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Homer Joy

Born: April 12, 1945 (Heber Springs, Arkansas) Died: September 11, 2012 (Las Vegas, Nevada) Country music singer/songwriter. Associated with Buck Owens and the Bakersfield country music scene. Homer Joy signed on with Buck Owens Enterprises and Blue Book Music as a singer/songwriter in 1970. In his first 3 years with Blue Book Music, 69% of the 2 million records sold during that period were penned by Homer Joy. “The Streets of Bakersfield”, written by Homer Joy in 1972, was a huge hit for Buck Owens in March of 1973. Homer wrote the song in ten angry minutes as he paced the streets of Bakersfield (in a new pair of boots that were killing his feet) working out how to get Owens' team to keep a promise to help him record some of his material in return for working on a Hank Williams tribute album for K-Tel Records. After Homer did his part on the Williams project, the Buckaroos were suddenly unavailable to keep their end of the bargain. 'Streets' became a #1 hit for Buck Owens and has been recognized by fans as the most popular country song ever written about a city. His accolades include: a Grammy Nomination, A BMI Million-Air Award, nominations from the CMA and ACM, his song won a National Juke Box Award and he received The Nashville Songwriters International Achievement Award, along with one Gold and two Platinum albums. In 1990, Homer started having a series of major heart problems. While performing on the road in Canada, Homer had a heart attack. Later that year, he had surgery to install an A.I.C.D. unit. Thinking he was well enough. An offer came from a major label to record his own album project. Old friend Buck Owens came out of retirement once more, to record a duet with Homer, of Homer's song, "John Law". Further heart problems put the project on hold and it was finally cancelled. He had gone through a few open heart surgeries, and in 2006 a heart transplant. He ultimately succumbed to heart disease in 2012. The second of ten children to Howard and Virgie (Clark) Joy in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Homer was the son of Elk, Washington, Heber Springs, Arkansas, and Bakersfield, California. Homer married Lois Sams in 1963 and they had seven children: Morgan (Cheryl) Joy of Elk, Preston Joy of Elk, Marshall (Shana) of Anchorage AK, Travis Joy of Elk, Justin (Sue) of Elk, Stephanie (Tracey) Marko of Elk and Bethany Joy of Colbert. Homer was also father to Kristopher Joy of Spokane. In 1996 Homer married Suzan Joy and they later adopted their grandchildren Andriana, Morgan, and Rylan. He was a stepfather to Tracy, Teryn, Kyle, and Corey O'Brien. Homer was a grandfather to 35 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.