Known as “The Tall Texan”, Billy Walker was a country singer who made his first records in 1949 and had his debut hit in 1954, going on to build a chart career that lasted over three decades, as he adapted his style to the changing country market.

This collection addresses the first decade and more of that career, when he firmly established his reputation and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Enjoying a career highlight with the No.1 country hit Charlie’s Shoes and the Top 5 hit Willie The Weeper in 1962, he was one of the first artists to record a song by Willie Nelson. Prior to that he was a regular on the Big D Jamboree radio show in Dallas as “The Masked Singer” in 1949, he also acted in the movies Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar and Red River Round Up.

This 56-track collection comprises selected A- and B-sides from his releases on the Capitol and Columbia labels during these years, including duets with Jeanette Hicks. It features all his pop and country hits from this era, including the country No.1 Charlie’s Shoes, the No.5 Willie The Weeper and the Top 20 entries Thank You For Calling, On My Mind Again and I Wish You Love.

The set follows his progression through the country ranks as styles changed to the new Nashville sound, and he flirted with the rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll idioms along the way, and it’s an enlightening and entertaining introduction to a country star whose music merits more attention.

Walker continued to tour and remained a mainstay on the Grand Ole Opry, and was scheduled to perform two days following his death alongside Terri Clark and Porter Wagoner. He died in 2006 in a road accident when the van he was driving back to Nashville after a show in Alabama.

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