Robert Norman Buck (August 1, 1958 – December 19, 2000) was an American guitarist and founding member of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Some of his compositions with Natalie Merchant are among the most popular songs recorded by 10,000 Maniacs, including "What's the Matter Here", "Hey Jack Kerouac", "You Happy Puppet" and "These Are Days".

Early life

Buck was born August 1, 1958, in Jamestown, New York. He graduated from Cassadaga Valley High School in 1976 and received an associate's degree in anthropology from Jamestown Community College.

Career

Buck decided to pursue a career as a professional guitarist after seeing The Jimi Hendrix Story. Buck, Dennis Drew, Steven Gustafson, John Lombardo, and Natalie Merchant formed 10,000 Maniacs in 1981; Buck was the band's lead guitarist. The band's folk-rock music became popular with college students. Its 1987 album, In My Tribe, sold more than a million copies. In 1989, Blind Man's Zoo reached number 13 on the U.S. charts and was certified gold. Buck was the co-writer of some of the band's best-known songs, including "These Are Days", "Hey Jack Kerouac", and "What's the Matter Here?" He performed with the band at the Inaugural Ball in 1993. That same year, the band was profiled in Rolling Stone. Buck was listed in Guitar Player magazine as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

Personal life

Buck was married to Terri Newhouse from 1979 to 1981.

Death

On November 30, 2000, Buck was airlifted from WCA Hospital in Jamestown, New York, to the UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He died of liver disease roughly three weeks later, on December 19, 2000, at age 42.

Discography