Billy Walker, Whiteface

BILLY WALKER- I've Got Leavin' On My Mind (Columbia 21531 )

Billy Walker was born in little ol' Ralls, Texas in 1929. Not much to the little town a piece east o' Lubbock. It's a cotton community. It didn't hold much for the large Walker clan. The death of Billy's mother, the depression, and foreclosure on the family's farm forced the elder Walker to split the family up. It's just a wee bit heartbreaking to read about 6-year old Billy watching his father walk away as he left him at an orphanage in Waco. Even more heartbreaking to read about the abusive conditions Billy and his brothers would live through for the next few years.

Thing's eventually turned around for Billy's dad and the family was pulled back together in another small farming community to the west of Lubbock, Whiteface. A guitar, a dime from dad for a Gene Autry flick, and a chance encounter at a local cafe with Eldon Shamblin of the Texas Playboys put Billy- to parahphrase his dad- on a path to hell. There would be stints hitchiking to radio shows in Clovis and, later, Abilene. A radio show in San Angelo as well. And even back to Waco where Billy got in with one of the greatest of the Hanks- Hank Thompson, which eventually got him signed up with the Big D Jamboree. It was here that he adapted the masked Travelin' Texan persona. (Not sure if he is the Billie Walker who wrote and performed as part of the Travelin' Texans for D, cutting the sublime "Beatin' On the Bars" in mid 1959).
While working out of the Louisiana Hayride over in Shreveport Billy got in with Elvis Presley and is actually responsible for the initial Presley swing through West Texas in January of 1955. (handbill HERE.) Just over a month later Elvis would return to West Texas again, this time with Buddy and Bob opening up the show on the Lubbock leg of the tour.

People like to talk about a Billy Walker and Buddy Holly connection. For a long time it was that Buddy played guitar on Billy's "Viva La Matador". Or Buddy helped with backing vocals on the Dean Beard/Slim Willet penned flip "On My Mind Again" . ( Heck, Country Standard Time seems to think that Billy was supposed to be on the plane that crashed and killed Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Buddy Holly, and the Big Bopper!) Billy's mind was never quite clear on the subject, but he did finally settle on Buddy participating in the vocals for "On My Mind Again".

"I've Got Leavin' On My Mind" was produced in Nashville and released 1956 (Thanks AB... see comments). Though it features terrific backing in the form of especially sharp guitar leads from A-Teamer Grady Martin and hard boppin' beat, Billy's vocal is a bit deadpan. Rough and ragged to be sure, and few years off from the sweetness that is the Norman Petty produced "Viva La Matador".