To say that he's lived an interesting life would be putting it mildly.  From his birth in Japan on to places like New York and Arizona, Walker Williams has lived his life on the move. He grew up as an "Air Force brat", traveling across the country with his family in military style — only to find his home in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado, where his love for entertaining began to take form.

During his senior year in high school, he quit baseball, as one of the starting pitchers in his class, to pursue music instead.  "I turned it down to do musical because I knew I wasn't going to play baseball professionally," Walker explains.  "But, you know, I always wanted to perform."

This desire to be on stage, not only rewarded him with a vocal scholarship to Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, it also led him to a successful career in acting, of which some can only dream.

"I started working in a local theater here in Denver, and I did a couple of films.  A couple years later, I moved out to L.A., and continued working out there.  I did numerous commercials, some episodic television, a lot of theater, showcasing with just my guitar and singing."

Although he spent eight years in Los Angeles, working consistently as an actor, it just wasn't home.  "I left California, and moved back to Denver, where I met my wife, and got married," says Walker.  "Then I did some more television, [including a couple Perry Mason episodes], and some more film work out here.  I suddenly became kind of a big fish in a little pond."

However, after doing as much as he could in Colorado, it became apparent that location was a factor in continuing a career in acting.  "As far as being in Colorado, I had gone as far as I was going to go with the acting... it was like, if I'm really going to do this, I can't be in Colorado anymore.  I'd have to go back to L.A., and my wife wasn't too keen on that idea."  Walker then decided that he was going to "jump feet first into the music thing".

"I started working on revamping some of the songs that I had written when I was younger, then set out, and started doing a single."  But singing four to five hours a night alone ended up being "a lot of work", which set the wheels in motion for the creation of the Walker Williams Band — Dave Allan, (lead guitar, steel, vocals); Dickey Strickland, (drums, vocals); Rex Herring, (keyboards, vocals); Warren Plante, (bass, vocals).

With the band as his backup, Walker has opened for headliners such as childhood idols Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, as well as Billy Dean, Sawyer Brown, Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Tracy Lawrence, Wade Hayes, and several others.  His experience on stage has taught him many things, and he has learned exactly how to light up an audience — by combining good country music with friendly sarcasm.

"I'm really good at being sarcastic without being rude.  I'll get this little sarcasm going back and forth with one side of the room... All of a sudden, I notice that the other side of the room starts trying to get my attention.  It's like they want to be included.  It's really cool to see that, if you leave somebody out that really wants to be drawn in, they'll let you know it.  You have to pick up on that, you have to go to that side of the room now.  You start picking on them a little bit, and you get things going.  Pretty soon, the whole room is lit up, and everybody's having a great time."  Which is just what Walker and his band are becoming known for throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Mexico, and, most recently, Nebraska — where he had to a do a little explaining of what he will sing, and what he won't.

"A bunch of cowboys in there, a bunch of real good ole boys were there.  They'd heard us the night before, and they were complimenting us... They asked, ‘Y'all play any rock-n-roll?'  I smiled as I looked at them, and said, ‘No, we don't.'  They said, ‘Thank God!'

"Well, later on that night, we had a big birthday party, and you could tell by the way half the people were dressed that they weren't country... So this guy started going off on me, yelling, ‘Do rock-n-roll!'  I said, ‘I bet you go to a Chinese restaurant, and order Mexican.'  He didn't find it amusing.  He kind of started getting nasty with me, and then he's in the back shooting pool.  You could hear him yelling, ‘Play rock-n-roll!'  I said, ‘You know, I've got to ask you all something.  You country fans will understand this.  Where is it written that all country bands play rock-n-roll?  I defy you to walk into the greasiest, darkest, leatheriest rock bar you can possibly find, and ask them to sing The Dance, or Amarillo By Morning.  Ask them to sing Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.  They will look at you like you're from another planet.'  So I said, ‘Why is this any different?  I don't have anything against rock-n-roll, this is a choice.  I choose not to do that stuff.  I choose to do country music the best that I possibly can."  And, if his personally produced album is any indication, his "best" is pretty darn good.

Just Like That is an 8-song compilation of Walker singing what he loves best — country music.  Starting out with "(She's Got) Somebody", an upbeat tale of guy gets girl, and ending with the title-cut, "Just Like That", the entire album offers a touch of everything for country music fans.

"Daddy's Farm", written by hometown friend, David Sexton, and "The Preacher" are the storytellers of the album.  "When I'm With You", one of the two songs penned by Mr. Williams himself, and "Single Tear" are the heartbreakers — while "Swingin' In Texas", (I love this song!), and "Dancin'" are the "I can't sit still" numbers.  Just like that, Just Like That is a country rockin' success.

But what does Walker want from his success?  His answer is for his wife, Tre, for his two sons, Tony and Jeff, for his family, and for his fans.  "I want my success to be for what I can do for other people."  If this is true, we can expect to receive a lot — for Walker Williams is sure to be a success for many years to come... just like that.

Reprinted with permission from 2steppin.com - Tsab, Ink ©1997-99