Mickey Buckins is a musician, songwriter and record producer. As a songwriter he has written or co-written hits for Big Ben Atkins,

Clarence Carter Clarence George Carter (born January 14, 1936) is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. His most successful songs include "Slip Away (Clarence Carter song), Slip Away", "Back Door Santa" (both released 1968), "Patches (Ch ...

Terri Gibbs Teresa Fay Gibbs (born June 15, 1954) is an American country music artist. Between 1980 and 2017, she recorded eleven studio albums, including four for MCA Records and one for Warner Bros. Records. She also charted 13 singles on the ''Billboard' ...

The Osmonds The Osmonds were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed the Osmond Brothers) and a quintet (the Osmonds). The group has c ...

, and Spencer Wiggins.

Background

During the 1960s, Buckins worked for Fame Studios. One of the artists he worked with was James Govan. Another was

Bobby Hatfield Robert Lee Hatfield (August 10, 1940 – November 5, 2003) was an American singer. He and Bill Medley were the Righteous Brothers. He sang the tenor part for the duo and sang solo on the group's 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody". Early li ...

. Examples of his work can be found on Bettye Swann's '' The Complete Atlantic Recordings'' album. It has seven songs on it that were produced at Muscle Shoals Studio by

Rick Hall Roe Erister "Rick" Hall (January 31, 1932 – January 2, 2018) was an American record producer, songwriter, and musician who became known as the owner of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. As the "Father of Muscle Shoals Music", he was ...

and Mickey Buckins between 1972 and 1973.

Career

1960s

During the mid-1960s, he fronted his group Mickey Buckins & The New Breed. They toured throughout the Southeast. The group recorded three singles, " Silly Girl" / "Long Long Time" that was released on Norala 6603 in 1966, "Long Long Time" / "Seventeen Year Old Girl" that was released on South Camp 7004 in 1967, and "Reflections of Charles Brown" / "Big Boy Pete", released on South Camp 7007 the same year. In 1967, Buckins was hired by Rick Hall of Fame Studios. Multi-tasking, Buckins would work his way up the ladder. Buckins and George Jackson wrote the song "The Feeling is Right" which was recorded by

. The

produced single was released in 1969. The song peaked at no. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Best Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles chart on the week of August 2.

1970s

Buckins was enlisted by Rick Hall to produce Bobby Hatfield's 1971 album, ''Messin' in Muscle Shoals''. Buckins also served as the recording engineer. A number of his compositions also appeared on the album. Buckins and

Sonny Limbo Sonny Limbo was an American record producer, arranger and composer. His production credits include, " I Wanna Come Over" for Alabama, " Tell Me a Lie" for Sami Jo, and albums, '' Just Another Day in Paradise'' for Bertie Higgins and '' Live It U ...

produced the self-titled album for

Eddie Middleton Eddie Middleton (April 15, 1947 – August 21, 2021) was an American singer who had a few hits on the US country charts in the 1970s. He also leant towards the soul genre and sang gospel. His biggest success was his version of the song " Endlessly ...

who was discovered by A&R man,

Steve Popovich Steve Popovich (July 6, 1942 – June 8, 2011) was an American record company executive. As the founder of Cleveland International Records, he launched and guided the careers of many famous artists through his work with the CBS label family, includ ...

. The album was recorded at Bill Lowery's Lowery Studio. It was released in 1977. Buckins wrote "

We Don't Live Here, We Just Love Here "We Don't Live Here, We Just Love Here" was a 1978 single for Big Ben Atkins. It was also a hit for him that year, registering on the ''Cash Box'', ''Billboard'' and ''Record World'' charts. Background "We Don't Live Here, We Just Love Here" was ...

" for Big Ben Atkins. The recording was produced by Sonny Limbo and released on GRT 161 in 1978. On the week of May 20, "We Don't Live Here, We Just Love Here" made its debut on the ''Record World'' Country Singles Chart at no 89. The single peaked at no. 80 on the week of June 3 and held the position for another week.

1980s

Buckins was a percussionist on the 1982 album ''Just Another Day in Paradise'' by

Bertie Higgins Elbert Joseph "Bertie" Higgins (born December 8, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter. In 1982, Higgins had a top 40 album with '' Just Another Day in Paradise''. It spawned the hit song " Key Largo", which referenced the Humphrey Bogart and ...

. Together with

Barbara Wyrick Barbara Wyrick is an American singer and songwriter. She has written songs that became hits for James Brown, Candi Staton, Mac Davis, Janie Fricke, and others. Background The youngest of five children, Barbara Wyrick was born in Dyersburg, Tenne ...

, Buckins wrote the song "

Tell Me a Lie "Tell Me a Lie" is a song composed by Mickey Buckins and Barbara Wyrick. Originally recorded by Lynn Anderson for her 1974 '' What a Man My Man Is'' album, it was released later that same year as a single by Sami Jo Cole, who took it to number ...

" which was a hit for

Janie Fricke Jane Marie Fricke ( ; born December 19, 1947), known professionally as Janie Fricke, is an American country music singer, record producer, and clothing designer. She has placed seventeen Single (music), singles in the top ten of the US ''Billboa ...

. The song spent a week at no. 1 on the Radio & Records chart (December 2, 1983) as well as a week at no. 1 on the ''Billboard'' chart (December 10, 1983).

2000s

Buckins was part of an ensemble set to appear on July 28, 2018, at Florence's Shoals Theater, backing

Travis Wammack Travis Wammack (born November 1944 in Walnut, Mississippi, United States) is an American rock and roll guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. Described as an "instrumental genius" and "a precursor to guitar-hero shredding", he is known for his "magn ...

in a tribute concert for Rick Hall of Fame Studios. The song " Heart on a String" that he wrote with George Jackson was recorded by

Lara Price Lara may refer to: People * Lara (name), can be a given name or a surname in several languages * Lara (mythology), a naiad nymph, daughter of the river Almo in Ovid's ''Fasti'' Places *Lara (state), a state in Venezuela *Electoral district ...

and included on her ''Half & Half'' album that was released in June 2024.Bluestown Music, 2 mei 2024
New Release: Lara Price – Half & Half
/ref>

References

External links

* Discogs
Mickey Buckins
* ''MusicVF''.com
Songs written by Mickey Buckins
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckins, Mickey People from Muscle Shoals, Alabama American record producers American songwriters Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section members Year of birth missing (living people) Living people