Arising in rebellion against the sleek sounds coming from Nashville at the time, the California “Bakersfield sound” gave rise to some of country music’s finest, most notably Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. While his name is less recognizable, neither artist would exist without Wynn Stewart.
Videos by American Songwriter
Born in Morrisville, Missouri, on this day (June 7) in 1934, Stewart never quite broke mainstream ground during his three-decade career. However, his influence still lingers more than 40 years after his death in 1985.
Country Music Wasn’t Wynn Stewart’s First Choice
Although born in Missouri, Winford Lindsey “Wynn” Stewart moved frequently throughout his childhood with his sharecropper family. He picked up his first guitar at age 8…