I knew this man personally. He used to work for my father before going to work for Buck Owens. Not only was he a good musician, he was one of the nicest men you could ever meet. His death was a very sad day indeed.
It is sad that Don died in 1974, but here is something that is overlooked: He was the perfect example of what a sideman should be. He was the band's leader, a gifted songwriter, great vocalist, and had a grand music I.Q. I like him on the guitar, but he was awesome on the violin/fiddle. I agree with HonkyTonkMan, he should be in the Hall of Fame.
Yes, and it was his second instrument! He was first a fiddle player. I believe I read he won an award for the fiddle at like five years old. He is crazy good on both! My whole family loved this man and grieved his untimely death.
Don Rich was indeed one helluva guitar picking man. One of country music's best. I'm still trying to get his Buckaroo riffs on my Telecaster, but I always have to remind myself that I'm just a humble wannabe picker following in the fingersteps of the masters. Wish Don was still here.
Chip Lovitt that's the first song I try to play when I pick up a guitar. lol . never have mastered it. but after watching many RUclips videos, hardly anyone has .
I read he was only 32 when he died on his Harley motorcycle and Buck tried to talk him out of riding that day.When I was a little kid my parents watched Hee Haw with him standing right next to Buck playing a telecaster.He met Elvis,Loretta Lynn etc.My dad was a fiddle player and was a huge fan of his.Could it be said he was the king of the Bakersfield sound guitar 🎸.RIP Don.
It's hard to believe he was only 28 in that video. And Buck has said that his musical life ended the day Don died. He kept on, but he stopped having the love for it after Don died. :(
Donald Eugene Ulrich was born in Olympia, Washington on August 15, 1941. He was the adopted son of Bill and Anne Ulrich. On July 17, 1974, after finishing work at Owens' Bakersfield studio, Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident. Owens was devastated by the news, and for years did not talk about Rich's death. In a late 1990s interview, Owens said, "He was like a brother, a son, and a best friend.
I like the little nod to Jerry Reed's(The claw) in there during the break.Mr Rich was a legendary picker. Do you know what you get when you play a country song backwards? You get your dog back,your girl back and your pickup truck back!
This man was truly a star in his own right. But he also seemed to have a humility about him that gave the impression he couldn’t have cared less? A rare talent and a wonderful individual.
Gotta love that Les Paul Pro! The low-z pickups produced a very clean and Tele-like tone. "Mr. Clean" was IMHO the most pure and simple greatest guitarist in all of country music.
The Les Paul Studio models have "stacked humbucker" pickups which produce a sound much like the single pole Fender p'ups. Listen to Les Paul on the Chester and Lester album (with Chet Atkins). Best sounding Les Pauls ever to me have the stacked HB's. Thanks for posting this, love Don Rich.
The guitar Don is using here is a Gibson "Les Paul Professional", which is a low impedance guitar, and gets the closest sound to a Telecaster. It is also a heavy guitar, weighing 13 pounds of solid dense mahoghany. It's electronically similar to the guitar Les Paul himself used.
Although he's not on the set, the pedal steel guitarist on that particular cut I believe is Jay Dee Maness. Thanks for posting Bill ! I have been a long standing aficionado of not only Buck Owens & Don Rich but all of Bucks sidemen throughout his career.
Hey Bill, I also enjoy listening to some great playing on the Buck's Carnegie Hall album. I had the pleasure of hearing Buck at the Rainbow Room, Empire State Building in the early 1970's.
Just heard this song tonight for the first time on Hee Haw on the Family Net channel. What a great song. And thanks for posting here just as I heard it only about one hour ago.
Still looking up the backstory, but at some point I heard Buck had a falling out with Fender so he went and got a Gibson endorsement. Note the bass player has an EB-3.
don was taken to early in life and one can only imagine how many more albums he and buck and the buckaroos would have recorded together just like toy caldwell taken away to soon and too young .
oh... well i know it's not fast, screaming music, but to me it's wonderful music and i'm thankful to have it because without OLD country music, i would hate all music and i would have no talents and no life
@jerichothedrifter60 Supposedly, Buck and the boys would get Fender gear every so often, but were supposed to return the old gear (including the trademark silver Telecasters). Fender stopped giving them gear, so Buck and the boys signed with Gibson
I'm just starting to learn more about Don Rich who was 50% responsible for Buck Owens' signature sound in his heyday. It is indeed a shame Mr. Rich died so young. Truly a marriage of sound rarely equalled in ANY musical genre. Thankfully, forums such as this will allow the under-appreciated greats like Mr. Rich to be enjoyed for years to come...
The personality is large here, Folks. Artist was 20 years before my time, however, it is very recognizable that this guy had a ton of fun with what he did.
@TheBeaugraham come on man! This was the begining to what todays greats started on. Yeah he was not amazingly perfect, however most of his rythem and simple leads are played by almost every lead country guitarist. He was the first real chicken picker!! He would be proud to see what he did for the ones who loved his creation. God Bless this Man!
I got the craziest crush on Don Rich! He was so cute and loved his singing It broke my heart to hear of his motorcycle crash and death at 36 I wouldnt go anywhere near one of those things!
You raise a good point i think it was a few years ago. I ended up on a thread on Amazon called (Why is country music hated so much) so obviously i gave some facts as to why Country Music is hated. Someone blasted me back and told me to check out this guy name Don Rich. I ended up here to see this guy. If someone had said check out Toy Caldwell from The Marshall Tucker Band i would be impressed. However this music makes me laugh that is never a good sign.
Not often that you see someone playing a Les Paul Professional. I think that was one of the models where you had to either use the low impedance amp that Gibson also offered, or use a special converter box to convert the low impedance signal to high impedance (which is what most guitars and amplifiers use).
@TheBeaugraham I was just wondering in all of your infinite guitar wisdom and discussions if you had ever heard of Chet Atkins? If not pretty sure you have heard of Les Paul. If you haven't heard of him you should probably never touch a guitar again. Anyway these guys laid the path for the kind of music we have today. A true musician should appreciate any kind of music and take away from it what he can and not worry about the rest. I dont see your name all over you tube with videos.
After the Fender endorsement deal expired........BTW,although he's not onstage(tracks,maybe?),I pretty sure that's Jay Dee Maness playing steel.He was in the Buckaroos for a little while.
His endorsement deal was stopped when Buck Owens didn't give the telecaster's back. So when it stopped he bought a Gibson Les Paul he went on using telecaster's though and still preferred them.
I knew this man personally. He used to work for my father before going to work for Buck Owens. Not only was he a good musician, he was one of the nicest men you could ever meet. His death was a very sad day indeed.
I am 60 years old and I remember it well because my mom was so upset. She loved him. We all did, but especially her.
Steve, where did Don work for your Dad? Was that in Olympia or area?
Your dad and Don both worked for my dad
I remember riding with Dad to pick you-all up and drop-in you off at work before he took me to school.
@@evalehde3869 I'm 66 but I never knew that there was a Bakersfield sound. Like Marty Stuart said that there was a Connie Smith sound.????
@@phillipholt6005 to my recollection, the one one who sounded like Connie Smith, was Connie Smith.
It is an injustice that the wonderful Don Rich is not in the country hall of fame
He certainly belongs in the Hall of FAME!!!
It is sad that Don died in 1974, but here is something that is overlooked: He was the perfect example of what a sideman should be. He was the band's leader, a gifted songwriter, great vocalist, and had a grand music I.Q.
I like him on the guitar, but he was awesome on the violin/fiddle. I agree with HonkyTonkMan, he should be in the Hall of Fame.
When Don died, Buck lost the man who made it extra special.
What!!!??? He's NOT in the country music HOF??? Damn! their probably saving room for Ga. Fla. Line!!! Man please!!!
Hall of Fame. Now.
@@folkestonehorror2723 We need him there!
Yes he should have been he was awesome 👍
Still listening to and loving your music in 2023 Don.
I don't think anybody ever had more fun playing and singing than Don Rich. One of the greatest of them all.
I've never heard him singing solo only back up
Don rich and Jerry reed are the musicians from that age of country that had the most fun on stage I think. Definitely looked it
Don Rich was the greatest C&W guitarist that ever lived. There, I said it.
Along with Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, Roy Nichols, and Jerry Reed.
Don’t forget Mr. Burton
Yes, and it was his second instrument! He was first a fiddle player. I believe I read he won an award for the fiddle at like five years old. He is crazy good on both! My whole family loved this man and grieved his untimely death.
Lol ' no he wasn't.
@@anthonymichaelhalloates2902 and James Burton
Always count on Don Rich to have a big smile whatever song he was playing..great song!
Don Rich was indeed one helluva guitar picking man. One of country music's best. I'm still trying to get his Buckaroo riffs on my Telecaster, but I always have to remind myself that I'm just a humble wannabe picker following in the fingersteps of the masters. Wish Don was still here.
Chip Lovitt that's the first song I try to play when I pick up a guitar. lol . never have mastered it. but after watching many RUclips videos, hardly anyone has .
I read he was only 32 when he died on his Harley motorcycle and Buck tried to talk him out of riding that day.When I was a little kid my parents watched Hee Haw with him standing right next to Buck playing a telecaster.He met Elvis,Loretta Lynn etc.My dad was a fiddle player and was a huge fan of his.Could it be said he was the king of the Bakersfield sound guitar 🎸.RIP Don.
Greatest sideman in music history. Should be in Hall of Fame!
Don Rich was one of the best guitar pickin men ever . for sure.
And smiling
He had his own sound that you knew it was him when you heard it.
Don could have been huge on his own..but he did not want that he loved working with buck! I love em both!
Don Rich would have been 80 years old today. Happy Birthday and Rest in Peace, Master of the Telecaster.
It's hard to believe he was only 28 in that video. And Buck has said that his musical life ended the day Don died. He kept on, but he stopped having the love for it after Don died. :(
wow, that IS crazy. Defiantly seems older than 28
Such joy in performing the music! RIP Don.
What a great human being. Certainly a blessing to know people such as Don Rich.
One of my biggest guitar inspirations ever! And I Loved his little guitar nod to the great Jerry Reed at the end of his solo!
The Day of the motorcycle crash, Buck died too. Not literally but in his heart.
Don is killer for sure, but props to that killer bass line and tone. Man!!
Don is greatly missed.
Thank you for the upload.
Donald Eugene Ulrich was born in Olympia, Washington on August 15, 1941. He was the adopted son of Bill and Anne Ulrich. On July 17, 1974, after finishing work at Owens' Bakersfield studio, Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident. Owens was devastated by the news, and for years did not talk about Rich's death. In a late 1990s interview, Owens said, "He was like a brother, a son, and a best friend.
I enjoy listening to him play and sing equally as much as Buck!
I think hes Great! He doesn't look right without a Telecaster
+tom lester I was just thinking the same thing.
Might not look right but the Gibson sounds better lol
NO FUCKIN WAY JOSE , THE TELECASTER BLOWS THAT PIECE OF SHIT OUTA THE UNIVERSE !!!!!!!!!
everyone looks lame without a sexy tele.The telecaster: the real working mans guitars
NOBODY DOES ME INCLUDED !!!!!!!
Didn't know his voice could get so low. I'm so used to him doing the high harmonies with Buck. Quite the range!
I like the little nod to Jerry Reed's(The claw) in there during the break.Mr Rich was a legendary picker.
Do you know what you get when you play a country song backwards?
You get your dog back,your girl back and your pickup truck back!
Do you sober up and get out of jail?
This man was truly a star in his own right. But he also seemed to have a humility about him that gave the impression he couldn’t have cared less? A rare talent and a wonderful individual.
I love that acoustic solo on that electric guitar 😂
Don could have been a star. But just wanted to play n sing with Buck
When I have to trot out a country guitar solo, my trump card is, 'What would Don Rich play?' That has gotten me out of a lot of tight spots.
We need to push for his induction into the Hall of Fame! I certainly would love to help.
Gotta love that Les Paul Pro! The low-z pickups produced a very clean and Tele-like tone. "Mr. Clean" was IMHO the most pure and simple greatest guitarist in all of country music.
Hear some Jerry Reed on that breakdown 😎 LOVE DON R.I.P.
The Les Paul Studio models have "stacked humbucker" pickups which produce a sound much like the single pole Fender p'ups. Listen to Les Paul on the Chester and Lester album (with Chet Atkins). Best sounding Les Pauls ever to me have the stacked HB's.
Thanks for posting this, love Don Rich.
That's a Les Paul, Jr.
"Woman stealing." all he had to do was smile and the ladies lined up for miles.
Darn right!!
he always had a smile on his face
That's why they called him Smilin' Don Rich. One of the greatest sidemen in history.
The guitar Don is using here is a Gibson "Les Paul Professional", which is a low impedance guitar, and gets the closest sound to a Telecaster. It is also a heavy guitar, weighing 13 pounds of solid dense mahoghany. It's electronically similar to the guitar Les Paul himself used.
Although he's not on the set, the pedal steel guitarist on that particular cut I believe is Jay Dee Maness.
Thanks for posting Bill !
I have been a long standing aficionado of not only Buck Owens & Don Rich but all of Bucks sidemen throughout his career.
Joe Camusci Me too, Joe!
Hey Bill, I also enjoy listening to some great playing on the Buck's Carnegie Hall album. I had the pleasure of hearing Buck at the Rainbow Room, Empire State Building in the early 1970's.
I noticed the pickups don't look like typical Humbuckers...
@@markroberts1301 They're a special single coil. The guitar is a Les Paul Professional.
Just heard this song tonight for the first time on Hee Haw on the Family Net channel. What a great song. And thanks for posting here just as I heard it only about one hour ago.
man these old country Pickers were musicians of astounding proportions!!
The very best that country music has ever been graced with...The Master of the Telecaster.
He was one of greats, no doubt about it.
DON. RICH is the benchmark for a lead guitarist, there will never be another. RIP
Still looking up the backstory, but at some point I heard Buck had a falling out with Fender so he went and got a Gibson endorsement. Note the bass player has an EB-3.
Hahaha! Happy, giggly and entertaining! Don Rich was awesome!!
I loved Don Rich he was one of my greatest musical influences
God i miss Don and Buck but now they are pickin and grinnin in the sky...
This guy could've been a very big deal. He and Gram Parsons.
Great work by that bass player as well.
Don Rich was awesome!!!
don was taken to early in life and one can only imagine how many more albums he and buck and the buckaroos would have recorded together just like toy caldwell taken away to soon and too young .
@jonny1yz The 50s and the 60s was the best time for country music in my opinion.
Don was a good ole country boy. One heck of a great performer!
oh... well i know it's not fast, screaming music, but to me it's wonderful music and i'm thankful to have it because without OLD country music, i would hate all music and i would have no talents and no life
@jerichothedrifter60 Supposedly, Buck and the boys would get Fender gear every so often, but were supposed to return the old gear (including the trademark silver Telecasters). Fender stopped giving them gear, so Buck and the boys signed with Gibson
Ahhh the good ol' 70's. Where vocals were live, but the music wasn't.
Kind of like the Super Bowl
+drskezzer yeah at one point in his guitar fill, it suddenly turned into an acoustic !
drskezzer has
?? Crazy?
Real country right there...
Real tough country! Love this one.
Did Don Rich ever play a Fender ? 😊
I'm just starting to learn more about Don Rich who was 50% responsible for Buck Owens' signature sound in his heyday. It is indeed a shame Mr. Rich died so young. Truly a marriage of sound rarely equalled in ANY musical genre. Thankfully, forums such as this will allow the under-appreciated greats like Mr. Rich to be enjoyed for years to come...
Don Rich was the greatest!
Don Rich is 29 years old in this video but looks 45. Bummer he's gone.
Yeah, he was just a year older than Harrison Ford, who hadn't even done American Graffiti or Star Wars yet. Genes!!
Same thoughts! 45-ish! And hate it too.
@@MatthewPlatz.....It's the receding hairline.
Frankly, he looks older than Buck and Buck was nearly 15 years older than Don.
I think this is from later. Don is playing a Les Paul Recording model, which was not introduced until 1973
Love Don Rich!
Vocal sung over a studio instrumental track. Unless the piano, the pedal and the classical guitar is offstage. I still love it!
The personality is large here, Folks. Artist was 20 years before my time, however, it is very recognizable that this guy had a ton of fun with what he did.
Anyone else notice that Don looked a lot older than he was?
I was about to say, he was around 29 here. It's crazy he looks 40
the best of country
DIED WAY 2 YOUNG , WHAT A TALENT DON HAD !!
Amazing picker and a kind soul. Tragic death. Buck Owens is great.
Super talent.
Ah the buckaroos, how could anyone forget that schtick?? Loved watchin 'em as a kid, DOn Rich is the man on telecaster
Without any of his signature pickin'.
@TheBeaugraham come on man! This was the begining to what todays greats started on. Yeah he was not amazingly perfect, however most of his rythem and simple leads are played by almost every lead country guitarist. He was the first real chicken picker!! He would be proud to see what he did for the ones who loved his creation. God Bless this Man!
wow ...fascinating info! his style was pure telecaster for sure
I have that same guitar in my basement 69 les paul professional
From what I understand, Buck found teenage Don Ulrich playing violin in Tacoma. Great mentor and student!👏👏🤠❤
I got the craziest crush on Don Rich!
He was so cute and loved his singing It broke my heart to hear of his motorcycle crash and death at 36 I wouldnt go anywhere near one
of those things!
Press show more, and your journey will begin!
FIRST TIME I EVER SAW DON WITHOUT A TELE !!
Great guitarrist
oh, I'm sorry! And thats really neat! I am going through a really hard time right now, and i dunno why, but it just helps me a lot.
he was great. what’s amazing is he was only 28 here, but looks about 45:)
Absolutely agree...
You raise a good point i think it was a few years ago. I ended up on a thread on Amazon called (Why is country music hated so much) so obviously i gave some facts as to why Country Music is hated. Someone blasted me back and told me to check out this guy name Don Rich. I ended up here to see this guy. If someone had said check out Toy Caldwell from The Marshall Tucker Band i would be impressed. However this music makes me laugh that is never a good sign.
Can't believe he was only 29 here!!
Great country music. What album is this from?
Not often that you see someone playing a Les Paul Professional. I think that was one of the models where you had to either use the low impedance amp that Gibson also offered, or use a special converter box to convert the low impedance signal to high impedance (which is what most guitars and amplifiers use).
Peerless just peerless
2 bass players. James Holley and Doyle Holly. No Tom Brumley, though. Lol.
Can anyone direct me to a video of Buck and Don playing one guitar at the same time?
Watch their Oslo live 1969 video! I just saw it for the first time myself, and Don and Buck did the single guitar duet...it was great!
i have the same gibson les paul professional
Manon Richer You don't see those around very often.
Granny loved this rubbish with a passion and I think she loved Don too
R I P to both 😥😭😫
Cool!
unfortunately this is a prerecorded music clip with live vocals. a lot of hee haw performances were like that
That could explain why we never see the steel player.
where is his Telecaster?????
Hard to believe Don is 28 yrs old here !
Weird video. I mostly hear solos played by an invisible steel guitar, and there is a piano, too that's not anywhere in the shot...?
@gramhound86 King of what making and recording bunk music i cant get over this its so true there is just no accounting for taste.
@TheBeaugraham I was just wondering in all of your infinite guitar wisdom and discussions if you had ever heard of Chet Atkins? If not pretty sure you have heard of Les Paul. If you haven't heard of him you should probably never touch a guitar again. Anyway these guys laid the path for the kind of music we have today. A true musician should appreciate any kind of music and take away from it what he can and not worry about the rest. I dont see your name all over you tube with videos.
After the Fender endorsement deal expired........BTW,although he's not onstage(tracks,maybe?),I pretty sure that's Jay Dee Maness playing steel.He was in the Buckaroos for a little while.
@morrisminor695 Don could have gone on his own if he wanted to, he was a real good friend when i grew up
His endorsement deal was stopped when Buck Owens didn't give the telecaster's back. So when it stopped he bought a Gibson Les Paul he went on using telecaster's though and still preferred them.