William Marvin Walker (January 14, 1929 – May 21, 2006) was an American country music singer and guitarist best known for his 1962 hit, “Charlie’s Shoes”. Nicknamed The Tall Texan, Walker had more than 30 charted records during a nearly 60-year career; and was a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Billy Walker was born in Ralls, Texas, United States, and was the youngest of three children. His mother died when he was only six years old, and Billy’s father was unable to care for him and his two older brothers. Some of the children, including Billy, were placed in a Methodist orphanage in Waco, Texas. He attended High School in Whiteface, Texas, and had won a talent contest which entitled him to appear on radio in Clovis, New Mexico. He had returned to live with his father at the age of 11. Inspired by the music of Gene Autry as a teenager, he had begun his professional music career in 1947 at age 18.
After his debut on Clovis radio as a teenager he later joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas in 1949. The same year, Hank Thompson helped him sign with Capitol Records after he worked with Walker in Waco. His manager at the time had him wear a Lone Ranger-style black mask and billed him as The Traveling Texan, the Masked Singer of Country Songs.
In 1951, Walker signed with Columbia Records and the following year joined the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he and Slim Whitman were responsible in part for Elvis Presley’s first appearance on the radio program. In 1954, Walker scored his first hit with “Thank You for Calling”. His early Columbia recordings were at a Dallas studio owned by producer Jim Beck, responsible for hits by Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell and others. In 1955, Walker, Presley and Tillman Franks teamed up for a tour of West Texas. Walker soon became a cast member of ABC-TV’s Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, where he began a long friendship with host, Red Foley.
Unlimited access to the most high-demand content you want to watch again (and again)
Don’t miss out on your favorite artists and songs!
Country Lifestyle Programs – Thousands of hours!
Billy Walker was an American country music singer and songwriter. He was born on January 14, 1929, in Ralls, Texas, and began his music career in the 1940s as a member of the band Billy Walker and the Lone Star Cowboys. He had a string of hit songs throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including “Only You (And You Alone),” “Charlie’s Shoes,” and “Cross the Brazos at Waco.” He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1981.
In addition to his successful solo career, Billy Walker also recorded duets with other famous country musicians, including Patsy Cline and Ferlin Husky. He was known for his smooth, easygoing style and his ability to bring a song to life with his powerful voice. He was also a skilled songwriter, writing many of his own hit songs, as well as songs for other country artists.
Billy Walker continued to tour and perform until his death in 2006. Despite his passing, his music continues to be loved and enjoyed by country music fans around the world, and his legacy as a talented singer and songwriter continues to live on.
Billy Walker, a famous country singer and songwriter, died in a car accident on May 21, 2006. The accident occurred near Montgomery, Alabama when the van in which he was traveling collided with a truck. Billy Walker, his wife Bettie, and two of his close friends, Dean Manuel and Charles Lilly, were all killed in the crash. Billy Walker was a talented musician who had a long and successful career in country music, and his death was a great loss to the music community.
No, Billy Walker is not in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Country Music Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame dedicated to preserving the history and honoring the legends of country music. It is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and was established in 1961. Since then, many of the biggest names in country music have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, but Billy Walker is not among them.
About Us
Country Road TV is your unlimited one-stop for all things Country Lifestyle. From Country Music to Country Cooking, from Cars to Cows, our shows are hand-picked and produced to cater to the fan of all things country. Our goal is to celebrate the unique legacy of mid-America and good Ol’ family values.
Quick Links
Contact
Watch thousands of hours of family-friendly, country life style entertainment - anywhere, anytime.
