06.13.08 Gaither.com Interview with Buddy Greene

Interview by Emily Sutherland



Buddy Greene is quite possibly the most understated genius in the Homecoming family, but his brilliant musical talent and deep well of spiritual understanding are ever-so-slightly disguised by a disarming "good ol' boy" personality that keeps him from being at all intimidating. His fellow artists love working with him, audiences love listening to him, and there aren't very many people who Bill Gaither trusts to lead a worship service with no advance notice... but that has actually happened as recently as this year's Family Fest event! Backstage, after group prayer, Bill announces, "Buddy you start us off, okay?!"



As evidenced in that very worship service, Buddy makes profound concepts accessible to the rest of us through simple, joyful songs and a genuinely grateful spirit. His new CD is appropriately entitled, Happy Man and Gaither.com caught up with him just before he left for his summer vacation to see what makes this artist, husband, and father of two a truly happy man.



First, we needed to know... is he truly as happy as he seems? Well... yes and no.



Buddy readily admits, "I can really get into a funk... it is through art and my family where God gets my attention back again into a more natural state of 'happy'. Music and art provide the prism into reality that I need to see things through."



"My girls are growing up," he continues, "and that's sort of bittersweet. Erin (20) is my oldest and she is going to Belmont University in Nashville; we like having her near home. Georganna (15) is going into 10th grade and is becoming a woman. She got her learner's permit today! They're growing up fast and Vicki and I are enjoying these years so much. I used to dread their teenage years because the teenage years were troubled times for me, but the people around us - our church family and the artistic community we're a part of - have been a positive influence on them. We're really seeing the affects of the Family of God in our family and in our girls' lives.



"In fact, Gloria just sent us some pictures that were taken more than 10 years ago - Erin was 9 and Georganna was 4! It doesn't seem possible that those photos were taken more than 10 years ago. You've gotta hold onto those moments and make the most of them... they fly by so fast!"



Another source of joy for this happy man is his wife... "Vicki is a great mom and a best friend to our daughters. They share everything with her... That has been so cool!



"And we are celebrating 25 years of marriage this year! I'm glad she married up so well! She is a low-profile person... very down to earth. She doesn't like her picture taken or anything like that and she stays away from the spotlight. I really need that kind of personality to keep me grounded. I can be pretty flighty, like most artists, but she is a good balance for me. She really appreciates my gifts and talents, though. She was at something recently and I was on-stage, and at one point I looked over at her and she was laughing! After 25 years of hearing me rehash stuff... she is still laughing. I love that!"



Vicki's laughter is more important to Buddy than merely providing validation that his material is still good... it's an essential value in the life of this couple and their family. Buddy explains, "We live in a seriously fallen world with seriously messed up people - including us -and if you can't laugh at it, you're doomed. The more I read scripture the more I read between the lines and see the humor. Reading about the interactions of Jesus and his disciples ... I start to realize that God must be laughing all the time!"



For anyone who has attended a Gaither Homecoming concert during the past year-and-a-half, you may have been introduced to Bill Gaither's favorite singing bear. Buddy comments... "I love the song that bear sings,'Don't Worry Be Happy' and the singer of that song, Bobby McFerrin, seems to be that kind of guy who really takes on a 'don't worry, be happy' attitude in life. That's a good place to be, and on my good days I am open to that mentality... I have to keep remembering that there is Someone in charge who has been doing this a long time. He isn't new at being in charge and he really does have everything under control."



That kind of outlook is important when facing some of the challenges Buddy and his family have faced in recent months and years. "Life definitely has its challenges right now... with aging parents who are going through stuff that old age brings. That's hard. And we are that age when our friends are battling hard stuff and we're walking with them through cancer and the loss of loved ones. God teaches us through those hard things- just as he taught his son though suffering. In fact, He said through suffering He 'perfected' His son. Living in a fallen world is about growing in grace and I'm hopefully learning how to share in Christ's suffering."



That "growing in grace" is heard unmistakably through Buddy's music and is, perhaps, the reason his songs -whether spiritually deep or just plain fun - seem to spark hope in the hearts of his listeners. His music grows out of both the happy places and the hard stuff. Undoubtedly, the spirit of the artist is as important to the communication process as the song itself, and for that reason, Buddy's art continues to strike a chord with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. And thank Heaven, his career shows no signs of slowing down.



"It has been a busy time in my career and I'm glad the phone is still ringing! That's a good thing. Since the Rufus CD released [a couple years ago] I've been playing more locally. I had been primarily in churches before that and enjoyed that a lot. But I have really enjoyed getting together with other musicians to just jam and have a good time."



"I still travel but I like staying close to home. I love to pack up the van and grab my friend, Jeff Taylor, and go four or five hours up the road."



The Rufus recording began a new era for Buddy and reunited him with players and friends he hadn't worked with for years. Now, Happy Man continues that same kind of feel with a brand new batch of songs.



"I originally wanted to call this new project 'Rufus Part 2' but no one was jumping up and down about that idea," he says laughing. So he named the project after one of the songs on the project that seem to summarize how he feels when he is in his 'happy place' - making music with his talented friends.




Happy Man has a ton of great players... Kenny Malone is my favorite drummer and he plays on the project, Dennis Crouch, Luke Bulla and Aubrey Haynie are all playing with me, and even my old employer, Jerry Reed, sang lead on "You Took The Ramblin' Out of Me". Jerry has become a brother in Christ during the past few years and I've enjoyed our friendship on a new level. He has a great story and I've so enjoyed witnessing the effect Christ has had on his life!




"Bill Gaither sang bass on the Happy Man project, too, which was huge fun!" Buddy adds, "I love working with Bill anytime I get the chance. We have 20 years of history and we can always pick up wherever we left off. I look forward to intersecting with him through events like Family Fest, Myrtle Beach and the cruises and any other chances I have to work with him...."



Speaking of Gaither cruises, you may have noticed that Buddy is the "poster boy" for the 2009 Caribbean Cruise on the home page of Gaither.com. The photo of Buddy in scuba gear was taken during the 2007 Caribbean Homecoming Cruise and graciously provided by Buddy's assistant, Ann! (Thanks, Ann. We owe you one!) Ann secured Buddy's permission to use the photo of him in scuba gear, and he agreed without a second thought (or so Ann claims). He may or may not have realized he would be on a home page banner... but oh well! Too late now! That's just one more reason we love his attitude. You're the best, Buddy!



Buddy will spend Father's Day working out in California. "Ironically, I'll be working at a family camp without my family!" he said half-laughing. But the week leading up to Father's Day is devoted to a family vacation in a familiar island location off the Atlantic Ocean. The familiar beauty of Spanish moss hanging from live oaks and the nearby ocean is a place where the Greene family loves to go to reconnect with one another and their Creator. It's just another way that Buddy nurtures the happy man we all know and love!



www.buddygreene.com