Charlie Walker (musician)

Charlie Walker
Born November 2, 1926(1926-11-02)
Origin Copeville, Texas
Died September 12, 2008(2008-09-12) (aged 81)
Genres Country
Occupations Singer-songwriter
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1952–1979

Charlie Walker (November 2, 1926 – September 12, 2008)[1] was an American country musician born in Copeville, Texas. He held membership in the Grand Ole Opry from 1967, and was inducted into the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame in 1981.[2]

Contents

Career

Walker worked as a disc jockey in the early 1950s before signing with Decca Records. His first hit, "Only You, Only You" was co-written with Jack Newman and reached #9 on the country chart in January 1956. Walker later signed with Columbia Records and reached #2 with a Harlan Howard song, "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down". His other hits include "Who Will Buy the Wine", "Wild as a Wildcat", "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon", and "I Wouldn't Take Her To A Dog Fight Even If I Thought That She Could Win". Many of his records featured harmony vocals by Ray Price. Walker played a minor role in the 1985 Patsy Cline biographical film Sweet Dreams.[2] Walker is survived by his wife Connie and 10 children: Ronnie, Cindy, Arthur, Charlie III, Elissa, Charlene, Catherine, Christina, Caroline and Charlton; along with 15 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.;[3] he died of colon cancer at the age of 81 in Hendersonville, Tennessee.[2]

Discography

Albums

Year Album US Country Label
1961 Greatest Hits Columbia
1965 Close All the Honky Tonks Epic
1966 Born to Lose
Wine, Women and Walker
1967 Don't Squeeze My Sharmon 16
1968 Greatest Hits
Country Style Vocalion
1969 He Is My Everything Epic
Recorded Live in Dallas, Texas
1971 Honky Tonkin'
1972 I Don't Mind Goin' Under RCA Victor
1973 Break Out the Battle / Bring On Music
1978 Golden Hits Plantation
1979 Texas Gold

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country CAN Country
1952 "I'm Looking for Another You" singles only
"Flaming Jewels"
"Out of My Arms"
1953 "Flock of Memories"
"Stay Away from My Head"
1954 "Tell Her Lies and Feed Her Candy"
"When You Know You Have Lost"
1955 "Chocolate Song"
1956 "Only You, Only You" 9
"Stand Still"
1957 "Cheaters Never Win"
"Dancing Mexican Girl"
"Take My Hand"
1958 "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down" 2 Greatest Hits
1959 "I'll Catch You When You Fall" 16
"When My Conscience Hurts the Most" 22
1960 "Who Will Buy the Wine" 11
1961 "Facing the Wall" 25
"Right Back at Your Door"
"Louisiana Belle" singles only
1962 "Life Goes On (I Wonder Why)"
"One in Every Crowd"
1963 "That's Where Katie Waits"
1964 "Close All the Honky Tonks" 17 Close All the Honky Tonks
1965 "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down"
"Wild as a Wildcat" 8 single only
1966 "He's a Jolly Good Fellow" 39 Wine, Women and Walker
"The Man in the Little White Suit" 37
"Little Ole Wine Drinker Me"
"Daddy's Coming Home (Next Week)" 56 singles only
"I'm Gonna Hang Up My Gloves" 65
1967 "The Town That Never Sleeps" 38
"Don't Squeeze My Sharmon" 8 Don't Squeeze My Sharmon
"I Wouldn't Take Her to a Dogfight" 33
1968 "Truck Drivin' Cat with Nine Wives" 54 singles only
"San Diego" 31 28
1969 "Honky-Tonk Season" 52 Recorded Live in Dallas, Texas
"Moffett, Oklahoma" 44
1970 "Honky Tonk Women" 56 Honky Tonkin'
"Let's Go Fishin' Boys (The Girls Are Bitin')" 52
"God Save the Queen (Of the Honky Tonks)"
1971 "My Baby Used to Be That Way" 71
"Wild Women" single only
1972 "I Don't Mind Goin' Under (If It'll Get Me Over You)" 74 I Don't Mind Goin' Under
1973 "Soft Lips and Hard Liqour" 65 81 Break Out the Battle / Bring On Music
"Gonna Drink Milwaukee Dry"
1974 "Wanting My Women Again" singles only
"Odds and Ends (Bits and Pieces)" 66
1975 "Say You're Gone"
1977 "Deep Water"
"I've Had a Beautiful Time"
1978 "T for Texas"
"Red Skies Over Georgia"
"My Shoes Keep Walkin' Back to You"
1979 "Don't Sing a Song About Texas" Texas Gold

References

  1. ^ "Grand Ole Opry Member Charlie Walker Dies at Age 81". Country Music Television website. Country Music Television, Inc., Viacom, MTV Networks. 2008-09-12. http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1594705/grand-ole-opry-member-charlie-walker-dies-at-age-81.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-05-17. 
  2. ^ a b c "Charlie Walker:Biography". Country Music Channel (cmt.com). Retrieved on September 12, 2008.
  3. ^ "Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Walker dies at age 81". USA Today. September 12, 2008.

Pugh, Ronnie (1998). "Charlie Walker". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 567.

External links