Don Walser
Donald Ray Walser was born on September 14, 1934 in Brownfield, Texas. (Don jests he was so big at birth, he was actually delivered on the 12th,13th, and 14th) His mother was Verda King and His father was Lemuel Loretta Walser. Don had a brother, Siden Edsel, who died when he was an infant. He has three sisters; Olive Virginia, Vida Joe, and Arlis Lavida. Funny, you hear the exoticism of his sibling's names and wonder how his folks ended up naming him "Donald Ray". Seems kind of tame. As a child Donald spent most of his time listening to old radio shows and singing in the tops of trees. (I'll let him explain that). Don's family moved to Lamesa, which is where he spent most of his childhood. He worked in the oil fields after his mother's death in 1945, to help support his family. In 1951, at the age of 17, he married Patricia Robertson. (Featured in this picture with Don)
On Don Spent most of his life in the Texas National Guard. His occupation offered little time (except weekends) to pursue a career in the music industry. His devotion to his family kept him at home earning money during the week. Don has said many times his choice of family over career, is one he would never change. His love and dedication to preserving the integrity of his music is seemingly unmatched by his love for his family. He has never once forsaken his family for a life in the limelight. And Then There Were Children Don and Pat had several children. The eldest Donna, pictured right with a friend of the family, Jane, left-center black and white pic., Michael on the right, and of course little Allen, pictured left. (these pictures are old and meant to spark nostalgia/ humor) Though Don and Pat had parented 4 children, in the 70's and early 80's, they fostered more. At one point there were 6 children living in the same house! Don and Pat have always had big hearts when it came to helping children.
It's hard to believe that Country music's greatest yodeler is a now great grandfather! Retirement And A Band After 45 years of servitude, Don retired from his career in the National Guard. Now it was time to pursue his dream at last. True, by this time Don had already had a number of bands and several albums out, but this time was different. When he and his family moved to Austin in 1984, Don's musical career seemed to take off. Not right away mind you. Not until The Pure Texas Band was formed did his career truly begin. Along with Don on vocals and the original members of the Pure Texas Band (Jimmy Day/Bert Rivera-steel guitar, Gil De Los Santos-Drums) P.T.B. began to get sort of a "punk" following. In fact, most of their fans to this day are not your "traditional" country fans. Don's music reaches a far broader, less specified group of people. People from all walks of life regardless of their race, creed, color, sexual orientation, or number of body piercings! Don now plays every venue imaginable in Austin, and around the country.
Don Walser Facts
- Born on September 14, 1934 in Brownfield, Texas.
- Fell in love with country music listening to border radio stations as a child growing up in Lamesa, Texas. Has a photographic memory for songs, and would amaze the folks in Lamesa by singing a complete song after hearing it once on the radio.
- Got his first guitar in 1948 at the age of 14.
- Joined the Texas National Guard in 1949 at age 15 (telling them he was the minimum age of 17). Affiliated with the Texas National Guard as a member and then a civilian employee until his retirement in 1994.
- Started his first band, The Panhandle Playboys, at age 16. Shared bills with another aspiring singer, Buddy Holly.
- Married Pat Walser in 1951. The couple have two natural children, Donna and Allen, and two adopted children, Janie and Michael, as well as six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The Walsers also helped raise five foster children.
- Lived throughout Texas in Midland, Port Neches, Abilene, Snyder, Sweetwater and El Paso before being transferred to Austin in 1984.
- Led bands such as The Texas Plainsmen and The El Paso Amigos. Received first national press in 1964 when Billboard magazine gave a four-star review to a single of his original song "Rolling Stone From Texas."
- During his years in El Paso acted as a roving musical ambassador for the City of El Paso, the State of Texas and Continental Airlines, appearing throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Mexico, Germany and New Zealand. o Formed the Pure Texas Band in 1984 after moving to Austin.
- Released first nationally distributed album, Rolling Stone From Texas, in 1994 on Watermelon Records.
- "In My Heart" and contributed a song (the Bob Wills classic "Big Ball's In Cowtown") to the soundtrack to "The Horse Whisperer."
- Dubbed "the Pavarotti of the Plains" in Playboy magazine, "the greatest country singer in the world" in the Austin Chronicle, and "the Anti-Garth" in the Chicago Tribune, among many other critical accolades.
- The subject of feature segments on ABC-TV's "Prime Time Live" and NPR's "All Things Considered" and "Fresh Air."
- Has recorded with such famed singers Larry Gatlin, Crystal Gayle, Mandy Barnett and Teddy Wilburn (of The Wilburn Brothers) and such noted musicians as steel guitarists Jimmy Day (who was a member of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys and The Pure Texas Band) and Buddy Emmons, fiddlers Johnny Gimble and Buddy Spicher, harmonica player Charlie McCoy and Ray Benson and members of Asleep at the Wheel, as well as The Kronos Quartet.
- Has shared bills with such country music legends as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hank Thompson, Roy Orbison, The Texas Playboys, Sons Of The Pioneers, The Light Crust Doughboys, Hank Locklin, Billy Walker, John Anderson, Leon Payne, Frenchie Burke and the Stars of the Grand Ole Opry.
- First appeared on the Grand Ole Opry on October 30, 1999.
- Won a National Heritage Award in 2000 and appeared in conjunction with the presentation at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
- Appeared in the movie "The Hi-Lo Country" singing "I'll Hold You"
Review of Don's New CD "Dare To Dream (5 stars!)
Pulse! Magazine | February 2002 | Don Walser
DON WALSER Dare to Dream--The Best of Don Walser is a national treasure. He's even received a National Heritage Fellowship at the Kennedy Center to prove it. Affection-ately dubbed the "Pavarotti of the Plains," this rotund, 60-something retired Texas National Guardsman sings real country music the way it should be sang [sic], with a crystal- clear tenor and spine-tingling yodel that have earned him reknown far beyond the city limits of his Austin home. With more than 20 tracks that make a strong case for Walser sainthood, Dare to Dream compiles the best of his recordings for the Watermelon, Sire and Valley labels, as well as five odds and ends from various compilations and soundtracks and two previously unreleased tracks. The album kicks off and closes with two takes of his signature tune, "Rolling Stone From Texas," which he originally wrote at age 18 and released as a single 12 years later. It eventually became the title track of his 1994 Watermelon debut, which is included here, along with a version from a live radio broadcast from 1964. Although there are only three original tunes on this collection, Walser more than makes up for his lack of songwriting with loving and personalized interpretations of songs made famous by Bob Wills, Hank Snow, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Hank Locklin and others, and he completely transcends country categorization on soaring versions of "Rose Marie" (with the Kronos Quartet) and the evergreen "Danny Boy." It just doesn't get any better than this. By Jeremy Tepper
Albums by artist:
Dare to Dream: The Best of Don Walser
Texas Top Hand
Rolling Stone From Texas
Listen:
To listen to sample tracks, click the album of choice above.
Artist's Links:
Walser Archive Recordings Links to interviews & articles
Don Walser a to z
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