[Lerb21]

(Buck Owens when asked a question about Tom Brumley and Don Rich)

"Well, Tom, of course, was important. He played a great steel guitar and I loved working with Tom. He was with me through the '60s; a part of what many people [consider] the finest country band of its day. It included Don Rich, Tom Brumley, Doyle Holly playing the bass, Willie Cantu playing the drums. I played the guitar and whatever else. Many felt it was the finest five-piece country music band that had ever been put together. Don Rich was as much of the 'Buck Owens sound' as I was. I always felt as if I would have been a success, but Don Rich made it easy. He made it wonderful; it seemed like he could read what was in my head. It seemed like he could read whether I was going to sing a certain note in a certain way. I could write a whole book on Don Rich, his importance to music, his importance to the 'Buck Owens sound,' the 'Bakersfield sound.' Yes, how important were they? They were terribly, terribly important. Don Rich -- I don't know if I could express how important he was. I don't know if there are words to say that."