On this day (October 1) in 1927, Bonnie Campbell — better known as Bonnie Owens — was born in Blanchard, Oklahoma. She is perhaps best remembered for her marriages to two staples of the Bakersfield country music scene — first Buck Owens, then Merle Haggard. However, Bonnie Owens was an accomplished performer in her own right, reaching the charts with the solo tracks “Why Don’t Daddy Live Here Anymore” (1963) and “Don’t Take Advantage of Me” (1964).
On April 24, 2006, Owens died at age 76 after battling Alzheimer’s disease. Today, we’re honoring her legacy on what would have been her 97th birthday.
Bonnie Owens Only Ever Wanted to Sing
One of eight children born to sharecropper parents in Depression-era Oklahoma, Bonnie Owens’ earliest musical inspiration was her father, Wallace Campbell. He played fiddle, piano, harmonica, and sang, encouraging his children to also nurture their musical talents.
Like many rural families of their time, the Campbells faithfully tuned into the Grand Ole Opry each weekend…