As "Streets Of Bakersfield" peaked, Buck received a letter from Capitol Records’ Nashville head Jim Foglesong, asking him to consider Capitol if he decided to record again. Ken Nelson had retired long ago. Buck signed with them and late in 1988 released a new album, Hot Dog, featuring a remake of the rockabilly number he’d first done 32 years ago, as well as "Under Your Spell Again" (sung with Dwight) and "A-11," which he’d first recorded in 1964. The single version of "Hot Dog" only made it to #46 on the charts. Nonetheless, Buck began doing interviews and performing with a reconstituted Buckaroos.

In March 1989, Buck was invited to the "Bammy" Awards, sponsored by BAM (Bay Area Music), a San Francisco-based rock magazine. At the presentation, his appeal to rockers of two generations reared its head again. He was photographed with fans that included Neil Young, Van Halen lead singer Sammy Hager, Chris Isaak, and John Fogerty(who’d mentioned Buck in the 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival hit "Lookin’ Out My Back Door"). Buck was both pleased and moved.

"Seein’ Neil Young, Sammy Hager, John Fogerty...he liked me well enough he put my name in one of his songs. And I had no idea how they felt at that time. I wasn’t thinkin’ about that and I’m glad I wasn’t. I was just thinkin’ about doin’ what I liked to do. To know that the music has had some effect on the Rodney Crowells and the Dwights and the Marty Stuarts and Vince Gills and some of those young pickers, I’m very proud of that, although it was unplanned. It was just something that happened."

The producers of the Bammy Awards show had suggested that Buck and Ringo Star sing a duet version of "Act Naturally" at the show. Though Ringo didn’t appear at the festivities, Buck came up with a better idea: to recorded the song with Ringo. They did so in London that year at the Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles’ hits were recorded. It was a Grammy-nominated single and an album of the same name followed that year. Buck and Ringo also did an "Act Naturally" video. Though the album revealed his continued vitality, it didn’t meet sales expectations.

At age 62, Buck’s view of Nashville had changed...a bit. "Today, if I had to do it over again, I think what I would do it a little differently. I think what I would do, I would just be cool and take advantage of what Nashville had to offer instead of tryin’ to swim upstream all the time. All the control comes from Nashville, though my deal was on the West Coast.

But any speculation about future membership in the Country Music Hall Of Fame brings his old out-spokenness to the forefront, both for himself and for Ken Nelson, who Buck wants to see in the Hall Of Fame with producers Uncle Art Satherley, Paul Cohen, Chet Atkins, and Owen Bradley.

"If you want me in the Hall of Fame put me in because of some contributions that I have made to country music." Make no mistakes: Buck would be proud to be a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame- so long as it’s not solely a reward for glad-handing and back slapping (editors note: Buck was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996, after this interview was written).

Buck still owns his radio stations in Bakersfield, and also has two weekly publications he publishes and prints. "I’m not doin’ a lot of the daily management, except in an executive role. My nephew Mel is general manager of the company. So it works out real well for me; I come in and spend a couple hours here in the office, then I’m outta here. I don’t hang around.

Now into his seventh decade, having realized the dream of a poor boy from the Dust Bowl, he looks back on it all, and his place in history, with the same uncompromising energy and simplicity that have marked his life.

"I think I’m gonna be remembered the same way that people remember me today. There’s gonna be those that liked me and those that didn’t like me. I’d like just to be remembered as a guy that came along and did his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready to do the job, wrote a few songs, and had a hell of a time."

-Rich Kienzle