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Buckaroos singer reveals band, CD
| Wednesday, Jun 27 2007 8:20 AM
Last Updated: Thursday, Jun 28 2007 3:17 PM
Kim McAbee, longtime "Buckarette" for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, is having a combination CD-release party and meet-the-new-band unveiling from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Randy Urner's Outside.
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Kim McAbee is having a CD release party Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at Randy Earner's Outdoors.
McAbee's new album is called "That's What I'm Talking About," and it features a duet with Owens, "I'll Still Be Waiting for You," that McAbee says was the singer's last recording before he died in March 2006. She'll take it on the road with her new band, Kim McAbee and 7th Standard, early next month.
She chatted recently with The Californian about her solo recording career, her new band and life without Buck.
TBC: What will you be doing this summer?
McAbee: Working hard. We're doing a little mini-tour next month. We'll be in Roundup, Mont., on July 3, and in Pasco, Wash., on July 4. And we'll be the main act, not the opening act. Our first single from the new album, "American Boys," went out to DJs recently, and John Hendricks of Music Choice -- the radio thing you get through your digital cable -- is picking it up.
I was in Nashville June 4-10 and performed at Tootsie's in the famous Orchid Lounge. And I got to go the CMA Fest, which is the old Fan Fair (meet-and-greet event). It was fun being up there with some big stars and some new stars -- Mark Wills, Kenny Thomas, Bill Anderson, Big and Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Montgomery Gentry. Tons of people.
The CMA Fest had some fun events at this place they called the Family Zone, where all the people take their kids. They had me read a Dr. Seuss book (aloud). I even made up extra pages because the book was too short. Don't worry, I rhymed.
TBC: 7th Standard has a familiar ring to it. How did you come up with that name for your band?
McAbee: I've been with the Buckaroos for so long (10 years), I needed to have my own identity. We were trying to think of a name for my band, and this was right about at the time (the Kern County Board of Supervisors) decided to rename a section of 7th Standard Road in honor of Merle Haggard. So we decided to name the band 7th Standard. They didn't need the name for the road anymore. At least not that part of the road.
TBC: Who is in your band?
McAbee: It's a great band, all Bakersfield guys. Sean Randall is on lead guitar, Jeff Davis is on bass, Jerry Tyler is on drums, Jeri Foster is on keyboards and (McAbee's husband) Kyle Carter is on acoustic guitar. Yes, that's the home builder Kyle Carter. He has worked so hard and been such a trouper. He's been playing guitar since he was in high school, and he even had a band -- the Bad News Boys, the Bad Blues Boys, something like that. The band had Matt Towery, who also became a home builder.
TBC: Do you miss Buck Owens?
McAbee: I miss him a lot. I'm so grateful to him. The experience he gave me was awesome. He taught me that you can't sit in the background and be the lead. He taught me how to get up there and go for it.
It's great to be able to still be singing at the Crystal Palace, though. I'm still doing backup vocals for Monty (Byrom) and Buddy (Alan Owens), when he's there. I don't mind not being the front end of it. I'm doing this (solo career) on my time. I'm not going to miss any nights for this, but when I do, they've got (vocalist) Jennifer Keel coming in. Those guys (in the Buckaroos) are like brothers. I love them. I hope they like my other band. They've never seen this band either. Nobody has.
Kim McAbee CD release party
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday
Where: Randy Urner’s Outside