Buck Page
Encyclopedia
Buck Page founded the first western band known as Riders of the Purple Sage
.
Page, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, began performing on local radio at age 11. He played string bass and rhythm guitar for a western band, The Valley Ranch Boys.
Two years later he formed a staff band for Pittsburgh radio station KDKA
that he named Riders of the Purple Sage after the title of the Zane Grey
novel
. Riders of the Purple Sage performed five hour-long shows a week on KDKA from 1936–1938.
The band later moved to New York City
and performed on radio station WOR
and at a nightclub, Village Barn.
Page served in the U.S. Navy during World War II
. During the war another western band using the name Riders of the Purple Sage was organized in California by singer Foy Willing. Page moved to the West Coast in the 1950s. He and Willing eventually met and the two men formed a lifelong friendship.
Page, who could play 21 instruments, worked as a studio musician in California. He played guitar on the original recording of the theme song for the NBC western series Bonanza
and also served as background musician for the TV shows Wagon Train
and Laramie. According to Bob Bain, however, the only one of the four guitarists on the Bonanza theme recording still living, Page was not one of the guitarists on that session.
In the late 1950's, Page lived in Hesperia, California where he owned and ran a restaurant. He also rodeoed in the summer circuit, traveling with rodeo champion Eddy Akridge.
In the 1960s Page worked for the Baldwin Piano Company
and helped engineers develop the Supersound amplifier.
Page received the Country/Western Living Legend Award from the North American Country Music Associations International in 2001. His first solo recording, Right Place to Start, was released on CD
in December 2005.
Page's last public concert was in July 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona
, where he performed before a crowd of several thousand people during a National Day of the Cowboy celebration.
Page died in his apartment at the Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank, California
. His death was attributed to natural causes.
Riders of the Purple Sage (band)
Riders of the Purple Sage was a name used by three separate western bands in the United States.The original Riders of the Purple Sage was formed in 1936 by singer and guitarist Buck Page. The group spent three years as the staff band for radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, performing five hour-long...
.
Page, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, began performing on local radio at age 11. He played string bass and rhythm guitar for a western band, The Valley Ranch Boys.
Two years later he formed a staff band for Pittsburgh radio station KDKA
KDKA (AM)
KDKA is a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Created by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation on November 2, 1920, it is one of the world's first modern radio stations , a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations, although it has claimed to be the first in...
that he named Riders of the Purple Sage after the title of the Zane Grey
Zane Grey
Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the Old West. Riders of the Purple Sage was his bestselling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence...
novel
Riders of the Purple Sage
Riders of the Purple Sage is Zane Grey's best-known novel, originally published in 1912. Most critics agree that it played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre.- Plot in a paragraph :...
. Riders of the Purple Sage performed five hour-long shows a week on KDKA from 1936–1938.
The band later moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and performed on radio station WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
and at a nightclub, Village Barn.
Page served in the U.S. Navy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war another western band using the name Riders of the Purple Sage was organized in California by singer Foy Willing. Page moved to the West Coast in the 1950s. He and Willing eventually met and the two men formed a lifelong friendship.
Page, who could play 21 instruments, worked as a studio musician in California. He played guitar on the original recording of the theme song for the NBC western series Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
and also served as background musician for the TV shows Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
and Laramie. According to Bob Bain, however, the only one of the four guitarists on the Bonanza theme recording still living, Page was not one of the guitarists on that session.
In the late 1950's, Page lived in Hesperia, California where he owned and ran a restaurant. He also rodeoed in the summer circuit, traveling with rodeo champion Eddy Akridge.
In the 1960s Page worked for the Baldwin Piano Company
Baldwin Piano Company
The Baldwin Piano Company was the largest US-based manufacturer of keyboard instruments, most notably pianos. It remains a subsidiary of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, although it ceased domestic production of pianos in December 2008.-History:...
and helped engineers develop the Supersound amplifier.
Page received the Country/Western Living Legend Award from the North American Country Music Associations International in 2001. His first solo recording, Right Place to Start, was released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in December 2005.
Page's last public concert was in July 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, where he performed before a crowd of several thousand people during a National Day of the Cowboy celebration.
Page died in his apartment at the Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. His death was attributed to natural causes.