On a Friday night in March 2006, Buck Owens had already made up his mind. He was not feeling well, and he was going home. He was on his way out to his car when he met two people who changed his plans, and gave Bakersfield one last night with its biggest star.
The Night He Almost Went Home
The date was Friday, March 24, 2006. The place was Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California, the club and museum Buck Owens had opened in October 1996 as a home for the music he helped create.
Buck Owens was 76 years old. His health had not been good for some time. He had survived throat cancer surgery in 1993 and a bout of pneumonia in 1997. In 2004, pneumonia and a minor stroke forced him to cut back on his weekly shows at the Crystal Palace.
That Friday, he was not feeling well. He decided to skip the show and head home.
The Couple From Oregon
Buck Owens never made it home early. On his way out to his car, he ran into a couple who had come all the way from Oregon to see him.
Jim Shaw, the longtime keyboard player in Buck Owens’ band, the Buckaroos, has told this story over the years. He remembered that Buck was not feeling well that night, but the couple from Oregon were so excited to see him that he played the show anyway.
It was a small moment. Two fans, a parking lot, a tired old man who could have said “maybe next time.” Buck Owens did not say that. He turned around and went back inside.
One More Night With the Buckaroos
The Crystal Palace was more than a venue to Buck Owens. It was where he kept playing long after his years at the top of the charts and his long run on Hee Haw. Jim Shaw later recalled what those early years at the club were like:
“It was a great ride, and the first 10 years we were open, the Buckaroos played with Buck every Friday and Saturday night.”
That Friday night in March 2006 was one of those nights. Buck Owens walked back in, took the stage with his band, and played for the people who had come to see him, including two fans from Oregon who had almost missed their chance.
The Next Morning
After the show, Buck Owens went home to his ranch just north of Bakersfield. He died in his sleep on Saturday, March 25, 2006. He was 76.
News reports at the time said simply that he had died just hours after a performance at his Crystal Palace. Only later did many fans learn how close that performance came to not happening at all.
Why the Story Still Matters in Bakersfield
Buck Owens built the Bakersfield Sound with twangy guitars and hits like “Act Naturally” and “Together Again.” But people in Bakersfield often remember him for something simpler: he showed up. For years he played his own club almost every weekend, long after he needed to.
The Crystal Palace kept his music going for almost two more decades after his death. In August 2025, the club closed its doors, and Jim Shaw, by then director of the Buck Owens Private Foundation, told the story of Buck’s last night once again.
Two strangers from Oregon will probably never know how much that night meant. They came to hear Buck Owens sing, and because they did, he sang one more time.
Did you ever see Buck Owens play live, at the Crystal Palace or anywhere else? We would love to hear your memories.