Overview

Boomer Castleman was the stage name of Owens Boomer Castleman, an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his work in the 1960s and later influence on country and pop instrumentation. He performed with early groups, recorded solo material that reached national attention, and developed a mechanical guitar accessory that expanded the expressive palette of electric and acoustic players.

Early life

Castleman was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1945. His family relocated to Texas during his youth, and he was raised in Farmers Branch and Dallas, Texas. Those years exposed him to a mixture of country, folk and pop styles that informed his songwriting and guitar approach.

Music career

In the mid-1960s Castleman partnered with Michael Martin Murphey to form the pop-oriented ensemble known as The Lewis & Clarke Expedition. Later as a solo artist he had a charting single, "Judy Mae," which reached the upper third of the U.S. pop charts (peaking at #33). Over the course of his career he recorded, toured regionally and worked as a session and studio musician, balancing commercial projects with more personal songwriting.

Invention and business ventures

Castleman is credited with inventing the palm pedal, a device that installs on a guitar to allow controlled bending of individual strings — a way to approximate pedal steel glides and slurs without changing instruments. The palm pedal found users among guitarists seeking new sounds and helped broaden the sonic options in country and rock settings. Outside of instrument design, Castleman founded an independent country record label called BNA Records, which later became part of a larger music-company group after he sold his interest.

Legacy and notable facts

Castleman combined performance, invention and entrepreneurship in a career that intersected with several strands of American popular music. He is remembered for bringing a creative, hands‑on approach to both songcraft and instrument design. Highlights of his life and work include:

  • Collaborating with future notable artists in the 1960s music scene.
  • Having a Top 40 hit with "Judy Mae."
  • Developing the palm pedal, which influenced guitar techniques used in country and rock.
  • Founding an independent label that later integrated into a major music company.

Later life and death

Castleman continued to live and work in music for decades and had two daughters. He died after an illness from cancer on September 1, 2015, in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 70. Musicians and instrument designers note his contributions to guitar technique and to the business side of country music as part of his enduring influence.