Buddy Hayes (musician)

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Theodore Harmond "Buddy" Hayes (born August 1, 1916 - died April 26, 1997) was a big band musician who was a member of the Lawrence Welk orchestra. His instruments were the bass and the tuba.

Born in Weston, West Virginia from a family of performers, he first started performing at age four with his parents' band. He later joined the Welk orchestra in 1954, a year before the Welk show went on national television [1], after a stint in the US Army and with several other bands in the Greater Los Angeles area. During his tenure with the Masetro's band and television show, in addition to playing the bass and tuba also was a featured vocalist in comedic and novelty numbers. He remained with the Welk organization until his departure in 1966. [2]

He continued to perform live, and enjoyed collecting and restoring old string basses, until his passing in 1997 at his home in Coos Bay, Oregon.