Act Naturally - Live in Bakersfield

This was the first #1 Country hit for Buck Owens, and it remains one of his most popular songs. It's an upbeat song with a honky-tonk vibe, but the lyric is self-effacing and despondent, as Owens sings about how if they made a movie about a man who is sad and lonely, he's be perfect for the part, since he could just act naturally. The uptempo rhythm and buoyant delivery find him acting in a way, as he is clearly masking his pain.

This song was written by Johnny Russell and Voni Morrison. Russell was a prolific country music songwriter, and Morrison was a member of Owens' backup band. Russell's lyrics were inspired by what he told his girlfriend when she asked why he went to Los Angeles: "They're gonna put me in the movies, they're gonna make a big star out of me."

Owens recorded this with his band The Buckaroos, which included Don Rich on guitar, Doyle Holly on bass, Tom Brumley on pedal steel guitar, and Willie Cantu on drums.