Boomer Castleman

Owens "Boomer" Castleman (July 18, 1945 – September 1, 2015) Castleman first started playing professionally at age 17 while a high school student in Dallas. He and a Ft. Worth teenager, John Deutschendorf, played on the folk circuit together, and Castleman was present at a club in Los Angeles when his friend agreed to change his name to John Denver.

As a solo artist, Castleman hit the US charts in 1975 with the single "Judy Mae", In so doing, he became a career musician sometimes considered a "one hit wonder."

As a Nashville studio guitarist, Castleman backed such singers as Tammy Wynette, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, George Jones, and Roy Clark.

Castleman founded the independent country music record label BNA Records which he later sold to BMG Music.

Personal He first attended St. Mark's School of Texas and Woodberry Forest School before graduating from Occidental College.

He died in September 2015, at the age of 70, and is survived by two daughters, Anne Marie and Breck.