{"id":2005,"date":"2014-11-06T01:03:13","date_gmt":"2014-11-06T07:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/?p=2005"},"modified":"2023-09-04T00:11:47","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T00:11:47","slug":"all-new-boxcar-willie-dvd-on-the-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/?p=2005","title":{"rendered":"ALL NEW Boxcar Willie DVD On The Way."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"10458654_641323995985582_6127283369631384371_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Folks I spoke via social media with the family of Lecil Travis Martin AKA Boxcar Willie
\nthis past week about a REALLY cool project that I think you will LOVE.
\nHe became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry and performed MORE than his required dates.
\nI want to say this about him..I know he struggled to play “Country’s Family Reunion” that last
\ntime. He was very very sick and he went out and NAILED IT giving glory to his Savior all the way.
\nBoxcar Willie was more than just our beloved hobo..he was part of our hearts..writing this is making
\nme cry I loved him very much.<\/p>\n

Originally Boxcar Willie was a person in a song he wrote but later on in life he brought
\nthat man out on stage and the public became in love with him.
\nHe was the master of the self made train whistle moan and NOBODY…I mean NOBODY could
\ncopy it. It is copied today by Outlaw Country artist Bob Wayne<\/a> and was used
\nby a few others I could name.<\/p>\n

He was born September 1st 1933 in Texas and in 1949 he joined the Air Force as a pilot and an engineer.
\nHe was sitting at a train crossroad and saw a man sitting in a boxcar and someone said ‘There Goes Willie”
\nand he wrote a song about Boxcar Willie the singing hobo.
\nIt eventually became Lecil’s nickname and I never found out what year he actually BECAME Boxcar Willie but
\nhe won a talent show in California bearing the name and outfit.
\nHis son told me that he painted on his beard with grease because of his service at the time.
\nHe donned the overalls adorned with buttons and the flop hat that he often tipped by flipping three times
\nto the audience.<\/p>\n

He became introduced into the mainstream public through a time life record collection on television
\nand the public absolutely adored this loveable tramp from the trainyard.
\nI remember Roy Acuff introducing him as the “Tramp From The Trainyard” on the Opry..he was
\na truly beautiful man. And on March 1st 1981 he became the 60th member of our beloved Opry.
\nHe went on to topple the sales in albums and tapes and showed the industry that an old
\nhobo was wanted.<\/p>\n

In 1985 he moved to Branson and became one of the first torchbearers of the Branson growth.
\nHe performed there until April of 1999 when he was called home to Heaven from a long battle with
\nleukemia.<\/p>\n

His son has been working on an ALL NEW never before seen footage DVD and include a CD
\nThis from his Facebook Page:
\nI want to tell all my Facebook friends that I’m working on a brand new DVD of my dad that will
\nfeature never before seen footage and songs of dad in concert from around the world as well as
\npictures and stories. I’ve been working on this for the past six months and am very excited and
\ncannot wait to unveil this. I am also including a CD to accompany this DVD and it will be available
\nto my FB friends FIRST before it is released to the general public. ( even though FB is the general public)
\nyou get the idea though.<\/p>\n

This will feature performances with the grease paint for his beard, and will include
\neveryone from Roy Acuff to Garth Brooks and even the President Of The United States.
\nNow I havent found out the date or the price yet as it’s still being made so you’ll
\nhave to wait on that. But THIS is news NO OTHER WEBSITE has, I promise you that.
\nBoxcar Willie died with more dignity and love for Jesus than any other Legend PERIOD.
\nAnd he showed the world an overlooked underdog was a true HERO.<\/p>\n