Buzz Busby and the Bayou Boys

Bernarr Graham Busbice (September 6, 1933 – January 5, 2003), known professionally as Buzz Busby, was an American bluegrass musician, known for his unique mandolin style and high tenor voice. He was nicknamed the "Father of Washington, D.C. Bluegrass"

Busby was born near Eros, Louisiana, the eighth born of the nine children of Oates Oliver (1893-1943) and Talitha Fay (1894-1956) Busbice. In addition to running the family cotton farm, Oates was involved in local politics and Talithe (Fay) was a school teacher. Busbice and his siblings, some of whom were also musicians (notably Wayne Busbice), spent their Saturday nights listening to WSM's Grand Ole Opry and playing for dances with other area musicians. In the late 1940s, Busby started a band with high school friend and guitarist Rot Fuller. Busby honed his mandolin and vocal skills by performing the music of Bill Monroe around the West Monroe, Louisiana area.

Busby graduated from Eros High School in 1951. Because he was valedictorian of his class, Busby was recruited by the FBI, which was seeking gifted young people at that time. In June 1951 Busby moved to the Washington, DC area to begin his career with the FBI.

Shortly after his arrival in Washington while still working his day job at the FBI, Busby met Jack Clement, who was then in the military and stationed in the Washington area, and they formed the Tennessee Troupers, named for Clement's home state. Busby, Clement and Scotty Stoneman played locally at first, then did stints at WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia and WCOP in Boston. Clement returned home to Tennessee after their shows in Boston ended.

In 1953, Busby and his new partner Pete Pike (guitar) began playing at Pine Tavern, a DC night club. Simultaneously, they performed every weekend on radio station WGAY in Silver Spring, Maryland. Busby and Pike added Donnie Bryant on banjo and became Buzz & Pete and the Bayou Boys. The radio show featured lightning-fast renditions of popular bluegrass and country songs, usually performed in a key or two higher than the original. The comedy act "Ham & Scram," alter-egos of Pike and Busby, was also featured weekly.

In the summer of 1954, Busby, Pike and the band entered the National Country Music Championship in Warrenton, Virginia. Busby and Pike, Along with Donnie Bryant, Scotty Stoneman and Lee Cole on bass won first place in the contest. Shortly after the contest, WRC-TV in Washington hired the band for a daily afternoon television show. Bryant and Stoneman left the band and were replaced by Don Stover on banjo and John Hall on fiddle. The show was immensely popular, employing newly developed video special effects to add to the appeal of the program. The program aired from September 1954 to March 1955.

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