Buck White, Founder of Country/Bluegrass Group The Whites, Dies at 94

Buck White, the patriarch of country and bluegrass music group The Whites, died Monday, Jan. 13 at age 94.

White’s daughters Sharon, Cheryl, Rosie and Melissa said in a statement: “The Lord answered our prayers and took our daddy home peacefully this morning at 8:00 a.m. We are so thankful for his 94 years on this earth. He was a great Dad who taught us by example to put Jesus first always. His great loves were the Lord, our mother, his family and music. Most people will remember him not only for being a great musician and entertainer, but also for being fun-loving and full of mischief. He lived a full life and finished well.”

White was born Dec. 13, 1930. According to The Whites’ Skaggs Family Records bio, White launched his music career by playing mandolin and piano in dance halls and radio shows around Texas. He later relocated his family to Arkansas in the 1960s. The group initially formed as Buck White & the Down Home Folks, and as White’s daughters Sharon and Cheryl began displaying their own talents for music, they joined the group.

In 1971, they performed at Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom festival, which prompted the group to move to Nashville and further pursue a career in music. Throughout the early 1970s, they continued releasing albums. Their music and familial harmonies caught the ear of Emmylou Harris, who invited the group to sing on her 1979 album Blue Kentucky Girl; they then joined Harris on the road as her opening act.

Buck White also released the solo album More Pretty Girls Than One in 1979, while the group issued their first album under the moniker The Whites in 1983, with Old Familiar Feeling.

In the 1980s, the group earned top 10 Hot Country Songs chart hits including “You Put the Blue in Me” (which earned the group its first Grammy nomination, for best country performance by a duo or group with vocal) and “Hangin’ Around.” Sharon White married bluegrass/country artist Ricky Skaggs in 1981, and Skaggs produced the bulk of The Whites’ 1980s hits. The Whites and Skaggs also began performing often together, with Skaggs introducing the group to new audiences. The Whites became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1984. The Whites also picked up CMA Awards nominations in categories including horizon award, instrumental group of the year and vocal group of the year. They released their first all-gospel album in 1988 with Doing It by the Book.

White appeared with his daughters in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou, and the country music classic “Keep on the Sunny Side” as part of the movie’s soundtrack. The group also took part in the 40-plus city Down From the Mountain Tour.

To date, The Whites have won two Grammys, earning best southern, country or bluegrass gospel album for their project Salt of the Earth (with Skaggs), and album of the year for the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. The Country Music Association also named the soundtrack as its album of the year in 2001.

The Whites were inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame in 2008, and earned the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s distinguished achievement award in 2006. They also celebrated 40 years as members of the Grand Ole Opry last March.

On the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart dated Jan. 18, 2025, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? album re-entered the chart at No. 2.

Funeral arrangements for White are pending.