| Buddy Starcher | |
| Birth Name: | Oby Edgar Starcher |
| Birth Date: | 1906 3, mf=y |
| Origin: | Ripley, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genre: | Country |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1946–1967 |
| Label: | 4 Star, Boone |
Oby Edgar "Buddy" Starcher (March 16, 1906 – November 2, 2001) was an American country singer whose first record releases were in 1946,[1] although he had been performing since his teens, often billed as "The Boy from Down Home".[2]
Born in Ripley, West Virginia, he starred on his own show on WCHS-TV from 1960 to 1966, and ran a record label named B.E.S. (for his initials) during this time.[3] However, he is best known for his spoken word recording entitled "History Repeats Itself", written with Minnie Pearl. Originally released on his own label in 1965,[4] it was re-released on the larger and better distributed Boone Records in 1966. The track recounts uncanny similarities between the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, accompanied by a musical background featuring "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "America the Beautiful".[5]
The re-released single hit No. 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart[6] and the album of the same name from which it was drawn peaked at No. 37 on the US Country Albums chart.[7]
His wife, Mary Ann Starcher (née Estes), was also a musician and often appeared with him on his television show.[8]
| Year | Album | US Country | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Buddy Starcher and His Mountain Guitar | — | Starday | |
| 1966 | History Repeats Itself | 37 | Decca | |
| 1967 | Just Buddy and His Guitar No. 1 | — | Bluebonnet | |
| Country Soul and Inspiration | — | Heartwarming | ||
| 1986 | Me and My Guitar (Bootleg Re-issue of 1967 album for Bluebonnet) | — | Old Homestead |
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [9] | |||
| 1949 | "I'll Still Write Your Name in the Sand" | 8 | — | single only |
| 1966 | "History Repeats Itself" | 2 | 39 | History Repeats Itself |
| "Day of Decision" | — | 131 | ||