Billy Walker (musician): Difference between revisions

After a brief attempt at [[rock 'n' roll]], Walker played the Texas bar circuit before moving to [[Nashville, Tennessee]] in 1959 and joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1960. He was one of the first artists to record a [[Willie Nelson]] song; and although his 1961 version of "[[Funny How Time Slips Away]]" only reached No. 23 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s country singles chart, it helped establish Walker's national reputation.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1532202/20060521/walker_billy.jhtml?headlines=true | title = Grand Ole Opry Star Billy Walker, Three Others Killed in Traffic Accident | publisher = CMT.com | author = CMT.com Staff | date = 2006-05-21 | accessdate = 2009-04-17}}</ref> In 1962, he topped the chart with "Charlie's Shoes", the only No. 1 single of his career. His smooth tenor was well-suited to other Western-inspired hits including "Matamoros" and "Cross the Brazos at Waco" (1964).

 

 

After performing at a charity concert in [[Kansas City, Kansas]] on March 3, 1963, Walker received an urgent phone call to return to Nashville. Fellow performer [[Hawkshaw Hawkins]] gave Walker his [[Airline|commercial airline]] ticket and instead flew back to Tennessee on March 5 on a private plane, which crashed, killing Hawkins, [[Patsy Cline]], [[Cowboy Copas]] and pilot Randy Hughes.<ref name="In Memory of Billy Walker"/>

[[Category:Songwriters from Texas]]

[[Category:Guitarists from Texas]]