Buck Owens was just another honky-tonk troubadour, kicking around from Arizona to Bakersfield trying to make it in a chancy business.  Collected here on "Young Buck: The Complete Pre-Capitol Years" is a comprehensive and delicious look at the man who would go on to help re-define the Bakersfield sound.

These early recordings reveal one major detail, and that is Buck didn't have to go too far to achieve the sound he wanted and the sound that made him a star.  It's all here, early demos show, that Buck knew what he wanted to sound like right from the start.  While pure honky-tonk country-to-the-bone, Buck's blistering Telecaster licks brought a "rock-n-roll" sound that defined his style and has sounded like "Bakersfield" ever since.

One of the greatest things about Buck's early music is the obvious joy with which he approaches it.  Every song is vibrant and simply quiver with delight, from the saddest honky-tonk weeper to crazy rockin' dance tunes.  Buck enjoyed his work then and it sure showed; this explains why it was so easy to get him out of "retirement" and back on the stage back in the 80's, when he'd become a businessman over a performer.  There is a real lust for performing here, a love of music that makes even the weakest tracks shine.

This is a magnificent collection, old tracks have been polished and cleaned up so the sound is crisp and clear.  It's a terrific start for a new fan of real country music; it's a good teacher for anyone who has always wanted to know how the Bakersfield sound evolved; and it's definitely a must-have for Buck Owens fans.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back January 2003