This Lamesa, Texas native is nothing less than pure country music incarnate.

Those Were the Days
While a mechanic with the National Guard, Walser started his professional singing career in 1959 with a Midland outfit known as the Texas Plainsmen.

Time Tested According to Walser, he and his Pure Texas Band play Top 40 music that is forty years old. Makes sense: The single "Rolling Stone From Texas" earned him a four-star review from Billboard magazine in the '60s. An Honorable Mention Playboy called Walser the "Pavarotti of the plains."

Mostly a weekend band, they would play all over West Texas. The music: pure country and western swing a la Eddie Arnold, Merle Travis, Ray Price, Jimmie Rodgers and company.

Part Two
In 1984, Walser moved to Austin, bringing with him more than a quarter century of country music experience. With open arms he was welcomed at the old Burnet Road location of Henry's, as well as the Little Longhorn. From there it was on to the Broken Spoke, Watermelon Records and opening shows for, of all bands, the Butthole Surfers. (There is nothing so delightful to hear as Walser mentioning the Butthole—pronouncing it "butt-hoe"—Surfers.) —David Courtney

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