Boxcar Willie Biography

Lecil Travis Martin (September 1, 1931 – April 12, 1999), whose stage name was Boxcar Willie, was an American country music singer-songwriter and air force personnel sergeant, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat. "Boxcar Willie" was originally a character in a ballad he wrote, but he later adopted it as his own stage name.

Biography

Martin was born in Sterrett, Texas in 1931. He joined the United States Air Force in 1949, and served as a flight engineer for the B-29 Super Fortress during the Korean War in the early 1950s. In Lincoln, Nebraska, Martin was once sitting at a railroad crossing and a fellow that closely resembled his chief boom operator, Willie Wilson, passed by sitting in a boxcar. He said, "There goes Willie." He pulled over and wrote a song entitled "Boxcar Willie". It eventually stuck and became Martin's nickname. There is no relation to the fictitious character, bearing the same name, as featured in the CJCLS commercial that aired ~1985. In 1962, Martin met his future wife, Lloene, in Boise, Idaho. They would later have four children.

In San Jose, California, Martin attended a talent show as "Boxcar Willie" and performed under the nickname for the first time. He won first place, a $150 prize and a nickname that he would forever go by. That was his part-time vocation, however; he was still in the Air Force and had been flying daily missions. He later became a Flight Engineer on Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter aircraft in the 136th ARW in the Texas Air National Guard, including air refueling flights around the USA and overseas in Germany.

In the early seventies, Lecil was in the Texas Air National Guard as a Flight Engineer on KC-97L tanker aircraft, participating in Operation Creek Party by flying over the Atlantic to Germany many times to do air-to-air refueling there. He was in the 136th Air Refueling Wing, 181st Air Refueling Squadron.

In 1976, Martin retired from the Air Force and became a full-time performer. One of his first national appearances was a win on Chuck Barris' The Gong Show. He entered American mainstream pop culture consciousness due to a series of television commercials for record compilations of artists who were obscure in the United States, yet had large international followings, such as Slim Whitman and Gheorghe Zamfir. He went on to become a star in country music. In 1981, Martin achieved a professional landmark by being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry as its 60th member. His was more than a US success too, with his 1980 album King of the Road giving him his greatest chart success by reaching #5 in the UK pop charts . Traveling around the world with his band, was his steadfast and trusty steel guitar player Chubby Howard, radio show host and musician for many years.

In 1985, Martin moved to Branson, Missouri and purchased a theater on Highway 76, or 76 Country Music Boulevard. In addition to the Boxcar Willie Theater, he opened a museum and eventually had two motels, both bearing his name. Boxcar Willie was one of the first big stars to open a show in Branson, paving the way for the other nationally-known names that followed. He performed at his theater in Branson until he died.

On February 23, 1992, Boxcar Willie was featured on the Season 2 premier of Tracks Ahead in which he performed with his band at the Boxcar Willie Theater.

Death

Diagnosed with leukemia in 1996, Martin died on April 12, 1999 in Branson, Missouri at age 67. He was subsequently buried at Ozarks Memorial Park in Branson. Major league baseball umpire "Cowboy" Joe West was among his pallbearers.

Legacy

After a major reconstruction project, the overpass at Interstate 35E and Farm to Market Road 664 in Red Oak, Texas (also known as Ovilla Road, approximately four miles east of Ovilla) was renamed Boxcar Willie Memorial Overpass. A small park, two blocks from the National Mall, near the L'Enfant Plaza Station in Washington, D.C. was renamed Boxcar Willie Park. Boxcar Willie's legacy also includes being named "America's Favorite Hobo".

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions		Label
		US Country	CAN
1976	Boxcar Willie	"?	"?	Column One
1978	Daddy Was A Railroad Man	"?	"?
1979	Boxcar Willie Sings Hank Williams And Jimmie Rodgers	"?	"?
1980	Take Me Home	"?	"?
	Greatest Hits - Boxcar Willie	"?	"?
1981	King of the Road	54	35	Main Street
1982	Last Train to Heaven featuring Lee Gentry	27	"?
	Best of Boxcar, Vol. 1	34	"?
1983	...Not the Man I Used to Be	35	"?
1986	Boxcar Willie	"?	"?	Dot Records
1988	Live At Wembley	"?	"?	Pickwick Records
	Best Loved Favorites	"?	"?	Heartland Music
1991	Pure Country Magic	"?	"?
	Truck Driving Favorites	"?	"?	Madacy Entertainment
1993	Rocky Box: Rockabily (With The Skeletons)	"?	"?	K-Tel Records
1994	The Spirit Of America	"?	"?	Madacy Entertainment
1996	Achy Breaky Heart	"?	"?
2004	American Songs - The Very Best of Johnny Cash & Boxcar Willie	"?	"?	Retro Records

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions		Album
		US Country	CAN Country
1980	"Train Medley"	95	"?	single only
1982	"Bad News"	36	15	Last Train to Heaven
	"We Made Memories" (w/ Penny DeHaven)	77	"?
	"Last Train to Heaven"	80	"?
	"Keep on Rollin' Down the Line"	70	"?
1983	"Country Music Nightmare"	76	"?	Best of Boxcar, Vol. 1
	"Train Medley" (re-release)	61	"?
	"The Man I Used to Be"	44	"?	...Not the Man I Used to Be
1984	"Not on the Bottom Yet"	87	"?
	"Luther"	69	"?