B.W. Stevenson

by Jason Ankeny Best remembered for his 1973 smash My Maria, singer/songwriter B.W. Stevenson (the B.W. reportedly stood for Buckwheat — his real first name was Louis) was born October 5, 1949 in Dallas, TX. As a teen he played in a variety of local rock bands before attending college, eventually joining the U.S. Air Force; upon returning from duty Stevenson settled in the Austin area, where he became a frequent attraction on the citys thriving club circuit. Upon signing to RCA he was marketed primarily to country listeners, enjoying little success with either his 1972 self-titled debut or its follow-up Lead Free; the title track of 1973s My Maria, however, became a Top Ten pop favorite, although ironically it missed the country charts altogether. Stevenson never again recaptured the singles success, and after 1974s Calabasas he landed at Warner Bros. to issue We Be Sailin a year later. Down to the Station, from 1977s Lost Feeling, was his last chart hit, and after 1980s Lifeline his recording career was over. Sadly, Stevenson died on April 28, 1988 shortly after undergoing heart surgery; he was just 38 years old.