On this day (April 24) in 2006, Bonnie Owens died from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 76. She was a singer and songwriter who notched a handful of hits and won an ACM Award during the 1960s. Additionally, she was married to Buck Owens and, later, Merle Haggard. Owens collaborated with both of her husbands, releasing a duets album with Haggard.
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She met her first husband, Buck Owens, when she was a teenager. At the time, he was running a local radio show. When he heard her sing, he knew she needed to be heard by as many listeners as possible. As a result, he helped her land a radio show of her own. A year later, they tied the knot and later moved to Bakersfield, California. There, she worked as a waitress and sang in local clubs…