Born 95 Years Ago in the Lone Star State, the Air Force Pilot Who Became Everyone’s Favorite “Singing Hobo” and Helped Make Branson a Country Music Destination

On this day (September 1) in 1931, Lecil Martin was born in Ovilla, Texas. He is best remembered as Boxcar Willie, who brought old-time hobo music to the Grand Ole Opry and beyond. Before he rose to fame, he was an Air Force pilot who sang in his free time. Later in life, he became one of the first stars to open a theater in Branson, Missouri.

Martin never worked on the railroad. He did, however, run away to ride the rails several times when he was young. His early musical influences included Jimmie Rodgers, Ernest Tubb, and Roy Acuff. He followed their lead when he began performing as a teenager. Before long, he was a regular on the Dallas-based Big D Jamboree. When he was 18, Martin put his budding music career on hold to join the United States Air Force. He was a flight engineer on B-29 Superfortress planes during the Korean War.

Martin began performing again after the war ended but remained in the Air Force. He flew daily missions and played honky tonk in the evenings. By the time he retired in 1976, he had already taken on the Boxcar Willie persona for his performances.

Lecil Martin Becomes Boxcar Willie

According to The Guardian, Lecil Martin’s stage persona started as a character in a song. “There was an old boy sitting on a boxcar, dressed the way I dress today, and he looked just like a buddy of mine named Willie Wilson,” he recalled. “I said, ‘There’s Willie in a boxcar.’ That’s where it came from,” he explained. He performed under that name for the first time at a talent show in San Jose, California. After walking away with a cash prize, he decided to stick with the persona.

According to AllMusic, he moved to Nashville not long after retiring from the Air Force. He hoped to break into the country music industry. However, he didn’t fit Music City’s pop-leaning mold. Fortunately, he was called upon to replace George Jones at a local venue. While there, he caught the eye of Drew Taylor, a Scottish booking agent.

This meeting led to a tour of England, where he found enthusiastic crowds. He continued touring the United Kingdom throughout the 1970s, playing to ever-growing crowds. In 1979, he performed at the International Country Music Festival at Wembley. This performance solidified his star status across the pond. His album, King of the Road, became a hit and, by the early 1980s, he was the biggest country star in the United Kingdom. However, he didn’t find the same success at home.

Finding Success in the United States

Boxcar Willie eventually broke into the country music industry in the United States. However, he didn’t do so by finding a major record deal. Instead, he followed Slim Whitman’s lead and marketed his album, King of the Road, on television. Mail-order sales helped draw industry attention. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1981. Then, a year later, he became a regular on Hee Haw. He had his only top 40 single, “Bad News,” that year as well. It peaked at No. 36.

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In 1985, Martin moved to Branson, Missouri, where he opened the Boxcar Willie Theater, where he performed six days a week. Additionally, he opened a museum and two hotels. He was one of the first aging stars to put roots down in Branson. Several more followed over the years. Today, the city is a tourist destination for fans of classic country music who want to see acts that the industry has largely forgotten.

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