Buzz Busby
Bernarr Graham Busbice (September 6, 1933 – January 5, 2003), known professionally as Buzz Busby, was an American bluegrass musician, known for his unique mandolin style and high tenor voice. He was nicknamed the "Father of Washington, D.C. Bluegrass"
Early life
Busby was born near Eros, Louisiana, the eighth born of the nine children of Oates Oliver (1893-1943) and Talitha Fay (1894-1956) Busbice. In addition to running the family cotton farm, Oates was involved in local politics and Talithe (Fay) was a school teacher. Busbice and his siblings, some of whom were also musicians (notably Wayne Busbice), spent their Saturday nights listening to WSM's Grand Ole Opry and playing for dances with other area musicians. In the late 1940s, Busby started a band with high school friend and guitarist Rot Fuller. Busby honed his mandolin and vocal skills by performing the music of Bill Monroe around the West Monroe Louisiana area.
Busby graduated from Eros High School in 1951. Because he was valedictorian of his class, Busby was recruited by the FBI, which was seeking gifted young people at that time. In June 1951 Busby moved to the Washington DC area to begin his career with the FBI
Professional career
Shortly after his arrival in Washington while still working his day-job at the FBI, Busby met Jack Clement, who was then in the military and stationed in the Washington area, and they formed the Tennessee Troupers, named for Clement's home state. Busby, Clement & Scotty Stoneman played locally at first, then did stints at WWVA in Wheeling West Virginia and WCOP in Boston. Clement returned home to Tennessee after their shows in Boston ended.
In 1953, Busby and his new partner Pete Pike (guitar) began playing at Pine Tavern, a DC night club. Simultaneously, they performed every weekend on radio station WGAY in Silver Spring, Maryland. Busby and Pike added Donnie Bryant on banjo and became Buzz & Pete and the Bayou Boys. The radio show featured lightning-fast renditions of popular bluegrass and country songs, usually performed in a key or two higher than the original. The comedy act "Ham & Scam," alter-egos of Pike and Busby was also featured weekly.
In the summer of 1954, Busby, Pike and the band entered the National Country Music Championship in Warrenton, Virginia. Busby and Pike, Along with Donnie Byrant, Scotty Stoneman and Lee Cole on bass won first place in the contest. Shortly after the contest, WRC TV in Washington hired the band for a daily afternoon television show. Bryant and Stoneman, who had left the band, were replaced by Don Stover and John Hall on banjo and fiddle. The show was immensely popular, employing newly-developed video special effects to add to the appeal of the program. The program aired from September 1954 to March 1955.
When the television show was cancelled, Busby auditioned for and was hired by the Louisiana Hayride at KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. He and the band, which consisted of Charlie Waller (guitar), Lee Cole (bass) and Don Stover (banjo) performed every Saturday night on the Hayride and toured the South during the week. Stover left in December, 1955 to Join the Lilly Brothers in Boston and was replaced by Vance Trull. Busby and the Bayou boys performed on the Hayride until May 1956.
Busby, Waller and Trull returned to Washington where they played club dates until July 1957.
On July 4, 1957 Busby, Trull and Eddie Adcock, were involved in a serious automobile accident while traveling from North Beach, Maryland back to Washington. Busby's subsequent hospitalization and recuperation left him unable to perform for an extended period. In order to fill the scheduled club dates that Busby & Trull were not able to play, Charlie Waller recruited John Duffy and Bill Emerson. This band became the original Country Gentlemen.
Following his recovery from the accident, Busby continued to play locally in the Washington / Baltimore area until the early 1990s. During this period he formed partnerships of varying lengths with Bill Harrell, Jack Fincham, and Leon Morris, Band members included his brother Wayne Busbice, Dudley Connell, Richard Underwood and Eddie Stubbs. Busby's later career was marred by alcohol and drug abuse.
Recordings
Busby's classic recordings for the Starday label have been reissued on CD. Recorded between 1956 and 1959, the recordings show Busby at his best. Studio musicians include Pete Pike, Charlie Waller, Scotty Stoneman, Don Stover, Carl Nelson and Bill Emerson.
Busby continued to record throughout the 1960s, 70s & 80s.
Later life and Death
Busby was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1997. Shortly thereafter, he was moved to a nursing facility in Maryland. Busby died of heart failure on January 5, 2003 in Catonsville, Maryland.
References
- Flores, Christopher, 2000, "End Note", December 8, 2000 ed. of The Washington City Paper http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/20883/end-note
- Strickland, Rhonda 1986 "Buzz Busby: A Lonesome Road" Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Vol. 21, No. 5, November, 1986
- Mindte, Tom and Grant, Dick 2011 Buzz Busby Session Discography http://www.pxrec.com/BuzzBusby/buzz_busby_discography.pdf
- Busby, Buzz 1985-1987, Personal Interviews by Tom Mindte
External links
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