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Walker died near her home, at the
Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia, Texas, on March 23, 2006, at age 88. She died seven days after Willie Nelson's tribute album to her was released. She had been ill for several weeks prior to her death. She was buried in the Mexia City Cemetery. Her family had a
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Walker's custom was rising at dawn each day to write songs. She typed her lyrics on a pink-trimmed manual typewriter and Oree helped work out melodies for her daughter's words. Each year Walker and her mother would operate from an apartment in
Nashville for five months or so in order to market the
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affair and she said “when they put you in the Hall of Fame, that's the dress I want you to wear.” And I said “Oh Mama, the Hall of Fame? Why that will never be.” And the years went by, but my mother's words remained in my memory. And I know tonight she'd be happy, though she's gone now to her rest.
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Walker successfully pitched her songs to Bob Wills and began to regularly contribute compositions for recordings and the movies that Wills made in the 1940s. The collaboration was extremely fruitful: Bob Wills and the Texas
Playboys eventually recorded over 50 of Cindy Walker's songs, including
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a song I had written for him called 'Lone Star Trail'". Her father said "You're crazy, girl", but nonetheless stopped the car. Walker went inside the building to pitch her song and emerged shortly afterward to ask her mother to play the piano for her. Bing Crosby's brother
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Her speech was followed by a standing ovation and Walker left the stage in tears after softly blowing a kiss. During the proceedings renowned songwriter (and fellow Hall of Fame inductee) Harlan Howard described Walker as "the greatest living songwriter of country music".
326:" when they met during a WSM deejay convention in Nashville. Walker then wrote the song based on Arnold's idea, with both receiving songwriting credit for their contributions. It has been described as “a beautifully symmetrical and poignant portrait of a love not to be”.
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She adopted a craftsman-like approach to her songwriting, often tailoring particular songs to specific artists. She produced a large body of songs that have been described as “direct, honest and unpretentious”. She had Top 10 hits spread over five decades.
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144:), the daughter of a cotton-broker. Her maternal grandfather F.L. Eiland was a noted composer of hymns and her mother was a fine pianist. From childhood Cindy Walker was fond of poetry and wrote habitually.
391:(who also recorded a version of "Distant Drums"). She originally had little confidence in “Dream Baby”, but Orbison's recording was a hit in both the US and Britain in 1962, and was a hit again in 1971 for
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It has been estimated that more than 500 of Walker’s songs have been recorded and that her songs made the Top 40 charts (country or pop) more than 400 times. In
September 1997 Walker was inducted into the
230:. The Decca recording contract led to Walker recording several songs with Texas Jim Lewis and His Lone Star Cowboys, including “Seven Beers with the Wrong Man” in 1941, which was also filmed as an early "
882:. March 27, 2006) makes this error, as well as misidentifying the years of the Tubb and Arnold songs she wrote; nine years earlier this error appeared in more than one book edited by Colin Larkin, e.g.
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had agreed to listen to the song; Walker sang “Lone Star Trail” to him, accompanied by her mother. Larry Crosby was impressed and aware that his brother was looking for a new
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custom-designed sculpture created for her gravestone to honor the songwriter and her work. The memorial sculpture is a large pink-granite guitar (in her signature color).
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504:. The women were selected for their contribution to the genre by a survey of hundreds of American artists and music historians and Walker was ranked No. 32.
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shortly before her death, Walker stated she once had “a very short-lived marriage”. After her stint in Los
Angeles she returned to Texas in 1954, living in
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felt the time was not right for an international release. This demo, like many for Reeves, was unearthed upon his death and along with Atkins and
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Reeves recorded many of Walker's compositions; she often wrote specifically for him and offered him the right of first refusal of her tracks. "
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she asked her father to stop the car near the Bing Crosby
Enterprises building. Walker later recalled: "I had decided that if I ever got to
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169:(as part of the Texas Centennial celebrations). By the end of the decade Cindy Walker was singing and dancing in Texas stage shows.
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had a minor hit with Walker's "Jim, I Wore a Tie Today", a moving song about the death of a cowboy. Walker also wrote the song "
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In her personal life, Walker shunned the limelight. It was often reported that she never married, though in an interview with
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in 1957 and the beginning of another productive artist-writer association which culminated in "This is It" (1965) and "
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on the
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song to record. The next day Cindy played guitar and sang “Lone Star Trail” for Bing Crosby at
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songs. Oree Walker died in 1991. In a 2004 interview Walker stated: "I miss Mama every day".
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singer and dancer. She wrote many popular and enduring songs recorded by many artists.
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During the 1950s, Walker continued her success as a writer of popular songs. In 1952
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Walker remained in Los
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In 1940, Walker, at the age of 22, accompanied her parents on a business trip to
105:(July 20, 1917 – March 23, 2006) was an American songwriter, as well as a
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1111:. Paul Kinsgbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 567–568.
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and the Texas
Playboys). In 1936, her "Casa de Mañana" was performed by the
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But I think of all that she did for me, and tonight I'm wearing this dress.
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Among her other 1940s hits were "Triflin' Gal" (top-10 records for both
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in 1997, and the Texas
Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in March 2011.
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Cindy Walker was born on July 20, 1917, on her grandparents' farm near
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The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition
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in a modest three-bedroom house with her widowed mother, Oree.
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357:" (a posthumous hit for Reeves). "Distant Drums" remained at
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Another Walker song was "Blue Canadian Rockies" recorded by
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888:. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 443.
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1043:"Dave's Diary - 8 April 2006 - Cindy Walker Obituary"
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As a teenager, inspired by newspaper accounts of the
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312:of the same name). The song was revived in 1968 by
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274:, 1950). Some sources have erroneously attributed
270:, 1949), and "Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me" (
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1131:Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame: Cindy Walker
479:In the 1980s, my mother bought me a dress for a
1025:"Songwriting World Mourns Loss of Cindy Walker"
1107:Oermann, Robert K. (1998). "Cindy Walker". In
653:"Obituaries: Cindy Walker: Country songwriter"
447:In 1970 Walker became a charter member of the
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439:) were hits in 1968, both written by Walker.
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514:You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker
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266:and Walter Shrum, 1945); "Warm Red Wine" (
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677:National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
579:"When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"
316:on their influential country-rock album
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1137:"Obituaries: Cindy Walker, Songwriter"
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236:When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again
1398:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
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423:(1967) as well as being recorded by
385:Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
349:(1967). "Anna Marie", was a hit for
1423:20th-century American women singers
1393:American country singer-songwriters
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975:Roadkill on the Three-Chord Highway
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705:McLellan, Dennis (March 29, 2006).
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427:. "Heaven Says Hello" (recorded by
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874:"Cindy Walker: Country songwriter"
502:40 Greatest Women in Country Music
449:Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
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1109:The Encyclopedia of Country Music
994:Wix, Kimmy (September 24, 1997).
943:. New York: Hill and Range Songs.
910:"BMI Repertoire: Oklahoma Waltz"
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494:Texas Country Music Hall of Fame
308:(which featured in Autry's 1952
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1082:Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008
783:Texas A&M University Press
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651:Wadey, Paul (March 27, 2006).
471:(together another songwriter,
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1383:Singer-songwriters from Texas
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996:"31st Annual CMA Awards Show"
852:. New York: Billboard Books.
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181:. As they were driving down
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1438:21st-century American women
1222:Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
821:"Obituary for Cindy Walker"
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443:Honors, awards and tributes
214:Performances and recordings
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1202:Country Music Hall of Fame
777:Clayton, Lawrence (2005).
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734:countrymusichalloffame.com
469:Country Music Hall of Fame
359:No.1 on the British charts
118:Country Music Hall of Fame
116:She was inducted into the
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387:", which was recorded by
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1403:Monument Records artists
1084:. Record Research, Inc.
1004:Country Music Television
800:(2nd revised ed.).
796:Malone, Bill C. (2002).
779:The Roots of Texas Music
730:"The Cindy Walker Story"
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361:for five weeks in 1966.
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1368:People from Mart, Texas
1080:Whitburn, Joel (2008).
872:Paul Wadey's obituary (
826:San Diego Union-Tribune
319:Sweetheart of the Rodeo
167:Paul Whiteman Orchestra
955:"Oklahoma Waltz" video
884:Larkin, Colin (1998).
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413:In the Misty Moonlight
227:Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
38:Background information
979:. Routledge. p.
798:Country Music, U.S.A.
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415:" was a hit for both
291:The Gold Rush Is Over
1216:Tennessee Ernie Ford
1010:on January 16, 2009.
665:on December 5, 2008.
500:network honored the
289:had a hit with her "
242:Focus on songwriting
1049:. January 20, 2021.
754:Interview with the
433:You Are My Treasure
173:Move to Los Angeles
1378:Dancers from Texas
1312:E.W. "Bud" Wendell
1141:The New York Times
920:on 18 January 2013
527:The New York Times
297:had success with "
257:Bubbles in My Beer
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1091:978-0-89820-177-2
1031:. March 26, 2006.
859:978-0-8230-8291-9
712:Los Angeles Times
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411:. Walker's song "
331:You Don't Know Me
324:You Don't Know Me
204:Paramount Studios
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53:July 20, 1917
45:
41:
36:
32:
27:
20:
1330:Dolly Parton
1294:Cindy Walker
1293:
1252:Roger Miller
1228:George Jones
1157:Cindy Walker
1148:Cindy Walker
1139:
1122:Cindy Walker
1108:
1081:
1075:
1064:Find a Grave
1060:Cindy Walker
1055:
1046:
1037:
1028:
1008:the original
999:
989:
974:
963:
949:
934:
922:. Retrieved
918:the original
913:
904:
885:
877:
868:
849:
824:
797:
791:
778:
761:
755:
750:
742:the original
733:
710:
671:
663:the original
656:
610:
544:
535:
526:
524:
512:
506:
501:
491:
487:
478:
465:
461:I Don't Care
457:Ricky Skaggs
446:
408:
378:
363:
345:(1962); and
328:
317:
303:
299:I Don't Care
284:
280:Spade Cooley
261:
245:
225:
217:
196:Larry Crosby
176:
156:
127:
115:
111:
103:Cindy Walker
102:
101:
73:Mexia, Texas
68:(2006-03-23)
23:Cindy Walker
1363:2006 deaths
1358:1917 births
1324:Johnny Bond
615:(film 1951)
437:Jack Greene
429:Sonny James
421:Dean Martin
419:(1964) and
401:Fred Foster
389:Roy Orbison
381:Eddy Arnold
374:Mary Reeves
370:Chet Atkins
343:Ray Charles
339:Lenny Welch
295:Webb Pierce
276:Johnny Bond
272:Eddy Arnold
268:Ernest Tubb
191:Bing Crosby
179:Los Angeles
159:dust storms
56:Mart, Texas
1352:Categories
1288:Brenda Lee
1270:Buck Owens
1102:References
958:on YouTube
681:Fort Worth
569:US Country
451:. In 1981
425:Jim Reeves
399:. In 1964
351:Jim Reeves
335:Jerry Vale
306:Gene Autry
253:Sugar Moon
220:Gene Autry
153:Beginnings
140:, east of
124:Early life
49:1917-07-20
1276:Ray Price
675:Exhibit,
612:Mr. Texas
511:released
314:The Byrds
287:Hank Snow
264:Al Dexter
187:Hollywood
163:Bob Wills
971:(2002).
848:(2006).
589:See also
379:In 1961
341:(1960);
337:(1956);
1152:Discogs
1029:BMI.com
1000:CMT.com
924:29 June
914:BMI.com
762:op. cit
560:Single
431:) and "
232:Soundie
223:Western
200:Western
84:Country
1338:(1999)
1332:(1999)
1326:(1999)
1320:(1998)
1314:(1998)
1308:(1998)
1302:(1998)
1296:(1997)
1290:(1997)
1284:(1997)
1278:(1996)
1272:(1996)
1266:(1996)
1260:(1995)
1254:(1995)
1248:(1994)
1242:(1993)
1236:(1992)
1230:(1992)
1224:(1991)
1218:(1990)
1088:
892:
856:
148:Career
136:(near
80:Genres
75:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
1205:1990s
685:Texas
620:Notes
576:1944
557:Year
541:Death
531:Mexia
310:movie
138:Mexia
134:Texas
1161:IMDb
1086:ISBN
926:2012
890:ISBN
854:ISBN
142:Waco
130:Mart
63:Died
43:Born
1159:at
1062:at
764:.).
481:BMI
463:".
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403:of
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