Honky-Tonk Singer Charlie Walker Dies at 81 (Photos)

Posted on September 13, 2008

Country-singer Charlie Walker died Friday morning (Sept. 12) in Hendersonville, Tenn., at age 81. Walker was known for being a honky-tonk singer, and best known for his 1958 song “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down”. Read more after the bump.

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

Grand Ole Opry star, Charles “Charlie” Walker died at 81. Walker was known for his honky-tonk type of country music, but also was a radio broadcaster, even inducted into the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame in 1981.

CMT reported that Charlie Walker was born Nov. 26, 1926, in Copeville, Texas. Charles Levi Walker began his music career in Dallas during the 1940s as singer and guitarist with Bill Boyd’s Cowboy Ramblers.

Walker served in the army, then formed the Texas Ramblers band, and began performing in the Corpus Christi, Texas, area in 1947. Walker moved to San Antonio and became a popular disc jockey on the radio station KMAC.

Charlie Walker’s first time on the country charts came in 1956, with his song “Only You, Only You,” which reached No. 9. He also had several other Top 10 country hits such as “Pick Me Up on Your Way Down” ,”Wild as a Wildcat” (1965), and “Don’t Squeeze My Sharmon” (1967).

Walker became an Opry member in 1967 and even starred as country singer Hawkshaw Hawkins in Sweet Dreams, the 1985 film biography about singer, Patsy Cline.

Charlie Walker, was recently diagnosed with colon cancer, and is survived by his wife Connie and 10 children.

Our condolences to the Walker family and friends.