Murrey Mizell "Buddy" Harman Jr. (December 23, 1928 â August 21, 2008) was an American country music session musician.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Harman studied music at Roy C. Knapp School of Percussion. He returned to Nashville in 1952. Harman played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Moon Mullican, Songwriter Larry Petree, Martha Carson, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Ray Price, Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, Eddy Arnold, Perry Como, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Gillian Welch and many more.
Harman appeared on almost all of Cline's Decca sessions from her first in November 1960 to her last in February 1962, during which time he backed her on songs such as:
Harman was the first regular drummer on the Grand Ole Opry. Some of Harman's awards include "Drummer of the Year" in 1981 from the Academy of Country Music and "Super Picker" Award for drums on the most No. 1 recordings from the Nashville NARAS chapter in 1975 and 1976.
Harman died at the Hospice Center in Nashville from congestive heart failure at the age of 79.
With Kai Winding