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He
Chased A Chicken |
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When Buddy returned from the war, and
recovered from his injuries, he made a short movie titled:
"He Chased A Chicken".
Garry Coxhead, radio announcer on 2TM Tamworth, and
a Country Music historian, has revealed that this is
most probably the first ever music video!
At the time the movie was produced, Buddy and Grace
were running the largest rodeo tent show of the era.
The bill included famous rodeo buckjump riders; Ray
Crawford, The Wood Bros, Billy Meades, Allan Cook, Basil
Gollan, Billy Bargo & Kitty Gill..... about whom,
Buddy wrote a song titled: "Australia's Kitty Gill".
When Buddy yarned to various people, he'd say; he'd
never known a rider, (woman or man), as talented as
Kitty when dealing with a horse, and more particularly,
a buckjumper.
As we continue to build and update this site, we will
include the movie for fans and interested folk to add
to their collection.
In the meantime, here are some stills of the film, which
was made in 1946.
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Donita |
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Donita
Carolyn Williams was born on 29/2/47, she died on 29/11/48,
she was 1 year 9 months old. Buddy & Grace said
God loaned her to them for awhile.
Their memories of her were of a blessed baby girl, plump,
giggling and happy. Grace's mother, Elizabeth emoted
profound words when she said; "she's so beautiful
- this child is too good for this wicked world".
On that fateful day, "Neatie" was being cared
for by a nanny. Grace stepped out of the caravan in
time to see the driver (a roustabout with the show),
back over Donita's legs.
When Grace screamed in anguish - "go forward, you're
on my baby", in his hysteria, the driver reversed,
and crushed Donita to death. When asked if they wanted
to press charges against the driver, Buddy & Grace
said: "will that bring our baby back? - no".
No charges were ever laid.
Grace went into a state of numbness for many months.
Doctors at the time advised Buddy to shake her, slap
her, do anything to make her cry, or she would die of
a broken heart!
Some months after Neaties death, Grace cried! and cried
and cried!!
Buddy wrote a song to cope with his grief - it was titled
"Little Red Bonnet".
Neatie, Buddy & Grace rest together at Lutwyche
Cemetary in Brisbane.
Footnote:
The man who ran over Donita, later put a gun in his
mouth and pulled the trigger. Buddy & Grace spoke
of the devastation he must have felt.
No-one knows what became of the Nanny, she disappeared,
and was never heard of again.
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Unicef
Concert |
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In
1972, Buddy was invited to appear at The Hordern Pavilion
in Sydney to perform a concert to help raise money for
Unicef.
The bill included a large contingent of American artists,
including the legendary Tex Ritter (father of actor
John Ritter) and his wife, Dorothy Fay, along with Wanda
Jackson, Connie Stevens, Tom.T.Hall, Glenn Barba &
Leroy Van Dyke, to name a few.
A gala reception was held at the Sydney Town House on
May 5th, followed by the show on May 8th. It was a capacity
crowd in the huge venue, and much needed funds were
raised for Unicef on the night.
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