Buck Owens dead at 75

Owens was perhaps best known for "Act Naturally" as well as being on the television show "Hee Haw."

During his career, Owens had 76 songs hit the Billboard charts. Between 1959 and 1989, he had 21 number 1 hits His first number one was "Act Naturally" in 1963, a song that was oft-recorded, and his last was "Streets of Bakersfield" with Dwight Yoakam in 1988.

Owens was known for his honky tonk/twang sound, the Bakersfield sound. Owens lived in Bakersfield, Cal. and was backed by the Buckaroos, which featured the late Don Rich.

Owens was born Alvis Edgar Owens on Aug. 12, 1929 in Sherman, Texas. He was raised in Mesa, Ariz. By the age of 22, he moved to Bakersfield. He played lead guitar for Tommy Collins in the mid-1950s before setting out on his own.

He was a co-host of "Hee-Haw" from 1969-1986.

Owens was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. He had not recorded an album of new material in many years and owned a radio station and night club in Bakersfield.