Buckner & Garcia
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Akron, Ohio , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Buckner & Garcia was a musical pair from Akron, Ohio, composed of Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia. Their initial recording, a novelty track named "Gotta Hear the Beat," was produced in 1972 under the alias Animal Jack. In 1980, they created the holiday-themed novelty tune "Merry Christmas in the NFL," credited to Willis the Guard and the fictitious band Vigorish, which reached number 82 on the Billboard charts.
Their most notable work is the 1981 novelty single "Pac-Man Fever", originally issued through BGO Records before they secured a national distribution deal with Columbia/CBS Records. The album, exclusively featuring video game-inspired songs, earned gold certification and achieved combined global sales surpassing two and a half million copies. Their subsequent single, "Do the Donkey Kong," reached number 103 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Charts.
History
The planned follow-up to "Pac-Man Fever" was "E.T., I Love You," but its release was postponed by their label in favor of Neil Diamond's unauthorized track "Heartlight." Buckner & Garcia later re-recorded this song for their 1999 album Now & Then. In 1985, Jerry Buckner penned "On and On," performed by Anne Murray, which became a top 10 hit on Country/Easy Listening charts.
During the mid-1990s, Sony Music opted not to reissue Pac-Man Fever on CD. Responding to ongoing demand, Buckner & Garcia independently re-recorded and released the album in 1999, featuring Danny Jones substituting for the late drummer Whitaker and Stewart returning on bass. Their follow-up release Now & Then contained four new songs, including "E.T., I Love You."
The duo also composed original material for Waffle House jukeboxes and produced two albums showcasing these compositions.
In 2009, "Pac-Man Fever" was ranked number 98 on VH1's list of "Top 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s." On June 10, 2010, they launched "Keepin' the Dream Alive," allocating a portion of proceeds to support Akron's All-American Soap Box Derby.
On September 9, 2011, they introduced "Found Me the Bomb," inspired by gaming site Giant Bomb. The track was distributed freely on giantbomb.com and featured on Rock Band Network following an interview and a live Pac-Man tournament collaboration.
Gary Garcia passed away unexpectedly at age 63 on November 17, 2011, in Englewood, Florida. After Garcia's death, Buckner teamed up with Jamie Houston to compose "Wreck It, Wreck-It Ralph!" for Disney's Wreck-It Ralph (2012).
Jerry Buckner
Using the pseudonym Jerry Martin, Buckner wrote "Letter to Saddam Hussein" in 1991, which peaked at number 71 on the Hot Country Songs chart that March.
Following Garcia's passing in 2011, Jerry continued his career as a songwriter, keyboardist, and arranger. His works have been recorded by artists such as Anne Murray ("On and On"), Bertie Higgins ("The Wall"), Bobby Vinton ("The Wall"), and Seiko ("So in Love with You"). He has also composed original music for television, film soundtracks, and commercials for brands including Coca-Cola, Papa John's, DirecTV, and Waffle House.
In 2012, Buckner co-produced and performed the main theme for Disney's successful film Wreck-It Ralph, which received Critics' Choice Awards for "Best Movie," Annie Awards for both "Best Movie" and "Best Soundtrack," as well as an Academy Award nomination.
Original members of their band included Ginny Whitaker (drums), Larry McDonald (bass), Chris Bowman (lead and rhythm guitar), Rick Hinkle (guitar on key tracks), Mike Stewart (Moog synthesizer), and David "Cozy" Cole (syndrum on Pac-Man Fever). Background vocals on Pac-Man Fever were provided by Steve Carlisle and Sharon Scott.
Pac-Man Fever
- "Pac-Man Fever" (inspired by Pac-Man)
- "Froggy's Lament" (based on Frogger)
- "Ode to a Centipede" (derived from Centipede)
- "Do the Donkey Kong" (referencing Donkey Kong)
- "Hyperspace" (influenced by Asteroids)
- "The Defender" (from Defender)
- "Mousetrap" (tied to Mouse Trap)
- "Goin' Berzerk" (connected to Berzerk)
Now & Then
- "Do the Funky Broadway"
- "Pogwild" (Pogs)
- "It's Allright"
- "Hostage"
- "E.T., I Love You"
- "E.T., I Love You" (Karaoke Version)
- "Pac-Man Fever" (Karaoke Version)
- "Pac-Man Fever" (Unplugged Version)
Now & Then (reissued)
- "Hostage"
- "E.T., I Love You"
- "Mr. T"
- "I Gotta Hear the Beat"
- "Loose in the Streets"
Personnel
Pac-Man Fever lineup (1981–1982)
- Gary Garcia – lead vocals, guitar
- Jerry Buckner – keyboards, backing vocals
- Chris Bowman – guitar
- Larry McDonald – bass guitar
- Ginny Whitaker – drums
- David "Cozy" Cole – syndrum on "Pac-Man Fever"
- Rick Hinkle – guitar on "Pac-Man Fever," "Mousetrap," and "Goin' Berzerk"
- Steve Carlisle – backing vocals on "Pac-Man Fever"
- Sharon Scott – backing vocals on "Pac-Man Fever"
- Mike Stewart – Moog synthesizer on "Mousetrap" and "Goin' Berzerk"
Lineup from 1982 to 1999
- Gary Garcia – lead vocals, guitar
- Jerry Buckner – keyboards, backing vocals
- Chris Bowman – guitar
- Mike Stewart – bass and keyboards
- Ginny Whitaker – drums
Members between 1999 and 2011
- Gary Garcia – lead vocals, guitar
- Jerry Buckner – keyboards, backing vocals
- Mike Stewart – bass, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Danny Jones – drums, backing vocals
Wreck-It Ralph (2012) lineup
- Danny Jones – lead vocals, drums
- Jerry Buckner – keyboards, backing vocals
- Chris Bowman – guitar
- Mike Stewart – bass, keyboards