The Professional Work of Buddy Charleton
(1938 ~ 2011)
Elmer Lee "Buddy" Charleton: Buddy Charleton was the musician and teacher whose pedal steel guitar work was an integral element in Ernest Tubb's famed Texas Troubadours band.
Elmer Lee Charleton was born on March 6, 1938 in the historic town of New Market, Virginia. Charleton broke into the music business while working a day job as a bricklayer. He played on occasion with Patsy Cline in her Kountry Krackers band and Cline recommended him to Ernest Tubb. After working with local bands for a while, his remarkable talent was noted by a member of Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours when they were playing in the area.
According to his own statement, one of the most difficult moments in his career was the first night with the Troubadours when somebody in the crowd said "Hey, that's not Buddy Emmons!"
By the early-1960s, the Texas Troubadours included lightning-fingered Leon Rhodes (lead guitar, 1960-1967), Buddy Emmons (steel, 1960 -- 1961), Buddy Charleton (steel guitar, 1962 - 1967), Jack Drake (bass guitar), Cal Smith (rhythm guitar, 1961-1967) and Jack Greene (drums, 1962-1965), arguably one of the finest backup bands in the history of country music. Tubb always believed in the value of a strong band and surrounded himself with the only best musicians he could find.
The Texas Troubadours band endured numerous lineup changes, and Buddy Charleton and electric guitarist Leon Rhodes were the instrumental focus of what was Tubb's "greatest lineup of Texas Troubadours.
Buddy is featured on numerous Tubb albums, including Live 1965, considered one of country music's top live albums. He also starred on three Decca albums that the Troubadours recorded without Tubb and on Tubb's duet records with Loretta Lynn.
Buddy Charleton ultimately left the Troubadours and relocated to the D.C. area to teach. He spent decades instructing students who sought a master's advice on playing the notoriously difficult steel guitar.
Buddy's students became some of contemporary country music's most accomplished players, including: Bruce Bouton (Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire), Pete Finney (Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless), Bucky Baxter (Bob Dylan), Robin Ruddy (Rod Stewart), Robbie Flint (Alan Jackson), Tommy Detamore (George Strait, Doug Sahm) and Tommy Hannum (Emmylou Harris, Ricky Van Shelton).
Elmer Lee "Buddy" Charleton died at his home in Locust Grove, Virginia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Roots of Country Music, Jan. 2011. References: Record Research: Country Music Singles 1944 -- 1993; Billboard Magazine; RJB: Original Country Music Chronicles.
