The “Golden Hits Of The 70s” 

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B. W. STEVENSON

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“MY MARIA”

(B. W. STEVENSON, Daniel Moore)

RCA Victor 0030

No. 9   September 29, 1973

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His trademark was a stovepipe hat and an expansive amount of hair, beard, and belly. He was shy,

afflicted with stage fright, but quite a drinker.   He also had a formidable voice that was rarely heard

“unpackaged.”   Jan Reid, author of The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, considered him in a league

with Texan “outlaws” (long­-haired country-music rebels) like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.   Reid

even dedicated a chapter in his book to this chap, dubbing him “The Voice.”

Louis C. Stevenson was born in Dallas, on October 5, 1949.   In his teen years, he worked in bar bands.   He

attended North Texas State in Denton on a voice schol­arship, transferring to Cooke County Junior College.

He joined the Air Force, and not too long afterward, played the clubs in Austin.

Reid, who spent an evening at Stevenson’s spread with multiple six-packs, reported that “The Voice” was a

singular talent capable of singing “understated, gut­ wrenching, back-woods blues.”   Yet few listeners ever

heard that side of the big man: RCA signed him early in his career, called him B. W. (short for

“Buckwheat”), and positioned him, against his wishes, as a pop-coun­try singer.

In mid-’73, B. W. almost had his break-through hit with “Shambala” (#66, 1973).   But he was beaten to the

punch by Three Dog Night’s hugely successful cover of the tune, so RCA needed another disk to issue.

Fortu­nately, Stevenson and songwriter Daniel Moore had just worked up a similar-sounding number

called “My Maria.”   It was catchy, and finally the company had their hit, plus a successful LP, My Maria

(1973).

Other albums and singles were tried, but B. W.’s limited fame faded.   He was only 38 when he died on

April 28, 1988.