A prolific guitarist and banjo picker known for his time on Hee Haw and his collaborations with Roy Clark, Buck Trent died on Monday (Oct. 9) in Branson, Mo. at age 85.
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"It is with great sorrow and a broken heart to say my husband, my love, Buck Trent, went to be with Jesus this morning," Trent's widow Jean shared on Facebook. "I lost my best friend, and the world lost a master musician and country music legend."
Trent was born on Feb. 17, 1938 in Spartanburg, SC. He moved to Nashville in 1959, where he played in the bands of Bill Carlisle and Bill Monroe. In 1962, Trent joined Porter Wagoner's band, the Wagonmasters. That gig positioned Trent for future collaborations with Wagoner's tour mate and duet partner, Dolly Parton. Trent went on to play acoustic guitar on both "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene."
The inventor of the electric banjo, Trent became synonymous in the '70s with "superpicker" Clark. The pair regularly appeared on Hee Haw, won two CMA Awards together and earned a Grammy nomination for 1978 album Banjo Bandits. In another historic first, Trent joined Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys in 1976 for a tour of the Soviet Union.
While on Hee Haw, Trent popularized his catchphrase "Oh yeah!"
"Buck was like a brother to me after all of these years," shared Hee Haw alum Lulu Roman in a statement. "We've shared tons of laughs and some tears along the way, but we never left each other's side. We had a bond like no other. I'll miss the man, but cherish the memories from our 50+ year friendship. My heart breaks for his precious wife, Jean, his family, friends, and fans. There will never be another like Buck Trent. Oh Yeah!"
Trent would later become a fixture of Branson, Mo.'s country-themed nightlife and a regular collaborator of Marty Stuart.
