Buddy Alan Owens - Best of Buddy Alan Owens (2007/2018)

The Best of Buddy Alan Owens highlights 18 out of print tracks that were originally released on Capitol between 1969 and 1978. Even though Alan didn't possess the showmanship or voice of his father, Buck Owens, he did manage to put out some noteworthy material. One of the finest tracks on the compilation is the ballad "Here in Frisco," written especially for Alan by his stepfather, Merle Haggard, who obviously knew the type of arrangement and lyrical content that would best suit Buddy's laid-back, melancholic delivery. Also of note are the two Creedence Clearwater covers in which Alan imitates both John Fogerty and Buck Owens and four duets, two with Buck and two with Buck's right-hand man in the Buckaroos, Don Rich. On the down side, there are a few clunkers among the 18 tracks, the worst being "Chains" and "Another Saturday Night." The anemic arrangements on these oldies, combined with an equally bland vocal performance, sound like demos that should have stayed in the can. Still, it's nice to have these recordings back in print and to reexamine Buddy Alan Owens on his own merits as a performer outside of his famous father's shadow.