“From Fresno to Fame: The Unlikely Journey of Buck Owens’ ‘Act Naturally'”

The Fascinating Tale of Buck Owens‘ Hit Song: “Act Naturally”

In the early 1960s, a young and talented singer named Johnny Russell found himself caught between his passion for music and a desire for a simple night out with his girlfriend. Living in Fresno, California, Johnny had already gained a reputation for his impressive singing skills, having won numerous talent shows and performed at small clubs. However, he longed for a break from the smoky nightspots and planned a movie date with his girlfriend.

But fate had other plans in store for Johnny. He received an unexpected call from acquaintances who were in Los Angeles for a recording session and wanted him to join them. Reluctantly, he had to cancel his movie plans, much to his girlfriend’s disappointment. To lighten the mood, Johnny jokingly told her, “They’re gonna put me in the movies and make a big star out of me.” They shared a laugh, unaware of the future that awaited them.

During the trip to Los Angeles, Johnny couldn’t shake off that line from the conversation. The idea of being brought to Hollywood and turned into a movie star intrigued him. He saw the potential for a unique country love song with a fresh approach. Inspired, he began crafting the lyrics and melody in his mind. By the time he reached the recording session, he had nearly finished the song. Unfortunately, the person they were recording couldn’t grasp it, so Johnny took the song back home.

Johnny Russell was also recording his own music at the time and sent a copy of the song, titled “Act Naturally,” to his producer. However, the producer rejected it, claiming that songs about movies wouldn’t have commercial success. Johnny was perplexed as to why his distinctive tune wasn’t receiving attention. Though he believed in the song’s potential, industry professionals dismissed it as a mere gimmick. Undeterred, he continued to share it, hoping to find someone who believed in its charm.

During this time, Johnny was collaborating with a talented young woman named Voni Morrison, and they had an agreement that any song they wrote together or individually would credit both of them as co-writers. When Johnny played “Act Naturally” for Voni, she instantly fell in love with it and thought it would be perfect for Buck Owens, with whom she worked regularly. Morrison was confident that she could persuade Buck to record the song.

Johnny Russell wanted to ensure that Voni received the recognition she deserved, especially if she could convince Buck Owens to record the song. They created an acetate recording with five of their songs, including “Act Naturally,” and Voni gave it to Buck. While Johnny eagerly awaited Buck’s response, he continued performing at clubs. Several weeks later, Voni called with disappointing news. Out of the five songs on the demo, Buck Owens had only liked one, and “Act Naturally” was the least favorite.

Unbeknownst to Johnny and Voni, Don Rich, an important member of Buck’s band and his tenor backup singer, was enamored with “Act Naturally.” He couldn’t stop humming or singing it whenever the band went on the road. Gradually, Buck began to hum it too. A short while later, Johnny Russell received a phone call from Buck Owens himself while performing at a hotel club in Eureka, California. Buck asked for permission to record “Act Naturally,” and Johnny eagerly agreed. What Johnny didn’t know was that Buck had already recorded the song before making the call; he simply wanted the publishing rights. Johnny happily gave Buck the rights, realizing it was a way to get his song out into the world.

Buck Owens, known as the most popular country act on the West Coast, had turned Bakersfield, California into “Nashville West.” With his unique blend of honky-tonk music sung with an Oklahoma twang, Buck had already achieved significant success on national playlists for over three years. Although he had several Billboard Top Ten hits, he had yet to secure a #1 record, leading many to speculate that he needed to move to Music City to become a top-tier star. However, Johnny Russell’s song was about to change that.

In May of 1963, Capitol Records released Buck Owens’ recording of “Act Naturally,” and within a month, it soared to the #1 spot on the charts, maintaining its position for a solid month. The single spent over six months on national playlists. Suddenly, Buck Owens became a household name, and Johnny Russell found himself in high demand. Publishers constantly reached out, eager to discover his new songs. Johnny began performing in better clubs and received offers for record deals, eventually signing with RCA in 1971. One of his notable achievements with RCA was the Top Five hit “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer,” which peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart in the summer of 1973.

A few years after the initial success of “Act Naturally,” Johnny Russell found himself embraced by an unlikely door in the rock music scene. In 1965, as the Beatles finished work on another best-selling album, they needed one more song to complete it. Paul McCartney suggested that Ringo Starr, their beloved drummer, should record a song where he sang instead of playing the drums. Stepping out from behind the drum kit, Ringo surprised everyone by choosing Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally.”

The Beatles recorded “Act Naturally” in a straight hillbilly style, adding their British accents to the straightforward twang of the country song. The recording came together beautifully, adding the final touch to an album that would sell millions of copies worldwide. It also brought Johnny Russell additional royalty checks. The song became so closely associated with Buck Owens and Ringo Starr that over 25 years later, the two joined forces to record a duet version of “Act Naturally.” Their rendition spent around four months on Billboard’s country chart, reaching a respectable peak at #27.

Johnny Russell may have passed away in 2001, but he delighted in sharing a couple of memorable encounters that came his way because of “Act Naturally.” On one occasion, while having dinner at the Royal Garden Hotel in London, he found himself sitting next to Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. Johnny wore a cap with the word “Nashville” printed on it, catching Mick’s attention. Curious, Jagger asked if Johnny was involved in the music business in Nashville. When Johnny revealed that he was a songwriter and that the Beatles had recorded one of his songs, with Ringo as the lead vocalist, Mick grinned and belted out the entire song right at the table.

Another remarkable encounter took place when Johnny was performing at a music festival, and the promoter introduced him to the renowned English ballad singer Roger Whittaker, known for his worldwide hit “The Last Farewell.” As soon as Whittaker heard Johnny’s name, he spontaneously began singing “Act Naturally.” It seemed that wherever Johnny went, everyone knew and appreciated the song, including artists from various genres.

Breaking a date and making the journey to Los Angeles that fateful day turned out to be the best decision Johnny Russell ever made. That short trip to the big city inspired one of country music’s most enduring classics. The unlikely scenario of acting that nobody believed would work became a reality. Even in Hollywood, no script could have scripted it better.

Single by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos
B-side- “Over and Over Again”
Released- March 11, 1963
Recorded- February 12, 1963
Studio- Capitol, Hollywood, California
Genre- Country
Length- 2:19
Label- Capitol
Songwriters- Johnny Russell, Lavonia Inez Morrison (“Voni Morrison”)
Producer- Ken Nelson

Lyrics
They’re gonna put me in the movies
They’re gonna make a big star out of me
We’ll make a film about a man that’s sad and lonely
And all I gotta do is act naturally
Well, I’ll bet you I’ma gonna be a big star
Might win an Oscar you can’t never tell
The movie’s gonna make me a big star
‘Cause I can play the part so well
Well, I hope you come to see me in the movie
Then I know that you will plainly see
The biggest fool that’s ever hit the big time
And all I gotta do is act naturally
We’ll make a scene about a man that’s sad and lonely
And begging down upon his bended knee
I’ll play the part but I won’t need rehearsin’
All I’ll have to do is act naturally
Well, I’ll bet you I’ma gonna be a big star
Might win an Oscar you can’t never tell
The movie’s gonna make me a big star
‘Cause I can play the part so well
Well, I hope you come to see me in the movie
Then I’ll know that you will plainly see
The biggest fool that’s ever hit the big time
And all I gotta do is act naturally