Bud Buckley could be a poster boy for late bloomers. The singer/songwriter, guitarist one-man-band, took nearly a lifetime to get over what the nuns of his childhood told him: “I can’t BELIEVE you’re that stupid,” his piano teacher told the befuddled 8 year old as he struggled to get past Mr. Middle C. End of all attempts to learn to read music or learn any instrument until adulthood. And then there was the real crusher, “I thought you could sing, Buckley,” his high school nun said in disgust after his tryout for a role in the school musical. These and other bruising experiences with the Franciscan nuns and the Sisters of Mercy, led him to later develop a composite character he called Sister Mary Confusing. She served as an example to his school children of the way not to approach education and she also became the star of a song he wrote by the same name.
But as a college student Bud played nothing but the radio. Then, at age 22, after years of listening, an inexplicable sensation of self-confidence grabbed him by the love beads and dragged him into a pawn shop to buy a second hand guitar and a Beatles easy song book. He taught himself to play but singing was still out of the question.
Living in the Woodstock, New York satellite area, there were always guitar teachers around and Bud employed several on and off over the next 14 years. Then he hit a point in his elementary school teaching career and family life that demanded his attention elsewhere. The guitar was only a piece of furniture for the next 15 years.
Finally in the late 90’s he was lucky enough to be teaching a class of fourth graders who were full of gifted musicians and they became his soul friends. When he moved up with them to fifth grade they had him convinced he should take up guitar playing again. He resolved to do that after retirement but happened to discover Helen Avakian who was performing at his Hyde Park Elementary School. Something clicked and she soon became his guitar teacher. This astoundingly talented singer/songwriter taught Bud fingerstyle guitar which he had avoided thanks to his Sister Mary Confusing complex. But Helen proved him wrong. She became his music guru as he switched to Taylor Guitars, Elixir Strings, acrylic nails and he quit trying to avoid the study of music theory. He even reads a bit of music now. Although he is at the “Look, Dick, see Spot try to run over all those dotted quarter notes,” level or music reading. He finds he knows more music theory than the prodigy teenagers who are his mentors.
After two months of study, Helen surprised Bud with the announcement of a recital. She cleverly called it a “guitar party” and he was invited. Bud soon found himself fighting the urge to wet himself in a room full of 200 guests that included her students and their families. He probably set a land speed record for performing James Taylor’s “Handyman” and racing off to the men’s room. But with the relief of clearing that hurdle came a slight itch to do it again.
Into the picture comes Davis Turner who does not have a website because he and his equally talented wife Pam Turner are the king and queen of performers on Amelia Island, Florida. They just don’t need any more exposure but may one day soon realize their talent needs to be shared outside of northern Florida. While watching Davis perform, Bud became friendly with this extremely versatile singer/songwriter/guitarist par excellence. Davis kept badgering him to get up and do a few songs. That eventually happened late in the summer of 2000 during Bud’s vacation on Amelia Island where he and his wife, Cathy Lewis, used to have a condo. When he was done, Davis capsulized it perfectly, "That was Bud Buckley from Woodstock and he is no longer a musical virgin." The Woodstock line was a huge exaggeration but as his new status as a musician, Davis had it right. Bud was becoming a full participant in the music scene.
When Helen Avakian released her CD, “Vanishing Point,” she introduced him to the incredibly talented singer/songwriter Leslie Ritter who was sharing the CD release party with Helen. She urged Bud to take voice lessons with Leslie. His wife, Cathy also insisted, having been his prime audience for entirely too long. Leslie is magical but Bud did not expect her to perform the magic that she did with him.
Making a long story shorter, Bud went on to become an unstoppable trooper in the open mic scene in the Mid Hudson Valley of New York and then Jacksonville, Florida after his retirement in 2002. These gigs led to paying gigs there and in and around Venice, Florida where he and Cathy now live.
He thrives on performing classic oldies on acoustic guitar with a bit of electronic drums when needed. His songwriting is going strong and work on a new CD is crammed between gigs. His influences are anybody who ever performed cool music on an acoustic guitar as can be seen from his song list. He has also been gifted to maintain the friendship of his former students who never hesitate to tell him what he should be listening to and playing. A couple of them have even contributed to his songs.
Bud is delighted when the old songs are covered by new groups because he gets to do songs like Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” to a room that thinks it’s a Counting Crows song. That is an easy lead in to other Crows songs he loves to play. That in turn can get him into performing other contemporary artists he loves: Barenaked Ladies, Matchbox 20. Three Doors Down, Coldplay, John Mayer, Edwin McCain, Radiohead, The Wallflowers and anybody his legion of young friends throw at him. “So I get to entertain older people with the stuff they love and introduce them to new artists they are surprised to find pleasing. Younger audiences get to hear classics they thought were cool when their parents and grandparents controlled the radio and they get to hear their popular favorites played in soulful acoustic versions.” Not a bad gig.