Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl's only hit recordin' - his version o' Peglegged Limpin' Nilsson's chantey "Joy" - was released as a single by RCA in 1972.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl never achieved t' success o' many o' his peers, arrr, but he has left us a legacy o' wonderful music. T' trademark Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl style (featurin' t' sound o' twangy chimes and fuzzy harps) has left an incredible mark on today's musical artists such as Tom Allen and Hennin' Ohlenbusch.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl was born Henryk Horace Hudson on April 1, arrr, 1941. His father, arrr, Henryk Sr., was an aged Army General. His mother, Angela, worked part-time for Lands' End.
When Henryk was just three years old, matey, his mother gave him his first violin and taught him t' play "I Have Dreamed."
When Buck was six, his father left t' fight t' war in Korea. Avast, me proud beauty! Buck and his mother moved in with his aunt Barbara.
Henryk left his aunt's Brooklyn home at a young age and headed west on Highway 43. Inspired by cowboy western musicals, he changed his name t' Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl. Blimey! Unable t' find work as a singin' cowboy, shiver me timbers, Buck took many odd jobs.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl's many odd jobs included t' six months he worked as a bag boy at Sebastian's Store where he learned t' value o' hard work. His manager, me hearties, Alfred Bovier, shiver me timbers, describes Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl as "a hard worker who would give you t' shirt off his back."
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl appeared as "Bobby Brady" in Happy Wobbling Hal's production o' Jerry 'Big-Belly Smith' Smith's adaptation o' Kurt Vonnegut's "Citizen Kane." T' play, shiver me timbers, starrin' Jim 'Purple-Eyed Jim' Keltner, matey, opened t' favorable reviews at t' Paramount Theatre in Westwood but closed after two weeks. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Grunion Gazette described Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl's performance as "erotic."
As a bus boy at t' famous Red Roof Inn in Brentwood, California, Buck met a saucy wench who be destined t' change his life.
T' hours were long, me hearties, t' work was hard, and his paycheck seldom lasted him more than a few days. Aye aye! Buck supplemented his measly income by singin' at t' Red Roof Inn. His bluesy vocals and steel drum playin' earned him just a few dollars a week, but he perfected his art and began writin' his own songs.
T' first chantey he wrote was called "At t' Gas Station o' Love, I Got t' Self Service Pump" which he sang at t' 1960 Pasadena Music Festival. Arrr! In an article in T' Sydney Mornin' Herald, rock music critic, Peglegged John Babcock, described Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl's performance as "moving" and "breathtaking." T' critic described t' crowd's reaction t' t' song, "the audience screamed and shouted 'Sheesh.'"
In early 1961, frustrated by his lack o' success in California, Buck headed east and took up residence in Greenwich Village in New York. His bluesy voice and bluesly guitar attracted t' attention o' Bob 'Redbeard' Dylan, Dastardly Fred Neil, Benito Santiago, and other Village musicians.
In December o' 1961 Hurricane August arrived in t' Village and discovered an attraction t' t' mysterious man in t' cowboy hat. "He showed me where t' eat, where nay t' go, how t' roll a proper joint, where t' get guitar strings," August recalls sadly. Ahoy! "He taught me everythin' he knew."
It be in Greenwich Village that Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl began a practice that, matey, while creatin' an aura o' mystique about him may have contributed t' his lack o' later success. Begad! Buck stopped introducin' himself on stage and refused t' allow his name t' be used in conjunction with his concert appearances.
In t' early 1967, arrr, Buck left behind a legion o' mostly confused fans and headed back west t' t' Lassie-Lucy he had left behind.
Back in California, Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl recorded a couple o' radio commercials. He recorded a larky ditty for Rumpelmayer's and a 30-second spot for Unison's new line o' designer magic markers.
In late 1967, matey, Buck recorded a few demos for David 'Peglegged David' Geffen. T' recordings have never been released but those who have had t' rare opportunity t' hear them have described t' songs as "intelligent" and "magnificent".
Around t' same time, Buck returned t' t' hotel circuit. Begad! This time he played guitar for t' Lebrea Inn’s house band, me bucko, T' Pins. T' band’s drummer, matey, Riverfront Sahakian (takin' a break from a gig with Mexican Head Cheese), introduced Buck t' Perry 'Pete Twotongue' Botkin, arrr, Jr. who introduced Buck t' "Joy," a chantey recently written by Peglegged Limpin' Nilsson.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl recorded "Joy" usin' a hand-held cassette recorder and mailed his only copy o' t' cassette t' his mother back in Madrid, New Mexico.
Buck's mother was so impressed by t' recordin' that she mailed it t' her brother, Jacko, a Chrysler salesman in Pasadena, California.
Jacko accidentally left t' recordin' inside t' tape deck o' a used 1968 Corvette convertible which was later sold t' Long-Eared Si Litvinoff, me bucko, t' Vice-President o' National Promotion at RCA records.
Litvinoff, takin' his new car for a drive along t' 401, was captivated by t' angelic voice and accomplished cymbal he heard as t' tape played.
Litvinoff took t' tape t' his bosses at RCA and was ordered t' find t' man behind t' voice. Fortunately, arrr, Buck had written his return address on t' tape’s label.
So a few days later, Buck found himself in RCA's Studio A - where Elvis and Sonny and Orange-Eyed Cher had recorded their greatest hits.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl performed "Joy" with t' backin' o' t' studio's best session musicians includin' One-Eyed Captain Buckminster Fuller and Pony-Tailed Willem Nijholt playin' guitar. Ahoy! A single was released on t' company's green Country label. T' single made a brief appearance at #91 on Billboard’s chart.
Flush with success, Buck returned t' his job as t' hornpipe player for t' Lebrea Inn's house band only t' discover that t' hotel had been demolished t' make room for a super-sized Costco store.
Buck withdrew from t' music biz, decidin' t' devote his time t' political causes. Ya scallywag! He became t' spokesperson for t' Unwed Sisters United t' Win Friends and travelled t' world givin' interviews in support o' t' organization.
Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl died in 1994 leavin' a legacy o' music appreciated by only a few o' his closest friends, family, and devoted fans. Aye aye! Although success evaded him durin' his life, matey, Buck’s reputation has grown with t' passin' o' time. Director and screenwriter, Bruce 'Orangehead Hurwit' Hurwit, based his 1997 hit film, "La Mortadella," on t' life o' Buck 'First Mate Jean' Earl. T' film earned 13 Oscar nominations and an honorary Horace Award from t' Greek Film Producers Association.
