More Press Releases A Tale of Buck, Russ, Bakersfield and a Watermelon-colored Suit (Originally published in the Bakersfield Business Journal, January 22, 2001) By Walter Stormont Buck Owens' Crystal Palace has established itself as a destination point for travelers from around the world. It's definitely a destination for one young singer/songwriter from Black Creek, North Carolina. When Russ Varnell, a lifelong Buck Owens fan, first met his musical hero in person at the Palace, he was a bit tongue-tied. "I was so nervous, man, I could hardly think of a thing I wanted to say," admitted the 25-year-old in his country tone. "But I was like a little young'n at Christmas time!" That meeting, in the summer of 1998, was the result of a long-time correspondence between Varnell and Owens. When Varnell finally got to come out and see Buck and the Buckaroos in person, he sent a note up to the stage, was acknowledged by Buck and summoned backstage between performances. "Man, I about fell out!" Varnell said. Since then, Varnell has been onstage several times with Buck and the Buckaroos, most recently December 1 and 2 when he and Owens dueted on four songs: "Above and Beyond," "Hello Trouble," "Act Naturally" and "I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)." That last song is the first song Varnell ever learned the words to. "I was raised watching shows like 'Hee Haw' and 'The Porter Wagoner Show,'" Varnell said. "Every Saturday night everybody had to get really quiet when Hee Haw came on. I remember watching Buck play his red, white and blue guitar on there, and my parents (Ted and Betty Varnell) had a bunch of Buck Owens records, and it all started from there. Since then I've been buying his records and ordering them from wherever I can find them. I've finally got all of them except for the ones released overseas, and there's one 45 that I don't have called 'Seasons of My Heart.'" Varnell is also a magnet for Buck Owens memorabilia. One very special item was acquired in 1998 between gigs at the North Carolina State Fair, where Varnell performs annually. A wax museum at the fair was populated by likenesses of such celebrities as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, "Seinfeld's" Kramer... and Buck Owens, holding his trademark red, white and blue guitar. For several years, Varnell asked the museum owner whether the guitar was for sale, and each year the answer was "No." Persistence paid off on November 4, 1998 when the owner told Varnell he was closing up shop and finally offered the guitar for sale. "He also said he had this red suit that used to be on the wax statue of Buck," Varnell said. "So I told him I would buy the guitar if he would throw in the suit." It was a deal. "I threw the suit in the back of my car," Varnell continued, "and when I got home I looked inside the suit and saw that it had Buck's name written inside, and it had the label, 'Nudie Western Wear -- Hollywood, California.' Man, I about fell out! I couldn't believe it." Nudie is legendary for making costumes for many country and western stars, including Owens. "I quickly ran to my room to look over my Buck record collection," Varnell said. "I was very excited when I saw him wearing it on two album covers: 'Together Again' and 'On the Bandstand' from 1963." During his trip to the Crystal Palace earlier that year, Varnell had met Buckaroos keyboardist and museum coordinator Jim Shaw. He sent Shaw a picture of the red suit to verify its authenticity. "Meanwhile I had the suit, which was now my most prized possession, hanging up in my room. "One night, out of the blue, who calls me up but Jim Shaw and tells me that the suit was one of two that was stolen before I was even born," Varnell continued. "He asked me if I could send it to let Buck see if it was really the one, and if it was he would give me a great offer. So, with the help of my local postmaster, I sent the suit in a big, flat, secured cardboard box." The suit was confirmed to be the real article from the early 1960's. "It was Buck's first fancy tailor-made suit," Shaw said recently. It had been stolen along with a blue costume, which is still missing. Known as the "watermelon-colored suit," Varnell's find is now proudly displayed near the stage at the Crystal Palace. The offer he got for it was one he could not refuse: tickets to Buck Owens' 70th birthday bash in August 1999, complete with airfare and accommodations. During that gala, Varnell was asked to get up and perform a song with the Buckaroos. He chose David Alan Coe's "You Never Call Me By My Name." The following year, before Varnell took the stage with Buck, Owens saluted the young fan who donated his prized possession. "As much as it meant to him... he graciously gave it back to us so we could put it in the museum," Owens said. "He let us have it like the gentleman that he is, and I sure appreciate that." When one first sees the clean-cut Varnell in his fancy western suit, it's obvious that he reveres the traditions of country music as established by people like Owens, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams. When visiting Bakersfield, Varnell has shown a keen interest in exploring the city's rich musical history, even performing at Trout's with the great Red Simpson and visiting Simpson's home. Varnell and his harmonica-playing cousin Charlie Flowers have made many friends at the Crystal Palace, including California Highway Patrol Officer Mack Wimbish, who arranged for the boys to go on a ride-along in a Highway Patrol cruiser. "The very nice patrol officer was named Aaron Taylor... A. Taylor," Varnell said, "and we thought that was really cool because we in North Carolina can identify with sheriff Andy Taylor from the Andy Griffith Show!" Varnell and Flowers also drove around town extensively with local draftsman Joe Stormont [the author's brother], who showed them such historic sites as the old Lucky Spot honky-tonk on Edison Highway. While out that way, Varnell stopped in at the Mercado Latino and purchased a classic cowboy suit -- reminiscent of those worn by Hank Williams -- which he soon wore onstage at the Crystal Palace. The visitors also paid their respects at the grave of Don Rich, Owens' musical partner and close friend who died in a motorcycle accident in 1974. "He's buried right beside Buck's mom and dad," Varnell said. Another point of interest the men went looking for was the famous "box-car" house which was Merle Haggard's boyhood home in Oildale. "I read Merle's new book and he told the street address of the house," Varnell said, "so we went looking for it, and we were having trouble finding it. We came across some people walking down the street and asked them where the old Haggard house was. They said, 'Hey, we live in that house... it's right here!' And there it was, looking right at us." The current occupants kindly let the visitors look around and take pictures of the house. Fittingly, Varnell crossed paths last month with another performer who, like himself, has been greatly influenced by Buck Owens... Dwight Yoakam. "That was something," Varnell said. "We didn't have any idea it was going to happen." During the premiere of Yoakam's movie "South of Heaven, West of Hell" at Bakersfield's Pacific Theaters Valley Plaza, Varnell and company sat in the very back of the theater and were among the first to exit when the feature was over. And there stood Yoakam. "He was kind of hiding behind the door, trying not to be seen by everybody," Varnell said, "and I asked him if we could get a picture. He said, 'Sure.' He came out and was just as nice as if we'd known him all the while." Back in North Carolina, Varnell has left his job as a car salesman to pursue his music career full-time. He performs frequently at places like Buck's Western Saloon and the Nashville Palace. "Every show I do, I talk about Buck Owens and do a couple of Buck Owens songs," Varnell said, "and I'll always do so wherever I sing." During a May 2000 engagement at the Nashville Palace, former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda happened to be in the audience. Varnell has a video of Lasorda praising the humble young crooner. "Let me tell you something, Russ, you've got talent," Lasorda tells Varnell on the tape. "I've heard a lot of country and western singers, like Randy Travis... he used to wait on me before he became a star! You can be one of the great country and western singers in this country. All you need is somebody to give you a break." Lasorda added, "If I wasn't in baseball, I tell you, I'd be your agent. I'd let everybody in the country hear you." Varnell has a smooth, laid-back style with a voice slightly akin to those of Travis and Yoakam. He's written a number of songs with his friend Joey Talton, including "She's in Everybody's Arms But Mine," and "It's a Country Thing, You Wouldn't Understand." Varnell has self-produced three tapes of music, and his mailing address is P.O. Box 146, Black Creek, NC 27813. Varnell has two brothers: Jim, an engineer and David, a preacher. "My dad tells everybody he's got a son that's a preacher and one that's a honky-tonk singer," Varnell said with a chuckle. During a telephone interview from his home in Black Creek, Varnell pointed out, "People around here keep calling me, 'Buck Owens, Jr.' Everybody identifies me with Buck Owens." It's a label he's honored to wear. "If it wasn't for Buck Owens, I would not be pursuing a singing career," Varnell said. "I feel very privileged and fortunate to have met him and performed with him. I couldn't ask for anything better. The greatest moment of my small career is being able to sing with Buck Owens." One final word from Buck concerning the young man who found his watermelon-colored suit. "I told him there was one other stolen with it," Owens said during a Crystal Palace show. "And if he finds it, bring it too!" More Press Releases