Who's gonna mow your grass?

Buck Owens, the honky-tonk king of Bakersfield, California, died on Saturday at age 76. The pioneer (along with the great Merle Haggard) of the “Bakersfield sound,” a raw, electric guitar-driven style that combines the best of hardcore country and rockabilly, Owens scored 20 #1 hits, including the jukebox classics “Act Naturally,” “Together Again,” and “Waitin’ in Your Welfare Line.” A major influence on acts ranging from Dwight Yoakam to The Beatles, Owens was perhaps best known for his gig co-hosting the cracker variety show Hee-Haw. Be sure to crank “Streets of Bakersfield” some night soon and drink a few for Buck and his Buckeroos. RIP.