Bonnie Owens
Bonnie Owens (October 1, 1929 – April 24, 2006),[1] born Bonnie Campbell, was an American country music singer who was married to Buck Owens and later Merle Haggard.
Bonnie Owens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bonnie Campbell |
| Born | October 1, 1929 Blanchard, Oklahoma, United States |
| Died | April 24, 2006 (aged 76) |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1949–1981 |
| Labels | Tally Capitol |
| Associated acts | Buck Owens Merle Haggard, The Strangers |
Biography
She was born Bonnie Campbell in Blanchard, Oklahoma, United States.[1] She met Buck Owens when she was only 15. They played in a band in Mesa, Arizona, married in 1948.[1] She and Buck Owens were the parents of musician Buddy Alan.[2] They moved to Bakersfield, California, by 1951. They divorced in 1953, but the move to Bakersfield jump-started both their music careers.[3]
Bonnie Owens's first recording was "A Dear John Letter", a duet with Fuzzy Owen on Mar-Vel Records (#MV-102) in 1953.[4] The B-side contained the song "Wonderful World".[4]
Owens recorded on numerous labels during the 1950s and early 1960s, including Merle Haggard’s and Fuzzy Owen's own Tally label, all of which were singles. Her first album titled Don't Take Advantage of Me came in 1965 on Capitol Records # ST-2403.[5]
Owens had hits on the country chart in the early 1960s with the songs "Why Don't Daddy Live Here Anymore?" and "Don't Take Advantage of Me".[3] In 1965, Haggard and Owens recorded the song "Just Between the Two of Us", a duet, and probably Owens's best known hit. It is also the title song to their 1966 duet album on Capitol Records (#ST-2453), that was recorded with The Strangers.[6]
Bonnie Owens was named Female Vocalist of the Year in 1965 by the Academy of Country Music. She and Haggard married the same year.[3] From this point, Owens dedicated her time to Haggard's children and his career, touring with Merle's band The Strangers as a backup vocalist.[3]
Owens and Haggard divorced in 1978; after a brief hiatus, she continued touring with him.[3]
In 2006, Owens died at the age of 76, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease.[7]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Don't Take Advantage of Me | 15 |
| 1966 | Just Between the Two of Us (with Merle Haggard and The Strangers) | 4 |
| 1967 | All of Me Belongs to You (with The Strangers) | 35 |
| 1968 | Somewhere Between (with The Strangers) | 34 |
| 1969 | Hi-Fi to Cry By | |
| 1969 | Lead Me On (with The Strangers) | |
| 1970 | Mother's Favorite Hymns | |
| 1999 | The Best of Bonnie Owens |
Singles
| Year | Title | US Country | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | "Why Don't Daddy Live Here Anymore" | 25 | Don't Take Advantage of Me |
| 1964 | "Don't Take Advantage of Me" | 27 | |
| "Just Between the Two of Us" (w/ Merle Haggard and The Strangers) | 28 | Just Between the Two of Us | |
| 1965 | "Number One Heel" | 41 | Don't Take Advantage of Me |
| 1966 | "Consider the Children" (with The Strangers) | 69 | All of Me Belongs to You |
| 1969 | "Lead Me On" (with The Strangers) | 68 | Lead Me On |
References
- Obituary: Bonnie Owens, 76; Singer and Ex-Wife of 2 Country Stars, Articles.latimes.com, Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- "Buddy Alan Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 302/3. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- "Fuzzy And Bonnie Owens And The Sun Valley Playboys - A Dear John Letter". 45cat.com. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- "Don't Take Advantage of Me - Bonnie Owens | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- "Just Between the Two of Us : Bonnie Owens And Merle Haggard". 45worlds.com. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- "Bonnie Owens, 76, Country Singer, Is Dead". Nytimes.com. April 26, 2006. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
