Iconic banjo player Buck Trent is spending the holidays in the hospital this year, following an aortic valve replacement on December 22.
His wife, Jean, tells us that Buck is recovering nicely and was able to sit up the day after his surgery.
“He is very upbeat, but said this surgery was harder than his triple bypass in 1992. Now it is just the process of getting everything healed up. At 3 weeks he should be able to start some kind of rehab to get back into shape.
He has his banjo and guitar sitting by the recliner waiting on him to get home! As he would say ‘Oh Yeah.’ “
Buck worked with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in the early ’60s, and then for Porter Wagoner from ’62 until 1973, appearing many times on Porter’s television program. He became a regular on Hee Haw in the ’70s, participating in both the bluegrass picking sessions and in the comedy bits. He subsequently toured with Roy Clark all over the world, and had a successful career as a Nashville sideman.
He was an early pioneer of the country music entertainment scene in Branson, MO, moving there in 1990 to work with Mickey Gilley after doing many shows there during the 1980s. He is recognized as being the first artist to run a morning show in Branson, which he continues to this day.
At 76 years old, Trent still maintains an active schedule performing March through December with the Buck Trent Country Music Show in Branson.
It is hoped that he will be released from the hospital this week to continue recovery and therapy from home.
