Charles Levi Walker (November 2, 1926 – September 12, 2008)[1] was an American country musician. His biggest success was with the song, "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down".
He held membership in the Grand Ole Opry from 1967,[2] and was inducted into the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame in 1981.[3]
Walker worked as a disc jockey from 1951 until 1961 at KMAC and then from 1961 up to 1963 at KENS in San Antonio, Texas, before signing with Decca Records.[2] His first hit, "Only You, Only You" was co-written with Jack Newman and reached No. 9 on the country chart in January 1956.[2] Walker later signed with Columbia Records and reached No. 2 with a Harlan Howard song, "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down".[2] His other hits include "Who Will Buy the Wine", "Wild as a Wildcat", "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon", and "I Wouldn't Take Her To A Dogfight."[2] Many of his records featured harmony vocals by Ray Price. His more popular recordings were of honky-tonk numbers, such as "Close All the Honky Tonks", and "Honky Tonk Women".[2] Walker played a minor role in the 1985 Patsy Cline biographical film, Sweet Dreams.[3]
Pugh, Ronnie (1998). "Charlie Walker". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 567. ISBN978-0195395631
