In the April 2012 issue of Country Music People magazine in the UK, there is not only a highly favorable review of my book by Tony Byworth, but also a letter to the editor from David Bussey in which I am publicly attacked and accused of "erratic behavior." Up to now I have not responded to critics, nor do I intend to do so as a general rule. However, Bussey's statements were false and misleading, and ventured into the dangerous realm of slander and libel, so I believe a reply is appropriate.
For those of you who don't know, Mr. Bussey formerly ran the long-defunct Jim Reeves Appreciation Society back in the 1970s. He of course is free to express his opinions of my work, but went beyond a mere critique of my book to ascribe motives to me which he could not possibly know, and which in any case are incorrect. He declares, for instance, that I wrote the book for "ego, cheap sensationalism and the almighty dollar."
Mr. Bussey states in CMP, without a shred of evidence, that "no doubt" the "gory scenes" of the crash video "will be used for promotional purposes sometime soon." On what does he base this declaration? It is important to me that fans be assured I have no such intention, and carefully edited the video so as to avoid showing any human remains. I also did not print any sensational crash photos in my book, or tell all I knew about the grisly scene.
Incredibly, Mr. Bussey further claims in the magazine that "Mr. J tried to destroy my credibility not just within the Reeves and country music scene, but as a person." He cites no proof, other than a private email I sent to David Allan, upon reading a quote from Bussey in a previous issue of CMP in which he claimed Larry Jordan had "alienated himself from rank and file Jim Reeves fans." He made this statement before either he or Mr. Allan had read my book or even knew what was in it! I pointed out to Allan that Mr. B had not been active in fan circles for many years, so I wondered how he qualified as any sort of an expert on what fans were thinking? (Download a zip file containing larger copies of the CMT articles by clicking here.)
Other than the confidential email, which I am chagrinned to learn Mr. Allan apparently passed along without my prior knowledge or consent, I did not comment publicly about Bussey, despite having various venues at my disposal for doing so. Frankly, I'm too busy as a magazine publisher, radio show producer, and author to become preoccupied with Mr. Bussey.
Yet I find it ironic, if not downright hypocritical, that Mr. Bussey should now be attacking my candor in writing about Jim Reeves when he himself repeatedly encouraged me to do so in a series of interviews I taped with him! I also think it germane to note, as David Bussey revealed in one of our conversations, that Mary Reeves had paid for him to come over to Nashville for the express purpose of writing a book on Jim. However, he claimed he had to abandon the project because he soon discovered things about Jim that were not in keeping with the image of "Gentleman Jim" which Mary had sought for years to promote and which he himself, apparently for political reasons, felt constrained to preserve. Bussey insisted "it became painfully clear to me very quickly...that Jim wasn't all I thought he was...and that's why I couldn't write the book, because I couldn't tell the truth, because I would have hurt the members of the fan club; the dear ladies that believed that Jim was a saint would have strung me from the nearest yardarm if I'd dared ever say what I'd found out." He repeatedly implored me to write a candid book and when I assured him I would, he responded "I hope so...that's what I will respect."
I used to send David Bussey free copies of the CDs I released on Jim and taped interviews with him on several occasions. I had written a rather detailed account of his early fan club efforts, but then became aware he was bad mouthing me behind my back. Because of his duplicity, I removed all but a brief mention of him from my book, since I felt I could no longer trust his account of what he'd done for the fans. (As it turned out, the book ran so long I was forced to omit any reference to efforts by fans to promote Jim's music — including even those of my wife, Julie Campbell-Jordan, who has served as webmistress for the Jim Reeves Way).
Here are excerpts from just one conversation I had with Bussey. I had told him I was taping interviews with people for my book, he knew I called him to interview him for the book, we specifically discussed the book, and he voluntarily gave me quotes for the book without restriction (which I chose not to use). He was aware he was being recorded.
(Note: I apologize for the quality of this audio. The recording did not pick up my voice well, so I had to boost the audio and in so doing it acquired a sort of hum in the background. I believe both sides of the conversation are entirely audible, however).
David Bussey starts out recounting his experience in Nashville and makes some harsh statements about Mary Reeves.
David Bussey starts out recounting his experience in Nashville and makes some harsh statements about Mary Reeves.
The next excerpt begins with Mr. Bussey criticizing Steve Morewood, a respected historian/writer who had researched Jim Reeves for years with the idea of doing a book on Jim, but who abandoned the idea when other professional opportunities beckoned. (FYI, Bussey also made highly critical remarks about others on the Reeves fan scene which I have edited out). Then Bussey stresses how it's so important for the truth about Jim to come out (something for which he now publicly derides me), and he shares an anecdote about how Mary Reeves was overly protective of Jim's image.
Finally, Mr. Bussey summarizes the reasons why he couldn't write a truthful book about Jim but expresses again the hope that I will do so. In fact, in the various conversations we had over the years, he was practically salivating at the prospect of my revealing the dirt on Reeves, though of course he wanted to keep his hands clean.
David Bussey once believed that a good book on Jim should be honest about the man, warning "if one believes a lie for so long, Larry, eventually that becomes the truth." But now he apparently feels I should have perpetuated the myths about him instead. Such a view is antithetical to everything I believe as a working journalist. I feel that the job of a biographer is not to protect a subject, but to illuminate him. Fans around the world — even the editor of Country Music People, in his reply to Bussey — have said that the disclosures I've made about Jim do not diminish their appreciation for the man or his music. Anyone who has actually read my book knows it is a very respectful look at this great singer.
As someone who has been involved in journalism for a very long time, I am accustomed to criticism. I knew when I wrote an honest account of Jim Reeves' life that there would be those for whom the truth would be unacceptable, and I resolved not to be drawn into pissing contests. I would not have replied to Mr. Bussey's criticisms of my book had he not made the absurd claim that I am on some campaign of character assassination against him. He surely has an exaggerated sense of his own importance, as he hasn't done anything productive on the Reeves fan scene for more than 30 years. I had no intention of posting anything about him but felt his ludicrous statements had to be addressed.
Since CMP columnist and BBC alumnus David Allan saw fit to betray my confidence by sharing with Mr. Bussey a private email I had sent him, I hope he won't mind my similarly quoting from an email he sent to me. The only difference is, I am citing his favorable comments about his long-time friend David Bussey, not trying to be provocative or incite someone.
I will give Mr. Allan the last word on his buddy Mr. Bussey. He wrote me: "Back in 1966, when I suspect you were still a youngster, I found myself on Pirate Radio Station 390 in the Thames Estuary. In response to a request received from Mr. Bussey, I played a Jim Reeves track on my nightly country music show. By the next week, over a hundred similar requests had arrived and we soon included [a] Reeves track every night. This led to a whole Jim Reeves Hour every Sunday which became the station's top rated programmes with an average audience of 2 million in the South and Central England. This was credited with the later stupendous growth of the Jim Reeves Appreciation Society (and of course associated record sales), something often commented on to me personally by Mary Reeves. I wonder if this has a place in your book or maybe it's just a figment of my imagination?"
David Allan concluded by saying "I appreciate and understand your comments. The world of JR does seem to have its murky side and I've really no wish to be part of it. Again, my best wishes for the success of the book. All the best..."
-------------
UPDATE:
The May 2012 issue of Country Music People published my letter to the editor, replying to Mr. Bussey. I appreciate the magazine doing this, so that their readers see my side of the story. Click to the article:
------------
AN UPDATE MAY 26, 2016
In the past couple of days I have received two very strange emails purportedly signed by Anne Bussey, the wife of David Bussey. I have never communicated with her before. She demanded I take down the audio clips of her husband and claimed to have “a copy of an excruciatingly revealing two page public record document from Jacksonville Florida dated...1987, which paints a picture at total variance with the big man you obviously consider yourself today.” She called me a “demented madman,” with a “guilty conscience”, “jaded,” and a few other kind words like that. “Mrs. Bussey” seemed to have trouble remaining in the first person and sometimes wrote in the third person, in two rambling, very lengthy rants that were so filled with baseless accusations and absurd statements it would be impossible to address all of them here. The threats were sent to my personal email address, parroting some of the things that Frank Anderson of Knoxville, Tenn. — an aggressive Reeves collector — has alluded to in scores of posts he has made on the internet over the past 18 years, especially on a Holland-based website. Mr. Anderson has repeatedly tried to make people think I have been convicted of a “Class C felony” when I lived in Florida. I have screen captures dating back many years in which he often called me a “crook” and a “criminal” and said I committed “fraud.” And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Here is just one of many examples. (Click to enlarge).
So I strongly suspect that the Bussey missives were based at least indirectly on the Anderson invasion of my private life. In his thousands of posts over the years, Frank Anderson has purported to know what medications I take; accused my wife Julie and me of participating in sex sites; claimed I shamefully exploited my elderly mother, who had Alzheimer’s, and tried to pass her off as my attorney; and wrote that our underage daughter needed to be rescued from our home because my wife and I were supposedly “indoctrinating” her with the occult. All of these postings are documented in screen captures that are in the possession of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. In fact, the FBI paid a visit to Mr. Anderson several years ago, whom they told us refused to meet with them without his attorney present. It is also incontestable that his employer sent us assurances in writing that he would not use computers at his place of employment — a school, no less! — to attack us, and that he would receive counseling.
But “Mrs. Bussey” went one giant step further than Frank Anderson to claim the document she possesses “makes it perfectly clear what you were up to and who you were with.” She then names a woman whom a Google search reveals has a long rap sheet for prostitution arrests dating back to before I ever even moved to Florida. Oddly, “Mrs. Bussey” then snidely remarks in her latest email, “you couldn't really use [her] has a character witness. Poor woman. She is the epitome of a tragic life gone wrong ever since she knew you. At 50 my heart bleeds for her.” So is “Mrs. Bussey” (or Mr. Anderson?) now stalking some downtrodden woman and trying to connect her to ME? If so, how shameful!
What a vivid imagination, with NO FACTS to back it up. I have NEVER been convicted of a felony and anyone who makes such an allegation in public will expose themselves to potential legal action for slander. Furthermore, to accuse me of having ruined some woman's life is beyond absurd. It is downright sick.
To return to the home page of this site, click HERE.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete