Sunday, November 05, 2017

FROM Preston Truman Duckett (PRESTON T. 's website http://www.prestontnt.com/ )
Buddy Buie a rewrite from the Preston T. Line 
(in Down Home Today March 22nd, 1969. A
Weekly writing from the Preston T. Show
on WDIG Radio nightly Mon-Sat.)

Had a nice chat last week with someone I have known and worked with and for many times during the past several years. I knew him when he was in the promotion business and was the emcee on many of the Rock Shows he promoted in Dothan. But we are here to write about Buddy Buie and not me, so here we go. Buddy said “I started Carlton-Buie Promotions after flunking out of Auburn and promoted Rock & Roll Shows in the South.” We can actually start his story before this because in the beginning Buddy managed the Webs, and as he told me the reason for this was because Bobby Goldsboro and John Rainey Adkins were “bashful and they needed a mouthpiece to get jobs.” Buddy went to work with Roy Orbison, along with the Webs, and this gave him his first introduction to the “Major League.” Buddy got tired of the travel and came back to Dothan to form the James Gang with Wilbur Walton. Later he formed the Candymen and used both groups in various Southern promotions. Buddy said, “After writing a few songs with Bobby Goldsboro and John Rainey Adkins, I decided to sell my management contract on Bobby and devote my full time to writing,” At first his earnings as a songwriter were not enough to keep him going in the life style he was accustomed to so he started looking for other sources of income. Around this time Buddy met Paul Cochran and together they formed the Buie-Cochran Management Company and again he was in the promotion business. Buie-Cochran opened a booking office in Atlanta and after one year sold that company to Bill Lowery, who suggested that Buddy once again give his full time to song writing. “Lowery, Cochran, and myself formed Low-Sal Music, Inc,” Buddy said “I had enjoyed no success with the major firms so we felt we’d try to make it as an independent.”, He continued “I began collaborating with J. R. Cobb, a member of the Classics IV and to this day he and I are a team.” After being in the publishing business for less than two months this Team wrote a song called “I Take It Back.” which was recorded by Sandy Posey. It was an instant hit, selling almost a million records and winning a BMI award as one of the top songs of 1967. Buddy became interested in producing and arranging during this period as he said. “I was not happy with the production that other producers had been doing on the acts that Paul and I managed.” He produced a record that had originally been recorded by Wilbur and the James Gang, it was GEORGIA PINES and Buddy says “it will always be one of my favorites.” Buddy heard and instrumental called Spooky on the Radio, he and J. R. wrote lyrics, and submitted them to the publishers for approval. They were and the rest is history, as SPOOKY became his first million seller. After a loser entitled MAMAS & PAPPAS he produced STORMY a song the team had written while on vacation at Ida Cason Gardens (ed. note: this is the original name of "Callaway Gardens"). This one went on to sell over a million records and has been recorded by many well known artists. When I ask Buddy about his newest song, TRACES, he said, “It is now number five in the nation and looks like it is even bigger than the others.” At this printing it is now # 2 in the nation. In addition to the Classics IV, Buddy also writes and produces for Billy Joe Royal, Wilbur Walton, Friend and Lover, The Candymen and Tommy Roe. There is no doubt that Buddy has made the Major Leagues. 


Here I break away from the rest of the reprint and add my condolences to Buddy’s Wife and Family members because as most of you know Buddy left us this year and He had accomplished more in his lifetime than he even suspected when he started the Big B Power Hour on Radio WOOF AM as a Teen Age youngster. We miss you Buddy and many wonderful thoughts and words have been said and printed on his behalf. Did not want to write a new memorial to Buddy so I humbly submit this Rewrite from March of 1969. May God Bless and Keep His Family and Fans.
Preston T. Duckett November 5, 2015