Country star Buck Owens has died at the age of 76 at his home in Bakersfield, California. Owens had a string of hit singles in the sixties including 'I've Got A Tiger By The Tail' and 'Love's Gonna Live Here', and he co-hosted long running US TV variety show 'Hee Haw' between 1969 and 1986.
The musician was born in Texas, but moved to Bakersfield in 1951, and became a pioneer in the country music sub-genre that was to become known as the 'Bakersfield sound'. Spokesman Jim Shaw, who played in Owens' band The Buckaroos, said" "I think the reason he was so well known and respected by a younger generation of country musicians was because he was an innovator and rebel."
In 1992, Owens said: "I'd like to be remembered as a guy that came along and did his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready to do the job, wrote a few songs and had a hell of a time."