According to the liner notes on his first album, Lewiston, Idaho's Robert O. ("Buzz") Goertzen worked for several years as a police officer in Boise, then moved into drug counseling and finally became a full-time preacher -- but not just any preacher, mind you, he was a singing, yodeling country music preacher!
Mr. Goertzen went on to self-release over a dozen albums, generally a mix of old-school secular yodeling/western songs and gospel material. Here's a quick look at his work...
Buzz Gertson "God Loves Country Music" (Ripcord Records, 1978-?) (LP)
On this album Mr. Goertzen helpfully misspells his own name as "Gertson" on the cover, presumably to help the more phonetically-minded among us, but he spells it properly on the song credits. This album features a few country-gospel oldies, along with more contemporary numbers, including several that Goertzen co-wrote or adapted. The album includes novelty gems such as "Jesus Put A Yodel In My Heart" and "This Motor Home Is In God's Hands," as well as "I Don't Sing Those Songs Anymore." The pickin' is pretty good, while Goertzen has a slightly reedy voice, as well as a dewy-eyed disposition which all reminds me of John Denver, albeit a yodelin'-mad John Denver! The religious lyrics are a little blunt and artless for my tastes, but whatever -- he's honest and sincere, and when you settle into it, this disc'll draw you in. Like many Ripcord releases, this doesn't give the year or any info on the musicians, but it seems to have come out around 1978.
Buzz Goertzen "The Idaho Yodeler" (Ripcord Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Breeden & Ellis Miller)
Buzz Goertzen & Family "God's Love Call" (Family Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Blaine Allen, Gene Breeden, Ellis Miller, and Dan Duncan)
Once again Buzz Goertzen made a trek to the Ripcord studios, to cut another amiable country gospel set, and this time around it's a family outing recorded with his kids, Kelly and Tammy. There's plenty of instrumental ooomph added by the studio crew, though the instrumentalists aren't identified by name. This is pretty strong musically, with plenty of twangy guitar (probably Gene Breeden) and steel guitar galore... Mr. Goertzen's unconditional love of country twang still comes through loud and clear. The title track opens this album on a distinctly Slim Whitman-esque note, though Goertzen doesn't do a ton of yodeling on this one, though Whitman fans may enjoy his trilling on this tune. Though most of the songs are credited as Goertzen originals (including a couple of tracks based on scripture that list "Holy Bible" as his co-author) the album also tucks in a few cover tunes -- songs from Albert Brumley and Dottie Rambo, and of course, "God's Love Call," which was an evangelical adaptation of Oscar Hammerstein's "Indian Love Call."
Buzz Goertzen "God Put A Yodel In My Heart" (19--?) (LP)
Alas, the musicians on this album aren't listed in the liner notes, though it was probably a flock of locals... Of interest are a couple of songs written by country gospel artist Penny Baker (who recorded at least one album of her own...) including the title track, "God Put A Yodel In My Heart." Also no date on this disc, though the albums above are pictured on this one's back cover....
