Don Bowman

Born in Lubbock, Texas in 1937, Don Bowman fulfilled a childhood ambition by becoming a disc jockey, working initially in Lubbock and Littlefield, at times with <a href="spotify:artist:7wCjDgV6nqBsHguQXPAaIM">Waylon Jennings</a>. The two men became friends and later wrote many songs together, including "Just to Satisfy You" and "Anita, You're Dreaming," which became hits for <a href="spotify:artist:7wCjDgV6nqBsHguQXPAaIM">Jennings</a>. Bowman's guitar playing (supposedly limited to three chords) led him to boast that he was the world's worst, which added to the comedy image he conveyed in establishing himself. He convinced <a href="spotify:artist:4dZrt8Ong5t7YYpvbfp0RU">Chet Atkins</a> into signing him to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA+Records%22">RCA Records</a> in 1963 and he soon had country chart success with [sic] "Chit Akins, Make Me a Star." Further successes included "Giddyup Do-Nut," "Folsom Prison Blues No. 2," "For Lovin' You" (a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:5b2OzvLaL6nyxw5pbVbSdy">Skeeter Davis</a>), "Dear Harlan Howard," and finally, in 1969, his version of a song co-written with <a href="spotify:artist:7wCjDgV6nqBsHguQXPAaIM">Jennings</a> called "Poor Ole Ugly Gladys Jones," which featured guest appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:7wCjDgV6nqBsHguQXPAaIM">Jennings</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5W5bDNCqJ1jbCgTxDD0Cb3">Willie Nelson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:69wzuykaVXlRS5KVygESvd">Bobby Bare</a>. He was voted CMA Comedian of the Year in 1967 and appeared in the movies The Las Vegas Hillbillys and Hillbillys in a Haunted House. His 1970 album Whispering Country was a tribute to <a href="spotify:artist:0gWNSMYCSHF4wxIs1XTSDh">Bill Anderson</a>. ~ TiVo Staff, Rovi