In the Garden State, Bucky’s ca-
reer is noted by his induction in
the New Jersey Hall of Fame in
2011; The Rutgers Institute of Jazz
Studies: American Jazz Hall of
Fame; the Lifetime Achievement
Award at Centenary College’s Per-
forming Arts Guild; Montclair State
University “Carpe Diem” Award for
Distinguished Achievement in the
Arts; and the Distinguished Artist
Award of Bergen County.
But his legacy extends far be-
yond New Jersey.
He’s got a pair of guitars in the
Smithsonian National Museum of
American History; has performed
at the White House in front of
two presidents (Reagan and Clin-
ton); is part of ASCAP’s Jazz Wall
of Fame; and has three honorary
Doctors of Music degrees (Ham-
ilton College in NY, William Pa-
terson University in NJ, and the
University of Southern Illinois). His
career includes many years with
Benny Goodman and the Tonight
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 70
Show Orchestra, along with play-
ing on hundreds of recordings as
a session musician.
Bucky’s family includes his sons
John (a renowned jazz guitarist)
and Martin (an accomplished dou-
ble bassist). Laub used to have his
guitar lessons with Bucky’s uncle
Bobby.
“As a kid, his son John and I both
took lessons from his uncle,” re-
called Laub. “We didn’t know each
other, but his lesson was right
after mine and I would see him
all of the time. His uncle got sick
and I lost my guitar teacher. My
uncle (who was a great musician
as well) knew of Bucky and got me
an opportunity to go over and see
if I could take lessons with him.
Bucky’s uncle was a banjo player
who also played the guitar. He
had these funny little chord for-
mations that were more banjo in
type than they were guitar. On my
first lesson, Bucky asked me to sit
down and play him a song. When
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