Buck White was a Grand Ole Opry member and the patriarch of the family group The Whites.
- Died: January 13, 2025 (Who else died on January 13?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 94.
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Buck White’s legacy
White didn’t set out to be a legend of old-time country music. He worked as a plumber and only played music as a hobby, sometimes performing in dancehalls on piano and mandolin. But when two of his four daughters began playing themselves – Sharon on guitar and Cheryl on bass – he began taking music more seriously. He released several albums in the 1970s as a solo artist and as the leader of Buck White & the Down Home Folks, and in 1983, The Whites released their debut album as a family band, “Old Familiar Feeling.” It included hits like “Hangin’ Around” and “I Wonder Who’s Holding My Baby Tonight,” and it earned The Whites CMA nominations for Vocal Group of the Year and the Horizon/New Artist award.
The Whites released a second album, “Forever You,” in 1984, and that same year, they were asked to join the Grand Ole Opry. They remained members for decades, and before his death, White was the Opry’s oldest member. The Whites frequently collaborated with Ricky Skaggs, the Country Music Hall of Famer who is married to White’s daughter, Sharon.
After recording albums throughout the 1980s and one in 1996, The Whites were preparing to retire when they got a surprise request to audition for the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. The 2000 Coen Brothers film, set in 1937, featured period-appropriate country, bluegrass, and gospel music, and the music of The Whites fit right in. Not only were they chosen to record for the soundtrack; they also appeared in the movie, playing “Keep on the Sunny Side” during a political rally, billed as The Sunny Siders.
The last of The Whites’ albums was released in 2000, with Sharon White continuing on as a solo artist and in collaboration with Skaggs. However, White continued to be an active member of the Grand Ole Opry, including making appearances on stage into his 90s.
White on being asked to join the Opry
“Mama always played it on the radio when I was a little kid, and I always dreamed about what it’d be like … I just about went into orbit.” — from a 2022 interview on Larry’s Country Diner
Tributes to Buck White
Full obituary: Taste of Country
