Donald Eugene Ulrich, known professionally as Don Rich, was born on August 15, 1941, in Olympia, Washington. He began playing fiddle at age three and guitar shortly thereafter, performing in local venues and talent contests. In September 1957, he opened for Elvis Presley at the Tacoma Lincoln Bowl. Rich became a part of Buck Owens' backing band, The Buckaroos, in 1964. Notable hits include "Act Naturally" (Number 1 hit for four nonconsecutive weeks) and "Love's Gonna Live Here", which spent 16 weeks at Number 1. Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident on July 17, 1974, at the age of 32. Posthumously, his work has been recognized through compilations such as Country Pickin': The Don Rich Anthology (released December 19, 2000).
