Boxcar Willie is an American country musician who sang of life in rural America after a career in the US Air Force. He remains one of the greatest country and western musicians. He merged the old Hobo style in his music as a true portrayal of the time.
He had a long career in music and had little appearances in movies like A Place to Grow and Singing Cowboys
Biography of Boxcar Willie
Born Lecil Travis Martin on 1st September, 1931 in Texas. He got his lifelong nickname from a character adaptation in a ballad he wrote. His father was a railroad worker and the family home was close to the railroad.
He combined performing while still enlisted in the Airforce and later came into prominence in the country and western music genre after his retirement.
His Life And Career
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMD33Vg62Q
He grew up in a world of hobos, trains and country music from greats like Jimmy Roger, Hank Williams amongst others that influenced him.
From an early age, his persona was geared towards performance, at the of age two, he learnt how to do the train whistle. his father also played the fiddle.
Under the name Marty Martin, he started performing becoming a regular on the popular radio show, Big D Jamboree show at the age of 16.
He enlisted in the US Air Force and served for 22 years before he retired.
Moving to Nashville was timely in pursuing a music career but encountered difficulties in styling himself to the Nashville scene.
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Wife and Kids
Although there is very little detail about his wife and children, Boxcar Willie had a wife Lloene with whom they had four children.
Boxcar Willie Death
His long career in music was cut short when he lost the battle to leukemia in 1999 at the age of 67.
7 Facts You Should Know About Boxcar Willie
1.He sang in old Hobo style
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VvogtXlwGc
Boxcar Willie adopted the hobo looks with a dirty face, floppy hat and overalls.
Hobo was a culture in US History mostly spectacular with immigrant workers that jumped freight trains and went about looking for work.
2.How The Nickname Boxcar Willie Stuck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRswNAwpiIc
Boxcar Willie once saw a man who resembled Willie Wilson, his chief boom operator in a boxcar while sitting at a railroad crossing giving him the earliest idea of the nick name as he wrote a song with the title.
He wrote a ballad with Boxcar as the main character while he was still serving in the Air Force, he won the prize of $150 for first place.
The nickname stuck with him for a life time.
3.Singing was a Part Time Vocation While He Served In The air Force
While he served in the US Air Force, he performed on the side, he became a flight engine and served in the Texas Air National Guard. He served in national and over sea missions in Germany where he did air to air refueling.
His retirement in 1976 gave him an ample opportunity to launch a full time music career.
4.Signed To Go On Tour
In 1977, he was spotted by Drew Taylor, a Scottish booking agent and was signed to a British country tour playing to small clubs.
By 1979, he made a great debut at the Wembley country music festival making Boxcar Willie popular.
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5.He Became Popular In The UK Before The US
His tours in Europe was met with acclaim while in the US he was minimally known. he collaborated with German country singer Gunter Gabriel for his single Good Hearted Woman, made duets for some of his albums.
He got four platinum and 15 gold albums within ten years.
6.It Took Boxcar Willie 30 Years to make a name in the Music world
Carving a niche for himself took him 30 years to achieve. one of the unique features of his songs is the use f of train whistle.
His King Of The Road album was a huge success in sales and on the charts, it reached No. 5 on the pop charts
7.Boxcar Willie Legacies
He purchased a theatre which he renamed the Boxcar Willie theatre making him one of the first to do so, he added the Boxcar Willie museum of railroad and air plane and also a Boxcar Willie Motel.
A small park has been named the Boxcar Willie Park in Washington D.C.
His contribution to country music has earned him the title of America’s Favorite Hobo
