Country Music Says Goodby To Buck Owens

Bakesfield, CA — Some of country music´s biggest names gathered in Bakersfield Sunday to pay tribute to Buck Owens, the who shaped the genre with his honky-tonk twang.

Dwight Yoakam, Trace Adkins and Garth Brooks were among the more than 2,000 people who crowded Valley Baptist Church. This afternoon´s service opened with a photo montage set to some of Owens´ greatest hits and included performances by Yoakam, Adkins and Brad Paisley.

Owens died of a heart ailment at his home on March 25th.

The country legend influenced the sound of country music from outside of Nashville with more than 20 Number One records, most released from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.

He also brought a bit of country music to the mainstream with his long-running television show “Hee Haw.” A private burial was held following the service.