Cindy Walker
"I write...for people, for the artist and (they) all have different personalities. I just write what I think will suit them..sort of a tailor-made song. Some ideas come out of the blue, but not usually. I guess the more you write, the more you're likely to come up with ideas. It's just labor, that's all there is to it....The title tells the story. If you can get a real good title, you've got something. I always write from the title. I've never written a song without the title...The words and music come together. It just sort of comes to you. The songs just sing themselves to me. They kind of write themselves. I just stand back and listen..." "(Best tunes) are songs with a face. You recognize them. You know them. It's like a person. They have a face that's outstanding. Other songs don't have a face; you just hear them, that's all. The really good ones are few and far between."
Career Milestones:
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age 7--first entertainment work singing and dancing in "The Toy Land Review"
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age 16--while working at Billy Rose's Casa Manana in Ft. Worth, Walker wrote "Casa de Manana"; became the club's theme song
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1940--traveled over the summer with her parents to Los Angeles and stopped at the Crosby Building in Hollywood where Larry Crosby (Bing's brother) became interested in "Lone Star Trail" (he demoed it and played it for Bing and Lester Santly--Bing's music publisher); Bing recorded the song in December 1940
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1941--"Lone Star Trail" (recorded by Bing Crosby) released by Decca in February; went to #23 on the Pop charts
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1941--signed a five year recording contract with Decca based on the strength of her singing on "Lone Star Trail" demo
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1941--Bob Wills recorded four of Walker's songs on July 24
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1942-1944--wrote all 39 songs used by Bob Wills in the eight western movies he shot for Columbia during this period
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1944--first top ten country hit, "You're From Texas" recorded by Bob Wills
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1944--first top ten country hit as Decca artist, "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"
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1947--decided to write full time after recording contract with Decca ended mid 1960s--recorded an album for Monument Records of her biggest hits, "Words & Music by Cindy Walker"
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Awards:
1944--BMI Country Award\You're From Texas
1945--BMI Country Award\Triflin' Gal
1950--BMI Country Award\Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me
1952--BMI Country Award\The Gold Rush is Over
1954--BMI Country Award\Thank You For Calling
1955--BMI Country Award\I Don't Care
1958--BMI Country Award\Anna Marie\Hey, Mr. Bluebird
1962--BMI Popular Award\Dream Baby\You Don't Know Me
1965--BMI Country Award\This Is It
1966--BMI Country Award\Distant Drums
1967--BMI Country Award\Distant Drums
1968--BMI Country Award\In the Misty Moonlight\You Don't Know Me
1968--BMI Popular Award\In the Misty Moonlight
1969--BMI Country Award\Heaven Says Hello
1971--BMI Country Award\Dream Baby
1971--BMI Popular Award\Dream Baby
1972--BMI Country Award\Dream Baby
1976--BMI Country Award\Cherokee Maiden
1981--BMI Popular Award\You Don't Know Me
1982--BMI Country Award\You Don't Know Me
1982--BMI Popular Award\I Don't Care
1983--BMI Country Award\I Don't Care
1984--BMI Country Award\Dream Baby
1997--Country Music Hall of Fame induction
Catalog Highlights
Lone Star Trail
Artists: Bing Crosby, Vaughn Monroe, The Leo Reichman OrchestraCherokee Maiden
Artists: Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, Mel TillisWhen My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again
Artists: Cindy Walker (1944), Elvis Presley (1956)Dusty Skies
Artists: Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, Johnny Bond, The Sons of the PioneersMiss Molly
Artists: Bob Wills, Smokey Rogers, Tex Williams, Leon McAuliffe, Asleep at the WheelYou're From Texas
Artists: Bob Wills, Billy Mize, Charlie Walker, Roy RogersWarm, Red Wine
Artists: Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Johnny Bush, Wes BuchananThe Gold Rush is Over
Artists: Hank SnowTake Me in Your Arms (and Hold Me)
Artists: Eddie Arnold, Jim Reeves and Deborah Allen, Les Paul & Mary FordThank You For Calling
Artists: Billy Walker, Jo Stafford, Hank ShowI Don't Care
Co-writer: Webb PierceArtists: Webb Pierce, Faron Young, Ricky Skaggs You Don't Know Me
Co-writer: Eddy ArnoldArtists: Eddy Arnold, Elvis Presley, Carmen McRae, Patti Page, Faron Young, Jimmy Dean, Jim Nabors, Vic Damone, Floyd Cramer, Dottie West, Nancy Wilson, Henry Mancini, Eydie Gorme, Bobby Goldsboro, Ray Charles, Anna Marie, Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, Mickey Gilley, Jerry Vale, Ray Pennington, Ray Charles, Lenny Welch Hey, Mister Bluebird
Artists: Ernest and The Wilburn BrothersIn the Misty Moonlight
Artists: Jerry Wallace, Dean Martin, Bill Anderson, George Morgan, Faron Young, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Slim Whitman, Skeeter Davis, Eddy ArnoldTriflin' Gal
Artists: Al Dexter (1945), Walt Shrum and his Colorado Hillbillies (1945)This Is It
Artists: Jim Reeves, Mary FordDistant Drums
Artists: Jim Reeves, Ed Ames, Jim Ed Brown, Roy Orbison, Tex Ritter, Charley PrideDream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
Artists: Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Lacy J. Dalton, Waylon Jennings, Patti Page, Cher, Del Shannon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Perry Como, Al Hurt, Bob Regan & Lucille Starr (The Canadian Sweethearts)Heaven Says Hello
Artists: Sonny JamesThe Day You Left Me
Artists: Eddy ArnoldHearts Will Be Hearts
Not That I Care
Artists: Jerry WallaceChina Doll
Artists: The Ames BrothersYou Are My Treasure
Artists: Jack Greene