As with everybody, there have been ups and downs, but the ups far outweigh the downs. I was born and raised in Eastern New Mexico and started singing at about 7 years of age. It never entered my mind back then that music would be a large part of my life when I grew up. However, as I matured and God began to shape my life, music was becoming more interesting to me. I had brushed the dust off my Dads old guitar and began to try my luck with playing it. He and my Mom had showed me a couple of chords and I was off and running with it. I practiced almost daily and then when I had reached the age of 13, my uncle (who had a business in Clovis, New Mexico) sponsored a 15 minute radio program on KICA in Clovis each Saturday morning at 6:30 AM. Mom or Dad would get up early and drive me the 36 miles (we lived in the country) each week so I could do that program. My Dad was my biggest supporter. That radio program lasted about 2 years.
After graduating from high school and completing a year of college I went to work at a bank in Clovis. I sang at every function in that community for a couple of years (where they would let me). In 1950, one of the announcers from that station and I drove to Dallas to make a demo record in hopes that I could send it to some record company to see if they would let me record for them. While I was doing the recording, the talent scout from station KWKH and The Louisiana Hayride happened to be at the Jim Beck studio and heard me singing. (Ray Price and Lefty Frizzel were also there to do the same thing.)
Then I received a phone call from that talent scout asking if I would be interested in moving to Shreveport and join the cast at The Louisiana Hayride. The promoters of The Hayride said they would pay me $5.00 a week. The talent scout knew a Vice President at one of the banks in Shreveport and made arrangements for me to get a job there so I could pay for a place to live and eat a meal occasionally. I was off to stardom. I was in Shreveport for a couple of years and Lefty Frizzel (he had become a big name in country music) came through and was looking for a band to accompany him on a tour of the west coast. Six people from the Hayride decided we would take that tour with him.
The six were: D.J. Fontana (drums), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Chuck Wiginton (bass), Bill Peters (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano) and myself (rhythm guitar & vocals). Just a bunch of young folks who loved Country Music and wanted to make our place in that industry. That tour lasted six months all up the west coast. None of us had a job when that tour was finished. Fortunately for me, Ray Price (he had also become well known) was in need of a front man for his 9 piece western swing band, and he called and asked me to join him in that position. I jumped at the chance. What a pleasure that was. Ray was a member of the Grand Ole Opry cast and thus I was privileged to play on that great show also.After about a year and a half or so, Ray was practicing some songs for one of his recordings for Columbia Records and there was a song that I liked a lot.
As he would practice, I would hum some harmony with him. He liked what he heard and decided we would record it with me singing harmony. I dont think he had ever recorded a duet before, and I dont think he was real sure that this was the right thing to do. As it turned out, SWEET LITTLE MISS BLUE EYES' was a success. Then with that song opening a new fomat for Ray's music, we recorded more duets, the next one being 'CRAZY ARMS'. That one put him on the map for good. From then on for the next several years we recorded about 15 duets, most of them reaching the top 10 on the country music charts.
At the end of 1958, deciding to make a change in my lifestyle, I left Nashville and the music business, moving to Dallas. I returned to the banking industry where I remained for the next 37 years. I met my wife (Charlotte) in 1961 and we married in 1964. We now have 2 children (girls) and each daughter has 3 children of their own. They range in age from 6 to almost 23. Both daughters have wonderful God fearing husbands and live close by, so we see them often. What else could I have asked for?
In 1991 I started working for a computer software outsourcing company. Health problems forced me to retire in March 2008. I'm slowed, but not stopped. WHAT A RIDE IVE HAD ! ! !
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Hello Van, hope you are well. Just dropped by to say hi. I was watching the video that Goldie posted below, never saw that one before. Outstanding! I also want to study your guitar playing on "Crazy Arms" a little closer. Great stuff! Enjoy the holiday and take care!
Hi Van, Good to see you up and about. I have rehearsals tonight for that difficult third solo album. We start it on August 1st. If I ever get finished I'll be sure to send you one :-) Wish me luck. John
I really appreciate your friendship and ALL your awesome support! We've been very fortunate to have just passed 39,000 MySpace friends, over a HALF MILLION page views, over 440,000 song plays and YOU'VE HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. I'd be ever so grateful if you could bulletin your friends and ask them to add us too. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!
Thank you, Mr. Howard. I appreciate the add. You so have a great voice. Remember, that ride isn't over yet. I have a beautiful 95 year old mother who is still going strong. You take care. I would love to hear from you.
Hope you're doing well! I was just reading a book on Lefty Frizzell and saw a great photo of you, Floyd Cramer, Lefty and the band. What a career you've had! Please take care and God Bless!
