The Texan singer, guitarist and songwriter, William Marvin Walker, was born in January of 1929. In 1942, the Walker family move to live in New Mexico where, in Clovis, at the age of just fifteen, he received his own show on the radio. Once he had graduated from high school he began to tour on the country music circuit.
Standing six feet, three inches tall “Billy” was nicknamed ‘The Tall Texan’. Billy worked on the ‘Big D Jamboree’, in Dallas, in 1949 and three years later, joined the famed ‘Louisiana Hayride’. From 1955 until 1960 he appeared in Red Foley’s television series, ‘Ozark Jamboree’, and, for more than thirty years performed at Nashville’s ‘Grand Ole Opry’.
Sixty-five of Billy Walker’s recordings entered Billboard’s country chart between 1954 and 1988. “Charlie’s Shoes”, his biggest hit, spent two weeks at No.1, in 1962.
Other prominent hits include “Circumstances” and “Cross The Brazos At Waco”, in 1964; “Bear With Me A Little Longer” (1966); “When A Man Loves A Woman (The Way That I Love You)” and “She Goes Walking Through My Mind” (1970); “I’m Gonna Keep On Keep On Lovin’ You” (1971) and “Sing Me A Love Song To Baby” (1972).
http://youtu.be/uap_Tz2_3l8
My personal favourite single of Billy Walker’s is “A Million And One”, which spent four weeks at No.2 in 1966.
Billy was rewarded with his own television series, ‘Country Carnival’, He also appeared in films, such as ‘Red River Round Up’ and ‘Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar’.
Billy Walker died, in May of 2006, when the vehicle he was driving left the road and overturned. The crash also resulted in the deaths of his wife, son, and two fellow musicians.