Introduction
Born: January 18, 1928, Roanoke, Alabama.
Died: May 14, 2018, Bill Nichols State Veterans Home, Alexander City, Alabama.
Buried: Corinth Congregational Christian Church, Wadley, Alabama.
Born: January 18, 1928, Roanoke, Alabama.
Died: May 14, 2018, Bill Nichols State Veterans Home, Alexander City, Alabama.
Buried: Corinth Congregational Christian Church, Wadley, Alabama.
Buddy was one of 11 children of Harlin Dowell Knight and Eva Bernice Hester.
When he was 4–5 years old, his family moved to Wadley. His parents farmed most of their lives, and worked some of the time in textile mills. Buddy grew up on the farm, which raised cotton and corn.
His family loved music, and did a lot of singing. Neighbors would come in the evening to listen to his father play the guitar and banjo, and his mother would sometimes join in, singing harmony.
Buddy attended all-day singings
in the local area. During the summer months, he studied at singing schools, where he learned to sight read music. One of his singing school teachers was Tom Welch.
After high school, Buddy attended the Stamps-Baxter three week Normal School. He then went to West Virginia to another normal school, studying harmony and song writing with Vernie Fossett. Later, he studied harmony and composition at the University of Chicago.
He took a break from music during World War II, when he served in the army.
He wrote his first song, For Christ My King, in 1950, and the Stamps-Baxter Music Company published it in their book Better Songs.
In the early 1950s, Buddy was lead singer for the Silver Tone Quartet, which had a daily radio program on station WRLD in Lanett, Alabama, and nearby West Point, Georgia.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, he played piano for the Rhythmaires Quartet.
He eventually became a songwriter for Stamps-Baxter. During his 50-year career, he wrote hundreds of songs.
He belonged to the Corinth Congregational Christian Church in Wadley.
In his spare time, he enjoyed tracing his family history and genealogy.