Gene Watson's Peers: Bradley Walker
Gene Watson's peers within the country music industry
believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much
so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and
rightly so!
All of Gene's Peers who were contacted in 2007 were most gracious with their
time & words. It is here, within this special part of gene-watson.com, that
you have an opportunity to read a quote from
Bradley Walker, which he
submitted to this site on Wednesday 14 March 2007.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Bradley Walker who has made a
special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone
Star Hero'.
Bradley Walker
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 14 March 2007
'When it comes to classic country singers who can still
really cut it after so many years, Gene Watson always stands out, to me.
Gene's music and his style is a big influence on my singing'.
Thank you, Bradley Walker, for
your support of Gene Watson.
About Bradley Walker...
Bradley Walker had already
performed on the Grand Ole Opry, appeared on national television & sung at
some of America’s leading bluegrass festivals prior to the release of his
highly acclaimed debut album 'Highway of Dreams' (Rounder Records, 2006).
Bradley was hailed as 'simply one of the greatest young country singers
alive'; he belongs to a tradition that includes such outstanding stylists as
Vern Gosdin,
Merle Haggard, Mel Street,
Gene Watson, George Jones,
Lefty Frizzell & Keith Whitley.
On 'Highway of Dreams', Bradley is backed by some of Nashville’s greatest
acoustic players, under the direction of producer, singer,
multi-instrumentalist & songwriter Carl Jackson.
Carl Jackson, who has worked with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Glen
Campbell & whose resume includes recording sessions with Ricky Skaggs, Jim &
Jesse, Garth Brooks & Vince Gill amongst others, reserves extra praise for
Bradley Walker, who he considers to be 'a special person, as well as a
talent'.
Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin also has high praise for Bradley; the
fact that he drove alone from his hometown of Athens, Alabama to Nashville
for the recording sessions is itself a wonder.
Bradley was born with muscular dystrophy & has been in a wheelchair his
entire life. He is, however, as fiercely independent as he is musically
gifted. He built his own home in Alabama, designing it for maximum mobility
& comfort. Bradley is also completely at ease in his customised van & has
been working a day job ever since his high-school graduation, in addition to
singing & travelling to festivals regularly.
Bradley's parents, Tom Walker & Sherl Putman, both loved music deeply. The
radio played constantly at home & they always had plenty of records around.
Tom sometimes sang & Sherl once worked in a record shop.
Bradley Walker was born in
1978 & was singing not long afterward. When he was three years old,
Bradley's parents took him to a local Oak Ridge Boys concert. Backstage, the
tot sang 'Elvira' to the quartet, beginning a friendship that lasts to this
day.
Trips to Nashville were common. When he was ten years old, his family
brought him to the Oak Ridge Boys’ fan club party. This time, Bradley sang
'Elvira' with the quartet. The group was so impressed that the following
year (March 1989) he was invited to appear on the national cable show
'Nashville Now' with the Oaks.
Bradley Walker started out playing dance halls not long after he graduated
from high school in 1996. It was around this time that he began to gain a
deep love of bluegrass music.
Bradley & Ray Edwards formed the Trinity Mountain Boys with brothers Tim,
Scotty & Kirk Terry, the nephews of fiddler Gordon Terry; the band debuted
at a bluegrass festival staged in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1998. Former Sawyer
Brown member Bobby Randall spotted Bradley at a bluegrass festival & asked
him to come to Nashville to sing song demos. This was Bradley’s introduction
to the recording studio. In 1999, The Trinity Mountain Boys self-produced
their album 'Breaking New Ground'.
The Atlanta-based bluegrass group Lost Horizon invited Bradley Walker to
become its lead singer in 2001, so he began commuting to Georgia for
rehearsals. The group took second place at the SPBGMA convention in
Nashville that year & then Lost Horizon was invited to Los Angeles to appear
on the Jerry Lewis Telethon.
As a result, Bradley's circle of musical friends widened & he was soon
sharing the stage with bands like IIIrd Tyme Out, Larry Cordle & Lonesome
Standard Time, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver & The Lonesome River Band.
In 2002, the members of IIIrd Tyme Out invited him to appear with them at
the Grand Ole Opry. He sang the Jimmy Martin classic 'Drink Up & Go Home' &
drew a standing ovation. Bradley has since been on the Opry several more
times as the guest of Alecia Nugent
& stars such as Vince Gill & Mark Wills.
It was also in 2002 that Bradley went to work at the Browns Ferry Nuclear
Plant in northern Alabama, where he took up the position of material analyst
there, supporting warehouse inventory & purchasing.
Bradley was honoured in September 2005 when Bluegrass Unlimited magazine
published a feature story, headlining him as 'The Next Great Voice of
Bluegrass Music'. The Nashville Scene once hailed him as 'the best singer in
bluegrass today not yet signed to a record deal'.
Bradley Walker came to many listeners’ attention via 'When it comes down to
us', a duet with Alecia Nugent
that appeared on her album 'A Little Girl…A Big Four Lane' (Rounder Records,
2006).
Visit Bradley Walker's Official Site
Visit Bradley Walker's
Official MySpace Site