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Billy Walker
and the Traveling Texans
Born:  January 14, 1928
Died:  May 21, 2006
Texas Country Music Hall of Fame (2001)
KRLD Big D Jamboree
KWKH Louisiana Hayride
KWTO Ozark Jubilee
WSM Grand Ole Opry


About The Artist

The native of Ralls, Texas appeared on the legendary Louisiana Hayride on KWKH out of Shreveport, LA around 1952, 1953. His family ran a farm. When he was six, his mother died. His father then made the hard decision to send Billy and his two older brothers to a Methodist orphanage in Waco, TX being unable to do handle both running the farm work and taking care of the boys.

It was to be some time their father could bring the family back together again, but he finally did that in Clovis, NM. This is where Billy first started showing his interest in music. As poor as they may have been, his father managed to buy Billy a guitar for $7.50. However, being poor, meant that their would be no musical lessons for Billy, so he learned by listening to others and trying to do the same. When he was 15, he won an amateur contest and a prize of $3 and that led to his first radio show on radio station KICA in Clovis, New Mexico.

After graudating from high school, Billy joined a traveling band that he toured with for about two years, ending up on the Big D Jamboree in Dallas, Texas. During that time, he also worked with Hank Thompson.

At this point in his career, things seemed to start happening at once in a good way. He auditioned for Columbia records and was signed up. His first big hit was "Anything Your Heart Desires" backed with "What Makes Me Love You".

Next he joined the "Louisiana Hayride" in Shreveport, LA as one of the featured stars. There he had the good fortune to hook up with Tillman Franks, who became his manager.

Along about 1956, Billy was appearing on the nationally known television show hosted by Red Foley, the Ozark Jubilee.

Billy met his wife, Boots, in San Angelo, Texas in 1947, and married her on March 17, 1948. They had two darling little girls, Judy Lynn, born February 4, 1949 and Deana Ann, born August 11, 1952. He and his band, "The :Traveling Texans" just completed a tour of Texas, playing to capacity crowds in San Antonio and Houston, Texas.

From his stint on the Hayride, he went on to continued success on WSM's Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville, TN.

Credits & Sources

  • Country Song Roundup No. 22, February 1953, American Folk Publications, Inc., Derby, CT.

Appearance History This Month

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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Capitol
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1097 A Alcohol Love
  1097 B The Last Kiss Is The Sweetest
  40244 A Headin' For Heartaches
  40244 B Don't Be Afraid To Call Me Darlin'
  40277 A I'm Gonna Take My Heart Away From You
  40277 B You Didn't Try And Didn't Care
  941 A Too Many Times
  941 B Dirt 'Neath Your Feet
 
Columbia
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  20798 A Beautiful Brown Eyes
  20798 B I Ain't Got No Roses
  20847 A Fifteen Hugs Past Midnight
  20847 B Ting A Ling
  20874 A Don't Tell A Soul I Love You
  20874 B Millie My Darling
  20914 A What Makes Me Love You
  20914 B Anything Your Heart Desires
  20952 A Who Took My Ring From Your Finger? (w/Leon McAuliffe)
  20952 B This Side Of Town (w/Leon McAuliffe)
  20994 A One Heart's Beatin', One Heart's Cheatin'
  20994 B If I Should Live That Long
  21003 A Back Street Affair
  21003 B You Can Talk Me Out Of Anything
  21037 A The One You Hurt
  21037 B I Had A Dream
  21085 A You Have My Heart Now
  21085 B Mexican Joe
  21122 A Time Will Tell All
  21122 B I Didn't Have The Nerve It Took To Go
  21154 A Don't Let Your Pride Break Your Heart
  21154 B I'm Looking For Love
  21191 A I Got Lost Along The Way
  21191 B I Can't Keep The Girls Away
  21256 A Pretend You Don't Know Me
  21256 B Thank You For Calling
  21290 A Going, Going, Gone
  21290 B I'm A Fool To Care
  21326 A Kissing You
  21326 B You're The Only Good Thing
  21348 A Let Me Here From You
  21348 B Hey
  21392 A Let's Make Memories Tonight
  21392 B Which One Of Us Is To Blame
  21439 A Fool That I Am
  21439 B The Record
  21471 A Blue Mountain Waltz
  21471 B Why Does It Have To Be
  21499 A Go Ahead And Make Me Cry
  21499 B Whirlpool
  21531 A I've Got Leavin' On My Mind
  21531 B I'll Never Stand In Your Way
  21566 A Little Baggy Britches
  21566 B So Far
  40846 A Especially For Fools
  40846 B If You're Happy
  40920 A On My Mind Again
  40920 B Viva La Matador
  41008 A Image Of Me
  41008 B Anything Your Heart Desires
  41099 A I Need It
  41099 B Put Your Hand In Mine
  41154 A It'll Take Awhile
  41154 B Where My Baby Goes
  41226 A Ghost Of A Promise
  41226 B It's Doggone Tough On Me
  41319 A I Thought About You
  41319 B Mr. Heartache
  41433 A A Woman Like You
  41433 B Storm Within My Heart
 
Monument
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1013 A In Del Rio
  1013 B Wish I Could Love That Much Again
  1024 A I Taught Her Everything She Knows
  1024 B I Treat Her Like A Baby
  1055 A Oh, Matilda
  1055 B Sundown Mary
  1079 A One Inch Off The Ground
  1079 B Ramona
  1098 A Age Of Worry
  1098 B Is This Desire
  1123 A From The Bottom Of The Bottle
  1123 B She
  1140 A Elusive Butterfly
  1140 B Smokey Places
  1154 A Better Homes And Gardens
  1154 B If You See My Baby
  1174 A Thinking 'Bout You, Babe
  1174 B Ramona
  1189 A Darling Days
  1189 B Pretend You Don't See Me
  1204 A What Eva Doesn't Have
  1204 B Curtains On The Windows
  932 A The Old French Quarter
  932 B How Do You Ask?
  943 A Close To Linda
  943 B Million And One
  963 A A Million and One
  980 A Bear With Me A Little Longer
  980 B It's Beginning To Hurt
  997 A Anything Your Heart Desires
  997 B I Gotta Get Me Feelin' Better


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