Texas Bill Strength

Biography

Although far better known for his career being a radio personality, Tx Bill Power also cut some country and rockabilly efforts, including a session for the renowned Sun Information backed simply by former Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore. Blessed August 28, 1928 in Bessemer, Alabama, Power was most of 16 when he gained an amateur competition at Houston’s Pleasure Theater — regional place KTHT was searching for a cowboy action, and shortly he was functioning part-time over the surroundings. In 1945 Power started deejaying full-time for St. Joseph, Missouri place KFEQ, accompanied by a stint performing for Sioux Falls, South Dakota radio KSOO — following a tenure with Denver’s KMYR, he came back to Houston, in quick succession showing up on KLEE, KATL and KNUZ. During this time period, Power also cut some little-heard singles for the 4-Superstar label, included in this “Who’s the Lucky One” and “I’m Performing a Peach of employment.” In early 1950 he was employed with the Congress of Industrial Agencies (CIO) to market the business via radio and convention performances — for 4-Superstar, he even slice the labor anthem “WE ARE GOING TO Overcome.” He also continuing his radio profession for Atlanta’s WGST and Decatur’s WEAS, and in past due 1950 agreed upon to Coral Information, debuting with “Dark Espresso Blues.” Strength’s “Coral” stint would confirm the most effective and long-lived of his peripatetic documenting profession — he liked his biggest strike there with “You Can’t Possess My Appreciate,” a duet using the underrated Tabby Western world, and also have scored with singles including “No one Knows This A LOT MORE THAN Me” and “I USED TO BE Just Teasing You.” In 1954 Power was called “Mr. DJ USA” by important Nashville place WSM, and by year’s end he relocated to Memphis place KWAM, where he observed the delivery of rock and roll & move via the introduction of Sun works Elvis Presley, Johnny Money and Carl Perkins. After acknowledging a posture with St. Paul, Minnesota’s KEYD, house to fellow DJs/performers Roy Drusky and Dave Dudley, Power agreed upon to Capitol Information for initiatives including “Cry, Cry, Cry,” “CHANGE” and “DO YOU CONSIDER I’m Content” — within the Twin Towns, he also hosted a children’s tv program, Adventures With Tx Bill. But mainly because his long struggle with alcoholism grew more serious, Power came back to Memphis in middle-’60, accepting Sunlight promotional supervisor Cecil Scaife’s provide to record for the label — with Moore on acoustic guitar and D.J. Fontana on drums, he slice seven tunes, with just “Think I Better Proceed” and “Senorita” ever getting commercial release. Following a short stick with Bakersfield, California train station KUZZ, Power came back towards the Twin Towns, 1st for KTCR and later on for WMIN. He continued to be there for the others of his existence, recording the casual single for brands like Starday (“Anxious like a Kitty”), Golden Wing (“Allow Potato chips Fall”) and Bangar (“Paper Boy Boogie”). Through the early 1970s, he also penned for the regular monthly Top Midwest & Traditional western News Picture a column entitled “Down Memory space Street,” documenting tales about his existence and experiences within the music business. On August 5, 1973, Power was paralyzed from your waist down pursuing an auto incident — then slipped right into a coma, dying on Oct 1 at age 45. He was inducted in to the Nation Music DJ Hall of Popularity in 1990.

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