DON BOWMAN
Don Bowman (August 26, 1937 – June 5, 2013) was an American country music singer, songwriter, comedian and radio host. He recorded for RCA Victor between 1964 and 1970, charting in the Top 40 with the novelty hit single “Chit Akins, Make Me a Star”. Bowman worked at several radio stations, including KRZK in Branson, Missouri. Bowman was born in Lubbock, Texas, United States, and was the original host of the radio show American Country Countdown. In 1966, Bowman won Favorite Country Comedy Recording of the Year award from Billboard. In 1967, he was named Comedian of the Year by the Country Music Association. (More from Wikipedia)
One of the songs, “Wildwood Flower” has perhaps the loveliest melody in all of country music. At the time, I knew the song only by reputation, and mainly because of “Wildwood Weed” (1974) – which is basically about marijuana – a #7 hit song by Jim Stafford that mentions the song: “The name of this song is ‘The Wildwood Flower’ / Now ‘The Wildwood Flower’ is an old country classic / It gained a whole new popularity / The song isn’t any more popular / But the flower is doin’ real good.” The song “Wildwood Weed” was written and originally recorded way back in 1964 by country singer and comedian Don Bowman.
(February 2015)
