Leroy Van Dyke
Leroy Frank Van Dyke ( born October 4, 1929 in Spring Fork, Missouri) is an American country music singer and songwriter who was known from the late 1950s with hits like Auctioneer and Walk on By.
Van Dyke originally wanted to be a farmer. During his agricultural studies at the University of Missouri, he began playing the guitar. During these years, his passion for country music developed. After completing his studies, he worked as an editor for agricultural concerns in a newspaper, and briefly as Viehauktionator.
In 1951 he was drafted into the Army and spent a year in Korea. He had several opportunities to musical performances. He also wrote the song Auctioneer, were incorporated into the personal experience and should little later allow him entry into the country music scene.
Career
Winning a talent contest led in 1956 to a recording contract. His first single with the song Auctioneer sold more than 2.5 million times and made it both in the country Top Ten and the pop Top 20th However, he was betrayed by his manager, the improperly posed as a co-author and cashed half the royalties. The initial success could not be repeated first, subsequent singles flopped without exception. In 1957 he became a regular on the Ozark Jubilee TV show.
1961 Van Dyke moved to Nashville and joined the Mercury label. Here he succeeded in the same year, produced by Shelby Singleton Walk on By a super hit of the series held the top of the country charts for 19 weeks and was advancing in the pop charts at number five. Walk on By, Wait on the Corner, that of a " forbidden love " is in the man and woman can not show together in public, so that was one of the biggest country hits of the 1960s. For a good part of this success was due to a perfect arrangement and the first-tier Contribute studio musician.
1962 Van Dyke was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In the same year he made with If a Woman Answers (Hang Up the Phone) once number three on the country charts. After the success did not materialize. Also a multiple change of the label did not improve, although he remained until the 1980 years in business. In 1967, he starred in the feature film What Am I Bid? with, in which he portrayed an auctioneer.