Final Owens Capitol recording finally sees light of day - four decades later

Omnivore Recordings, in conjunction with Owens' estate, will release "Country Singer's Prayer," his final Capitol album from 1975. The release date is Aug. 17.

By late 1975, Owens' success at Capitol Records was winding down. His singles were no longer topping the charts, and after the untimely death of band mate Don Rich the year before.

His contract with Capitol was due to expire at the end of the year, and he and the Buckaroos readied one final album for the label in November 1975.

His last single for the label, "Country Singer's Prayer," failed to chart. The label shelved the final album. Capitol did release "Best of Buck Owens, Vol. 6," which did include the last two singles originally intended for "Country Singer's Prayer," "Battle of New Orleans" and the title track.

Owens revisited some of these songs with producer Norro Wilson in Nashville after signing to Warner Bros. Records, the original recordings produced at Owens' Bakersfield studio with the Buckaroos remained in the vault.

The release was taken from the original LP master tapes, in what was the intended sequence. Also included are the B-sides to Buck's final two singles from the unissued album.

The release contains new liner notes by Scott B. Bomar featuring interviews with longtime Buckaroos piano player Jim Shaw and Robert John Jones (a.k.a. Rocky Topp.

The track listing is:
1. John Law
2. Love Don't Make The Bars
3. He Ain't Been Out Bowling With The Boys
4. Drifting Away
5. The Battle Of New Orleans
6. Country Singer's Prayer
7. California Okie
8. A Different Kind Of Sad
9. It's Been A Long, Long Time
10. How's Everything

Bonus Tracks:
11. Run Him To The Round House Nellie (You Might Corner Him There)
12. Meanwhile Back At The Ranch