George ‘Bucky’ Sallee, longtime horse track bugler
Bugler Bucky Sallee plays the call to the post for the second race on Keeneland's opening day of the spring meet in Lexington, Ky., Friday, April 8, 2011. Credit: AP / Ed Reinke
LEXINGTON, Ky. — George “Bucky” Sallee, who bugled horses to the post at Keeneland for more than 50 years, has died. He was 87.
Sallee’s wife of 38 years, Barbara Cook Sallee, confirmed that he died on Monday from natural causes. She says Sallee “loved Keeneland, the horses and the people, especially the kids.”
The Lexington native retired from the historic track in 2013 after starting there in the early 1960s. Sallee began taking trumpet lessons at 7 before majoring in music at the University of Kentucky and going on to play with notable bands and musicians such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Daniels and Fats Domino.
Visitation is Wednesday at Johnson’s Funeral Home in Georgetown, Kentucky. Sallee’s funeral is Thursday at Georgetown First United Methodist Church.
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