From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Jun 19, 2002  7:31 pm
Subject:  Born To Be With You : T. Texas Ty;ler
 
T. TEXAS TYLER (By Shaun Mather)

Born David Luke Myrick, 20 June 1916, Mena, Arkansas
Died 28 January 1972, Springfield, Missouri

Singer songwriter T.Texas Tyler gained infamy through the big hit, Deck Of
Cards and in the process enhanced his reputation as country music's premier
exponent of narrative songs. Born in Arkansas, but raised in Texas, he left
home in his teens, joining his Naval brother in Rhode Island. He began singing
on local radio stations and created his stage name as an amalgam of cowboy
singers Tex Ritter and Tom Tyler. Following a stint with Uncle Sam, he moved
to southern California and recommenced his radio career on stations in Long
Beach and LA.

In 1946 he had a top 5 hit record with Filipino Baby which came out on the 4
Star label. Four (country) hits followed in '48 with Deck Of Cards (# 2, also
# 21 pop), the tearjerker Dad Gave My Dog Away (# 10), Memories Of France
(# 9) and Honky Tonk Gal (# 11). A year later he hit number 4 with his cover
of My Bucket's Got A Hole In It. He scored another couple of hits in '53 and
'54 with Bumming Around (# 5) and Courtin' In The Rain (# 3).
Deck Of Cards was successfully revived by deejay Wink Martindale in late
1959 (# 7 pop).

Rock 'n' Roll spelt the end of Tyler's charting days but he joined the Grand Ole
Opry in 1957 and signed with Hank Snow Promotions. The following year he
saw the light and became a minister. He cut a country album for Starday and
a few gospel albums before retiring to preach in Springfield, Missouri. He died

of stomach cancer in 1972.

CD: The Best Of T. Texas Tyler (Collector's Choice, 18 tracks).