“Uncle Bud” Passes Away

Nashville drummer Buddy Rogers has died at age 73.

He performed and/or recorded with Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass, Jerry Reed, Marty Robbins, Charlie Rich, The Wilburn Brothers, The Music City Jazz Band, The Tommy Dorsey Band, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others.

He was also in the Grand Ole Opry house band for four years.

Born in Arkansas in 1939, he joined the Air Force Band in the 1960s. Moving to Memphis, he enrolled in Memphis State University and performed in local nightclubs.

Rogers moved to Nashville and had a 25-year career playing on recording sessions and at shows in Music City.

Leaving music behind, he gained further fame as the founder/owner of Uncle Bud’s Catfish in Franklin, as well as its branches (1980-1989). During this time, he was named Restaurateur of the Year and president of the Tennessee Restaurant Association. Later, he helped establish the organic enterprise Buffalo Valley Farm.

He sold his restaurants’ name in 1989, but the family has continued in the catfish business, cooking at The Catfish Express and The Best Little Catfish Place in Pegram.

Buddy Rogers died at home on May 30. He is survived by his wife Sydney and six children, 14 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a brother and two sisters.

Visitation will be at the West Harpeth Funeral Home today (5/31) at 3-8 p.m. and tomorrow from noon until the funeral service at 2 p.m. The private burial will be at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery.