Don Henley and Ringo Starr both discussed Buck Owens song

“Nobody pitched it. I heard it and I used to get one track a record.”

In October 2026, music historians and fans are revisiting a notable intersection of country music and rock history centered on a song that both Ringo Starr and Don Henley discussed. Far Out reported that the track in question is Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally,” a Bakersfield sound standard that bridged the gap between traditional American country and British Invasion rock.

How The Beatles Brought Bakersfield to the UK

The Beatles maintained only a passing interest in country music for much of their early career, but Ringo Starr actively pushed the band toward the genre. Before George Harrison discovered the sounds of Pete Drake’s guitar, Starr shared Buck Owens records with his bandmates alongside Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley albums. When the group needed a vocal special for Starr on Help, the drummer chose Owens’ hit. Starr stated, “I loved Buck anyway, and I just loved that song. I thought it had a lot of fun and emotion in it, and that’s why I did it.”

Don Henley and the Authenticity of the Original

While generations of listeners grew up hearing The Beatles’ cover, Don Henley argued that Starr’s version did not surpass the original. Henley noted that Owens was born in Texas before being associated with the Bakersfield sound in Bakersfield, California. Henley stated, “One of his biggest hits was a song called ‘Act Naturally’ that was actually covered by The Beatles. Ringo Starr sang that song, and you know, that was a good version. But Buck’s version is my favourite.” The lyrics tell the story of a sad actor who’s not going to need to rehearse a broken-hearted man, a narrative that sounded more believable coming from Owens, who grew up only a few hours outside of the Hollywood machine when making his first major hits.

While Starr successfully introduced country textures into the Fab Four’s catalog, Henley incorporated those same storytelling traditions into country-leaning Eagles staples like “Desperado.”

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