Buzz Cason
Encyclopedia
Buzz Cason is an American
rock singer, songwriter
, producer
and author
.
He was a founding members of The Casuals, Nashville's first rock and roll
band
. Together with Richard Williams and Hugh Jarrett of The Jordanaires
he recorded as The Statues for Liberty. In 1960, Cason started a solo
career under the pseudonym
Garry Miles, and had a #16 hit in 1960 with "Look For A Star".
In 1962 he worked as Snuff Garrett
's assistant in Los Angeles
. During this period, he and Leon Russell
, then a session musician, produced a group called The Crickets in a version of the song "La Bamba". The song did well in England and he toured with the group.In Nashville he also worked for arranger
Bill Justis
. Later, he wrote songs together with Bobby Russell
, and both ran a publishing and record company until 1974.
His biggest hit as a writer, with Mac Gayden
, was the song "Everlasting Love
", recorded originally by Robert Knight
, which was a #1 hit in the United Kingdom when covered by the Love Affair
in January 1968. Carl Carlton
's popular version was a #6 hit in the U.S. in 1974 and has logged over 5 million plays, according to BMI.
Cason was also a backing singer for Elvis Presley
and Kenny Rogers
. In 1970, he founded Creative Workshop, a comfortably up-to-date recording studio
, where Dolly Parton
, Jerry Reed
, Merle Haggard
, The Judds
, The Doobie Brothers
, Emmylou Harris
and Olivia Newton-John
recorded
material. Since the mid 1980s he had his own rockabilly
-styled group, B.C. & the Dartz who released some album
s. Cason is still writing and producing songs.
His book, Living the Rock'N'Roll Dream: The Adventures of Buzz Cason (2004), is about music, freedom and adventure and sheds light on the events and careers that shaped the early days of rock and roll.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
He was a founding members of The Casuals, Nashville's first rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
. Together with Richard Williams and Hugh Jarrett of The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
he recorded as The Statues for Liberty. In 1960, Cason started a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Garry Miles, and had a #16 hit in 1960 with "Look For A Star".
In 1962 he worked as Snuff Garrett
Snuff Garrett
Snuff Garrett is a retired American record producer whose most famous work was during the 1960s and 1970s. His nickname is a play on Garrett's Snuff, a brand of snuff....
's assistant in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. During this period, he and Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, then a session musician, produced a group called The Crickets in a version of the song "La Bamba". The song did well in England and he toured with the group.In Nashville he also worked for arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
Bill Justis
Bill Justis
William E. "Bill" Justis Jr. was an American pioneer rock and roll musician, composer, and musical arranger, best known for his 1957 Grammy Hall of Fame song, "Raunchy."-Biography:...
. Later, he wrote songs together with Bobby Russell
Bobby Russell
Bobby Russell was an American singer and songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he charted five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the crossover pop hit "Saturday Morning Confusion." Russell was also married to singer and actress Vicki Lawrence from 1972 to 1974.-Career:Russell wrote...
, and both ran a publishing and record company until 1974.
His biggest hit as a writer, with Mac Gayden
Mac Gayden
McGavock Gayden better known as Mac Gayden born in Nashville, Tennessee is an American rock and country singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is also president of Wild Child Records formed in 2004....
, was the song "Everlasting Love
Everlasting Love
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden that has been a hit for various artists, including Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Love Affair, and Gloria Estefan.- Overview :...
", recorded originally by Robert Knight
Robert Knight (musician)
Robert Knight is an American singer best known for the 1967 recording of the song "Everlasting Love".-Career:Born in Franklin, Tennessee, Knight made his professional vocal debut with the Paramounts, a harmony quintet consisting of schoolfriends...
, which was a #1 hit in the United Kingdom when covered by the Love Affair
Love Affair (band)
Love Affair were a London based pop, soul, R&B group formed in 1966. They had several UK Singles Chart Top 10 hits, including the number one success "Everlasting Love".-Personnel:The band primarily featured the following —...
in January 1968. Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter, best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama ".-Career:...
's popular version was a #6 hit in the U.S. in 1974 and has logged over 5 million plays, according to BMI.
Cason was also a backing singer for Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
. In 1970, he founded Creative Workshop, a comfortably up-to-date recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, where Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
, The Judds
The Judds
The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
, The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
, Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
and Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
material. Since the mid 1980s he had his own rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
-styled group, B.C. & the Dartz who released some album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. Cason is still writing and producing songs.
His book, Living the Rock'N'Roll Dream: The Adventures of Buzz Cason (2004), is about music, freedom and adventure and sheds light on the events and careers that shaped the early days of rock and roll.