Born Bernard E. Gareis in Atlasburg, Pennsylvania, in 1937, Buddy Sharpe made his musical debut in 1957 in the nearby town of Burgettstown, Washington County. He began performing at outdoor shows at the Slovin Drive-In, quickly establishing a local reputation. Sharpe recalls, “A man from Youngstown heard us and took us to New York's Bell Studios, where we recorded 'Linda Lee,' which I wrote.”
His demo caught the attention of Averbach, who released it on his Pittsburgh-based Fee Bee label. The single "Linda Lee" b/w "Bald Headed Baby" (Fee Bee 230) was launched in late 1958 and became a regional hit, garnering some national airplay. Sharpe and his band, The Shakers, performed at local sock hops alongside Porky Chedwick and appeared on Clark Race's "Dance Party." They shared the stage with notable acts like Jimmy Beaumont and The Skyliners, The Del-Vikings, The Platters, The Stereos, and The El Capris, during a time when musical genres were less rigidly defined. In 1963, they provided backing for Butch Martin's soul group, the Diadems, another act on Averbach's label, exemplifying the era's lack of stylistic boundaries.
According to reader T. Rebentine of the blog That's All Rite Mama, Buddy Sharpe recorded "Please Please Please Please" b/w "(You Got Me) Movin' & Groovin'" (Spear 2) in 1961 and "I'm Lonely" b/w "The Shake" (Ramble 13132) in 1964. He also recorded "Fat Mama" b/w "White House Twist" (Fee Bee 901) and a reissue of "Linda Lee" b/w "Git It, Git It" (Fee Bee 907) in 1964.
Nick contributed additional titles to Sharpe's discography, including "Toothache" b/w "Good Luck To You" (Star 312) and another version of "Git It, Git It" b/w "One More Chance." Reissues with different sides were not uncommon, highlighting the fluid nature of record releases at the time.
However, 1964 marked a significant turning point in music history. Sharpe reflects on this shift, stating, "I stopped performing after The Beatles came to America with their new music because there was no place left that wanted to hear the original rock and roll." He lamented, "Buddy Sharpe didn't make a penny ... everybody made money but me," a sentiment shared by many local musicians.
In 1979, Sharpe attempted a comeback with the recording of "Jump Into The River" b/w "Dry Your Eyes" (Bishop 1000) for the Carnegie-based Bishop label. Notably, "Dry Your Eyes" is a ballad that should not be confused with the Brenda and Tabs song of the same name. He also recorded a demo "Sleep All Day, Shake All Night" b/w "The Shakers Rockin' At 47" for Ray Bishop. In 1981, he released "Midnight Love" b/w "Who Likes To Work" (KIP 500) for KIP of Burgettstown, a subsidiary of Bishop, which turned out to be his last known record.
While these later recordings did not propel him to mainstream fame, they reignited his passion for music. He eventually formed a band and continued to perform, stating, "I am still playing and singing - mostly outdoor concerts, private parties, and Holiday Inns." Despite the challenges, Sharpe's legacy within the Rockabilly genre remains intact. His music is featured on several compilation albums, including two unreleased tracks, "Rock and Roll Roman" and "Rocking Chair," included in the 1993 album "Rock & Roll Fee Bee." His 45s are sought after by European collectors, and in 1999, his band opened for the Beach Boys at Burgettstown's Pepsi Road House. A highlight of his career came in 2004 when he was inducted into Nashville's Rockabilly Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of legends like Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis.
Buddy Sharpe passed away on October 12, 2011, in Washington Hospital at the age of 73, marking the end of an era for local rockabilly music.
