wilson Pickett recording session at Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

1970-Lulu recording sessions for the album 'Melody Fair' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Recording sessions for The Allman Brothers Band second album 'Idlewild South' at the Capricorn Recording Studios in Macon, GA and the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

March 10: Aretha Franklin recording sessions with the 'Dixie Flyers' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

April- Recording sessions for Delaney & Bonnie & Friends' album 'To Bonnie From Delaney' and the single 'Free The People / Soul Shake' with the 'Dixie Flyers' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Jackie Moore recording sessions with the 'Dixie Flyers' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Dee Dee Warwick recording sessions with the 'Dixie Flyers' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

June 27-30: Recording sessions with Duane Allman at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL overdubs for 'Idlewild South'

July 1-2: Recording sessions with Duane Allman t the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL (overdubs for 'Idlewild South'?).

August 23: Derek And The Dominos take a flight from London to Miami.

August 26: Allman Brothers Band concert at the Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL. The show is attended by Derek And The Dominos and Tom Dowd.

August 26-31: 'Derek And The Dominos' recording sessions for the album 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

September 1-10: 'Derek And The Dominos' recording sessions for the album 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Recording sessions for Petula Clark's album 'Warm And Tender' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

September 18: Eric Clapton attends a 'Sly And The Family Stone' concert in London. He is supposed to meet Jimi Hendrix at the concert and he brings a lefthanded Fender Stratocaster, that he bought that same afternoon in London, with him as a present. Jimi was at the concert, but didn't meet Eric.

September 18: Jimi Hendrix dies.

October 1-2: 'Derek And The Dominos' recording sessions for the album 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

October 3: Janis Joplin dies.

October 7: Arthur Conley recording session at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

October 8: Janis Joplin's funeral.

James Luther Dickinson (Dixie Flyers) recording sessions at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Junior Wells & Buddy Guy recording sessions (on an invitation of Eric Clapton) at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Recording sessions for Petula Clark's album 'Warm And Tender' at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

The Allman Brothers Band single 'Revival / Leave My Blues At Home' is released.

The Derek And The Dominos album 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs' is released.


NOVEMBER 1970
November 5: Derek And The Dominos perform in the 'Johnny Cash Show' in Nashville, TN. Eric Clapton buys six second hand Fender Stratocasters at George Gruhn's 'Sho-Bud Shop' in Nashville.

December 1: A Derek And The Dominos concert with Duane Allman at the Curtis Hixon Hall in Tampa, FL. is recorded.{I GOTTA HEAR THAT!!!!- RR}

December 6: Final concert of Derek And The Dominos at the Suffolk Community College in Selden, NY.

1971-Ronnie Hawkins recording sessions (with the Dixie Flyers) at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

March 20: Derek And The Dominos' 'Layla' enters the Cash Box Top 100.

July 21: 'The Allman Brothers Band' and 'Cowboy' play at the Schaefer Music Festival in Central Park in New York City.

July 22: WPLJ-FM in New York City broadcasts a studio concert from the A&R Recording Studios of 'Delaney & Bonnie & Friends' (with Duane & Gregg Allman and King Curtis).

August 1: The 'Concert For Bangla Desh' at Madison Square Garden in New York City is recorded.

August 4: Delaney & Bonnie & Friends and John Hammond concerts at the Schaefer Music Festival in New York City.

August 13: King Curtis is murdered in front of his house in New York City.

August 17: Duane attends King Curtis' funeral at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in New York City.

August 26: WPLJ-FM in New York City broadcasts a studio concert from the A&R Recording Studios of 'The Allman Brothers Band' who play a musical tribute to King Curtis.

'Cowboy' recording sessions at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL.

Sept- Allman Brothers Band recording sessions at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

Oct-Cowboy's album '5'll Getcha Ten' is released.

October 17: Duane Allman's last concert with The Allman Brothers Band at the Painters Mill Music Fair in Owings Mills, MD.

Allman Brothers Band recording sessions at the Criteria Studios in Miami, FL.

October 29: Duane Allman dies after a motorcycle accident at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, GA at the age of twenty-four.

November- 1: Duane Allman's funeral at Snow's Memorial Chapel in Macon, GA.

The album 'The Best Of Delaney & Bonnie' is released.

May 27: Derek And The Dominos' 'Layla' enters the Cash Box Top 100 for the second time.

HEY Y'ALL:
This is serious business!!!!


Some of ya'll downhome [i.e. like somebody in the studio on the Columbia Highway] need to burn a CD of both of Buddy Buie's interviews he's doing tomorrow morning and shoot the mp3s to me so I can transcribe them. This is very important so please remember to do this for me.

Buddy will appear on Phil Paramore's Talkin' Sports at 7:30 A.M. on WOOF AM 560 The Ball.
At 8:00 A.M. he will appear on Amy D. In The A.M. on WOOF FM 99.7

Somebody remember to record this for me!

Got the news just while ago that Phil Walden died yesterday in his home in Atlanta. http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=peopleNews&storyid=2006-04-24T231047Z_01_N24339653_RTRIDST_0_PEOPLE-WALDEN-DC.XML

I remember sitting in John & Judy Rue's house back in high school listening to John's stories about how fellow Mercer alum Phil Walden promoted Otis Redding & The Pine Toppers. All of us in "Cuba, Alabama" wish to convey our condolences to the Walden family. You are in our prayers.

Below you will find a super Dothan Rec Center story by Ray Hutto and next installment of Buddy's April 13 interview with Paul Finebaum.

best,
RR http://myspace.com/robertoreg
http://myspace.com/deepsouthband




Hi Robert.
Been reading about Buddy Buie and enjoying it too. I never knew Buddy personally but knew his bro. Jerry and his Mom and Dad. My bro. went to school with him though at DHS.
I have a little story to tell about Mr. Buie.
Back in the early 60s me and Max (bongo) Tyson use to go to the Rec Center every Sat. nite when there was a band there. We were probably 14 or 15 and I remember one nite that Buddy had a band there and the place was packed. Well, when the band went on one of their breaks, Max and I was standing at the door and Buddy was standing there too. He asked Max to go and get the band some cokes and gave him a $5 dollar bill. So, when Max comes back and gives Buddy the change he takes it and throws it on the dance floor and says "aint this a hell of a night" and walks off. That was the last time I saw Buddy but remember him well. And those were really good times at Rec center too. Dance Dance Dance with all them pretty girls.
Cheers,
Ray

The third installment of Buddy Buie's interview on the April 13 Paul Finebaum Show http://finebaum.com

[play a recording of "The Day Bear Bryant Died"]

Paul: Wow! Buddy Buie! "The Day Bear Bryant Died" ! An extraordinary song!
Buddy, how did it come about?

Buddy: Ronnie Hammond, the lead singer of the Atlanta Rhythm Section and I were at Lake Lanier staying in a ...
We rented a place to write for an upcoming Atlanta Rhythm Section album and it was in January of '83. Bear'd just died and Keith Jackson was narrating the procession and people lined up and down the road. Well, like, you know, usually a songwriter...
I'm a professional songwriter. Like I don't see a sunset and write a song about a sunset. This is an exception to the rule. We heard this song...
I mean we saw the parade, I mean, the procession.
God, I'm saying all the wrong words.

Paul: I understand.

Buddy: We saw the procession. It was not a parade!

Paul: It could have been.

Buddy: And we started writing.
Matter of fact, we didn't write for the Atlanta Rhythm Section at all that day. Later on, demo-ed it and ...
then we basically just forgot it because it was never meant to be a commercial endeavor and Harrison Parrish, one of the founders of MOVIE GALLERY http://www.moviegallery.com/
He's a friend of mine. He and his girlfriend were at our house one night and I played "The Day Bear Bryant Died".
He said,"Man, you gotta do something with THAT!"
He introduced me to people at the university 'cause I didn't know anybody there. I used to book bands at the Sigma Nu house at the university and go up there but I didn't know anybody there so he introduce me around and one thing led to another and right now, this song..
We're gonna give a lot of the proceeds of this song to the Bear Bryant Museum.

Paul: Other than your interview on Ronnie Quarles' station, that song has never been heard outside of Tuscaloosa until today?

Buddy: It hasn't.

Paul: It needs to be.

Buddy: My dream is to be in Bryant-Denny Stadium and the whole crowd sings along with the chorus!

Paul: Wow!

Buddy: That's my dream!

Paul: I was somewhat facetious about a song we played about that time but THAT is an extraordinary song!

Buddy: Thank you so much! I hope the BAMA Nation will look for it because it's gonna be coming out in mid August , right before football season and we hope to have the Atlanta Rhythm Section and a couple more people go up to the university and play before one of the games. We really want to promote it. Not only to help the Bryant Museum and CTSM [ed. note: Crimson Tide Sports Marketing]
We just want Bear's vision, Bear's memory to live on.

Paul: Buddy Buie's with us and we've certainly talked about his career as a producer and a songwriter. We've played "Spooky" and "Traces" and "Imaginary Lover" and so many of the famous songs that you have written and produced.
People've been waiting for a while. We want to give people around our listening audience an opportunity to visit with you. We don't have a lot of time for calls but we'll try to get to as many as possible.
Catherine, you're on with Buddy Buie.

[dead air]

Catherine? Not working here. Let me try George in Geneva. Go ahead.

George: Hello, Paul.

Paul: Hi.

Buddy: Hello.

George: Just wanted to call and say, Paul, I'm a fan of the show. Listen regularly.
Sometimes I wonder what some of the topics have to do with sports. I'm a big sports fan but one thing I love equally as sports is music and ,particularly, a big Southern Rock fan.
Grew up in the 70s. A big ARS fan and a big Buddy Buie fan. I read the jackets of the albums and I'm familiar with a lot of the names.

Buddy: Thank you.

George: Knew Buddy was from the same part of the country I was from or I am from...
Work with a guy who is married to a cousin of Dean Daughtry who I think is from Andalusia or Opp...

Buddy: He is.

George: That area...

Buddy: He is.

George: Thanks for the music. I've enjoyed it all my life and proud for you to have contributed what you have to the music industy but Paul.
Appreciate you having Buddy on.

Paul: It's our pleasure.

George: I think you hit a homerun with this one, particularly for me.

Paul: Well, thanks. I appreciate the call. Hate to run but we want to get a few more folks on.
Catherine is on with Buddy Buie.
Go right ahead, Catherine.

Catherine: Hey, I'm so sorry that my phone...

Paul: Go right ahead!

Catherine: I just wanted to tell you, Buie, that I am one of the biggest fans of you because my whole life...
I used to play all those Dennis Yost music.

Buddy: Um hum.

Catherine: I don't know whether you were with them at Samford in 1974 where they had a concert.

Buddy: I don't...
You know, there's been so many concerts, so many dates, I don't remember. I probably was though.

Catherine: I wanna tell you that all of your music is really sexy!

Paul: Let's listen to "Stormy". This is one of your biggest hits, I guess.

Buddy: Yes, one of the big hits by Dennis Yost & The Classics IV.

[play a recording of "Stormy"]

Paul: Wow! He belted that one out, didn't he!

Buddy: He's a great singer!

Paul: Whoa! That leaves me breathless! Buddy Buie is our guest. You've heard...
I'm shook up! ALL SHOOK UP!

LAUGHTER

Joe is next with Buddy Buie. Go right ahead, Joe.

Joe: Paul, a great thing you got here with Buddy and it's really been enjoyable.
Buddy...

Buddy: Yes, sir!

Joe: When is the last time that you wrote a song and is it possible with your background, I mean, can you get into what we're hearing today to the point that it might be popular again?

Buddy: To be perfectly honest with you, a lot of music of today, Hip Hop & Rap, I give 'em their props. I give 'em all the respect in the world because they figured a way to communicate with the world but they don't communicate with me very well and probably my music probably doesn't communicate with them.

Joe: Well, have you stopped writing?

Buddy: No, I've not stopped writing. I don't write like I used to 'cause it messes with my fishin' and my traveling.

LAUGHTER

Paul: His newest hit's gonna be "The Ballad of Paul Finebaum"!

LAUGHTER [Now you can really hear Gloria Buie laughing]

Joe: One last question and I'm gonna run, Paul's got a bunch of people...
Do you watch "American Idol"?

Buddy: Oh, I certainly do, I'm a Taylor fan, too, Man!

LAUGHTER

GO TAYLOR!

Paul: When are they gonna do "Buddy Buie Songs"?

Buddy: Well, I don't know but I wish they would!

Paul: Taylor could do a few of your songs.

Buddy: YOU KNOW TAYLOR!
YOU GOTTA TALK TO HIM!

Paul: SURE!

Joe, appreciate it.

We'll come back but we're not gonna have enough time today. We're gonna have to get Buddy back.
Back after this.

Voice over of Coach Bryant:
"I've said this before, of course,
I've said anytime I've had the opportunity that I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world because of the privilege of being here at The University & passing my time here.

I WILL never put anything against your education. We want that to come first.

ON THE OTHER HAND WE WANT FOOTBALL!!!!

To be second!

We want football to be second!

Because we feel a very strong obligation to you and we feel like you should to The University because it works both ways.

First of all,
we want you to write home!

THANK YOU!


lyrics of "The Day Bear Bryant Died" by Buddy Buie & Ronnie Hammond

I'll never forget the day
That I heard the news
Bear Bryant has died!!!!
Funny, I thought he'd refuse
I watched as they laid him to rest
In Old Alabama
OH how I cried
The day Bear Bryant died

ROLL TIDE!!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!

The Nation Cried
Friend and Foe Alike
The Legend Lives On
THE HERO IS GONE!
Oh how I cried
The Day Bear Bryant died.

The day he was born
GOD gave us one of a kind
& I'm glad he did
'Cause heroes are so hard to find
Many a fine young man
He led into battle
He taught them to win
He turned boys into men

ROLL TIDE!!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!

The Nation cried!
Friend & foe alike
The Legend lives on!
The HERO is gone!
OH! How I cried
The Day Bear Bryant Died.

ROLL TIDE!!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!

The Nation cried
Friend & Foe alike
The Legend Lives On!
THE HERO IS GONE!
OH! How I cried
The Day Bear Bryant Died.

Wally: Wow! Buddy, that's good!

Dave: That's strong, Buddy!

Ronnie: You got some tears, I guarantee you, out there in radioland!

Buddy: It makes me very emotional.

Wally: Me too.

Ronnie: That was pure emotion from the actual day!

Wally: Do you know if Paul Jr.'s heard it?

Buddy: I don't know whether he has or not.

Wally: Yeah.

Buddy: I sure hope that I get a chance to , first of all, just to meet him and play it for him.
I've been an Alabama fan since I was a child.

Wally:Um hum.

Buddy: And all my family's Auburn fans.

Wally: Really?

Dave: I bet that goes over real well at dinner.

Buddy: And we just don't watch the Alabama-Auburn game anywhere near each other!

Wally: I bet! I bet!

Buddy: But my brother's got four kids that graduated from Auburn.
He said,"Buddy, I love that song even though I'm an Auburn fan!"

So, I don't know, my dream is for that song to become an anthem for the university. I'd love to hear that stadium sing "ROLL TIDE!"


Wally: I have got a good friend of mine that I've known for many years named Coach Clem Gryska.

Buddy: Uh huh.

Wally: He used to be on Coach Bryant's staff and he's now over at the Bryant Museum.

Buddy: Oh really!

Wally: You need to hook up with him and see what kind of...

Buddy: Any help I could get to exploit this! Money is not the motive here.

Wally and Dave: No.

Buddy: Because you know, like I told Ronnie[Hammond] when we wrote that song, I said,"Well, that'll never be a commercial record because of the fact that half of the people in Alabama are gonna hate it and half are gonna love it!"

LAUGHTER

Wally: Well, I loved it!

Buddy: Thank you!

Dave: Yeah, great stuff!

Buddy: Thank you, yeah, I'm proud of that song. I'm as proud of that song as any hit I ever wrote.

Dave: And I think if there's one person who can help you find the audience you're looking for it is Tom Stipe.

Buddy: You know Tom, I was telling off the air, Tom is a great songwriter himself.

Dave: Wow!

Buddy: I just hooked him up with a boy, Jeff Cook, a guitar player with ALABAMA.
ALABAMA is retired now but he's going on with his own career and they're recording Tom's song called "Twenty Toes In The Sand".

Wally: Till you told me that I'd never thought Tom Stipe had ever thought about writing a song.

Buddy: He's really talented.

Dave: Heck of a trombone player.

Buddy: That's what I heard.

Dave: Very good trombone player.

Buddy: That's what I heard, yeah.

Wally: I know people listening know your not here selling records. Is there any way we're gonna get copies of that?

Buddy: Yes, we are...we're gonna.
I don't know the release date but
The Last Song
"The Day Bear Bryant Died",
it's been around since then...

Dave: Wow!

Buddy: And nothing has... I've never tried to exploit it. Now I want to exploit it because, I don't know, it seems like the time is right and I hope the message is right. I'd love to see the people of this town and the students of this town and the school embrace it because Bear Bryant was not only a hero of mine but he taught me lessons. Reading books about him; I just read THE LAST COACH.

Wally: Um huh.

Dave: Great book!

Buddy: God,what a book!

Dave: Great book!

Buddy: And he was right...Like we were talking about singers before, you know I said,"Most of 'em are born. They're not made. They're born. When they open their mouth they sound that way when they start singing", & I believe that Bear was just a human being that could have been a general. I mean people would follow him!

Wally: Sure.

Buddy: You know people hated him but they loved him.
His players.
Then later on they'd get out of school...I've read so much, what they said, You know,"God I cussed him. God I hated him but, God, what a man he made out of me!"

Dave: He molded people.

Buddy: "... and how proud I am to played for him."

Wally: One of my best friends in the world is Bob Baumhower.

Buddy: Oh really, yeah!

Wally: Bob and I went to high school and college together.

Buddy: Oh really!

Wally: And if it wasn't for Coach Bryant, Bob would have left the Crimson Tide. He wanted to quit. Was gonna quit.

Buddy: Couldn't take it!

Wally: Coach Bryant, just like a father, took care of him, got him back on the team and, of course, Bob went on to play nine years for the Miami Dolphins.

Buddy: Yeah, he did!

Wally: Well, that never would have happened if it hadn't been for Coach Bryant!

Buddy: You know I don't know too many people that... I've never been in the military but you never hear people talk about their drill sargents that way. They hated them!
But he could treat people the same way and put 'em through their paces and they ended up loving him.

Wally: Yeah.

Buddy: So what a leader he was!

Wally: Now you gonna let us know how we can get a record?

Buddy: You bet I'll let you know!
As a matter of fact, my "Boswell" in town is a man named Robert Register. He's sitting over there smiling.

LAUGHTER

Wally: Robert!

Buddy: Robert lives here in Tuscaloosa and he's going to head up the sales of this.

Dave: There's "Two Cents Worth" coming in here!

Everybody: All right! Thank you! Thank you!

Wally: Appreciate that, Robert!
And I know we have listeners who'd love to have a copy of that!

Buddy: Well, we will definitely make it available. Does anybody know who sang that song?

Wally and Dave: Uh uh.

Buddy: Ronnie Hammond, the lead singer of the Atlanta Rhythm Section!

Wally: Is that who it was?

Buddy: And so we're hoping that in the fall we can work one of the fraternities or something of that kind, get the band to come to town & Ronnie is retired now but I called him the other day.
He said,"Man, if you could get that going at the university, I'll come up and I'll sing that song!"
So we'd love...

Wally: Great!

Buddy: We'd love to have an ARS concert here and bring Hammond back to sing that song!

Dave: WHOO! BOY!

Wally: We're gonna get you on Catfish Country here in a minute over there on the FM side, if you'll stick around.

Buddy: I'll stick around.

HEY Y'ALL:
Received a couple of interesting emails concerning the Buie/Cobb/Lee composition "Save The Sunlight" which was a hit for Herb Alpert and his wife....

This oughta get Buddy looking into what he's getting in terms of royalties from artists outside the U.S.


jesseandjames
Sent :
Sunday, April 23, 2006 12:24 AM
To :

Subject :
save the sunlight

I am not sure who I am emailing. Did you co-write the song 'Save the Sunlight?' Just curious. I know the writers were named Buie/Cobb/Lee but that's all I know. Please write me back because the song is so beautiful I would like to ask you a few questions about it.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon-

James Matthews


Subject :
Re: save the sunlight


Thank you for your reply. That is a great picture too. I'm just wondering how Brazilian and Asian singers got a hold of that beautiful song written by (apparently) some Southerners. I never heard Lani Hall's version but Kuh Ledesma (Philippines) sounded ever so wonderful singing that beautiful song. Hope I hear from Mr. Buie.

Thanks again-

James Matthews



I want to say thanks to Bruce Hopper for inviting me out to his beautiful home on Lake Tuscaloosa Friday night for the jam session with his band. These cats really have something important to share with the world and "Bad,Bad Love" ROCKED ME OUT!

Buddy's interview on Finebaum was replayed on all 14 stations in his network Friday afternoon so "The Day Bear Bryant Died" got a whole lot more exposure.

Take a moments and let me hear from ya!

best,
RR http://myspace.com/robertoreg
http://myspace.com/deepsouthband

The second installment of Buddy Buie's 4/13/06 interview with Paul Finebaum:
http://finebaum.com

[begins with a recording of "Imaginary Lover"]

Paul: I'm afraid to ask you, Buddy, what you were thinking about when you wrote this one?

LAUGHTER

Buddy: The answer is, "YES!"

LAUGHTER

Paul: That takes a few of us back to high school, too!

LAUGHTER

Paul: Buddy Buie is our guest and his career is legendary. You're in a couple music hall of fames I was reading, of course, including the Alabama and the Georgia. That was the Atlanta Rhythm Section doing your song. I'm a writer of newspaper columns, not a writer of music. How in the world do you come up with the lyrics to some of the songs we've heard?

Buddy: Well, the songs...
The way I write songs; I am not a trained musician. I'm a guitar owner. I don't call myself a guitar player. I write with great musicians. I've always picked good musicians to write with. I'll come in and say,"O.K., I got this idea. Here's the idea," and I'd hum a little of the way I'd heard it. The guitar player or the keyboard guy would say," Hey, yeah! That sounds good! Let's try it!" and then he'll give me his ideas. The lyrics...
J.R. Cobb, who I wrote "Spooky", "Stormy", all the CLASSICS, "Traces"...
all the things we're listening to, he's a great guitar player. Dean Daughtry, the keyboardist for the Atlanta Rhythm Section, and Robert Nix, we wrote the songs "Imaginary Lover", "So Into You", "I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight" for the Atlanta Rhythm Section and so the way I write songs is like hunting and pecking on the typewriter. You know, you can write a pretty good sentence even if you do it with one finger, you know...

Paul: I've always wondered because, not that I've attempted to write a song but you'll be walking down the street or you'll be waking up & you'll be thinking...
Do you have a notepad by your bed?

Buddy: No.

Paul: Your wife's laughing here!

LAUGHTER

Paul: My thing, I'm very disorganized. I tell all my co-writers,"If it's not good enough to remember, it's not good enough to keep!" and I kinda live by that...

Paul: You don't fear you're gonna come up with...
You've already come up with some good ones!...
You're not afraid you're gonna miss the greatest line of your career in the middle of the night?

Buddy: The minute I think of one I catalogue it in my head. I go like, "O.K., I gotta remember this! This is cool!"
So I remember it. I very rarely forget 'em.
Now, at my age now, I probably forget a lot!

LAUGHTER

Paul: "So Into You", another huge hit for the Atlanta Rhythm Section

[play a recording of "So Into You"]

Paul: I bet you're pretty proud of this one.

Buddy: Yes. It was very big. It was the first big song by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. We had been making records since 1970 and this happened in 1976. If this album hadn't been a hit then the record company was gonna drop us so it's got a great place in my mind because it...

Paul: Do you feel that group ever got...
They had a lot of big hits, but did they get the appreciation and recognition that they deserved?

Buddy: I don't think so but I'll tell you one of the reasons why is all of 'em were serious musicians, serious session musicians.
Performing...
They performed because there was demand for them to perform but they never really were a band that loved the road. They were very straight ahead. They didn't get a lot of publicity because they didn't actually want a lot of publicity. We had great guitar players in that band: J.R. Cobb, Barry Bailey. Had a great keyboardist, Dean Daughtry. Paul Goddard on bass. Everybody in that band was very serious about music. We did all that starting in about 1970 when I opened this studio called STUDIO 1 which STUDIO 1, a lot of people know because Lynyrd Skynyrd, all their stuff there.
It was a nice studio. We recorded there at night and Skynyrd recorded in the daytime.

Paul: Can't believe those songs were done in the day!

LAUGHTER

Buddy: The Skynyrd stuff was done...
Sounds like it was done at midnight!

LAUGHTER

Paul: Maybe some TIME like I've never seen!

LAUGHTER

Buddy: A lot of artificial inspiration, you think?

Paul: Exactly!

LAUGHTER

Paul: I imagine none of that happened...
Buddy Buie's our guest, we're gonna open the phone lines in a minute. We're also gonna get to a song you wrote about one Coach Paul Bryant. You also did a song that B.J. Thomas made a hit.
We were doing a B.J. Thomas hour a couple of weeks ago with some of his...

Buddy: Oh really! Was he in town or something?

Paul: Somehow I can't even remember the genesis of it. We started playing a B.J. Thomas song and we all started going down his book.
Anyway, Buddy Buie's with us.
His hometown of Dothan...
A lot of this stuff was done in Atlanta, I guess, produced in Atlanta.

Buddy: Yes, most of it was done in Atlanta.

Paul: We'll get to your phone calls if you wanna give us a ring, it's 866-741-7285