[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF BILLY WALKER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 2006

  Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Billy 
Walker, a star on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. A resident of 
Hendersonville, TN, Billy, his wife, Bettie, and two of his band 
members passed away late last month in a tragic car accident.
  Before he found fame at the Opry, Billy honed his musical skills in 
his home state of Texas. Growing up, he drew his greatest inspiration 
from Gene Autry's music. And in 1947, he launched his own career.
  Seven years later, Billy landed his first hit with ``Thank You for 
Calling.'' Just six years later, he found his greatest success when he 
joined the Grand Ole Opry, playing alongside his wife. His single 
``Charlie's Shoes'' hit No.1 on the charts in 1962.
  While he found fame in the Volunteer State, his Texas roots were 
always honored by his nickname, ``The Tall Texan.''
  For more than 40 years, Billy continued performing at the Opry and on 
countless other stages. ``The Tall Texan'' lived an inspirational and 
admirable life. I know he will be deeply missed by his family, his 
friends and his fans.

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