Dallas Walker makes his country debut at Songbirds

Dallas Walker is no stranger to the stage. He sang with traveling gospel groups for more than a decade.

But Tuesday night he's making his debut as a solo country artist - on the stage at Songbirds Guitar Museum, no less.

"Lord, no! I never pictured myself playing Songbirds," he laughs of his good fortune. "If you could pick an upscale, high-class venue in Chattanooga, that would be the top. It's a huge opportunity."

Dallas Walker

Mike Dougher, talent buyer for Songbirds, says Walker isn't the first artist to make a debut at Songbirds, but there are criteria that management considers before booking a new act.

"It's our responsibility to help artists whenever we can as long as it works sonically and financially. The music I heard from Dallas stood up, and I felt we should take a chance on him. I've always felt as a promoter to try whenever possible to give an extra long look at local artists and help whenever we can to give artists a jump start on their careers."

Walker, 37, is a graduate of Lookout Valley High School and the son of Donnie Walker and the late Dianne Walker. When he's not at his day job covering six states as Southeastern sales manager for a company in Michigan, he's moonlighting as a musician.

"My background is in bluegrass gospel. My first performance in front of people was singing with a little trio called The Valley Boys in the mid-'90s."

That performance will always be memorable, he says, not just because it was the first, but because Randy Owens' mother was singing in the same show. The mother of Alabama's frontman was friendly, talked with the trio and "I always thought that was cool," the singer says.

Walker began playing guitar at age 8 when his dad bought him a guitar and taught him three chords. Like many singers, he got his start singing in church.

He married at 18 and traveled with a Southern gospel quartet during his early 20s. After his children were born, he retired from the road to focus on his family.

He formed Cross Hollow bluegrass band with his brother and best friend. They recorded a couple of albums and some of their music is still played on Great American Bluegrass cable channel, he says.

A little over a year ago he tested the power of social media, posting a gospel video on YouTube.

"But where I really started connecting was when I did Facebook Live. That attracted the most support and attention. I got to where I would do them once a week, or at least every two weeks, and (his singing career) grew from there."

Nine months ago he tried his first country song on Facebook Live. The singer admits he's always loved "the more traditional, classic country."

Now he has a new country single about to be released, "They Can't Pave My Memories." It's a poignant look at a small town overtaken by commercialism.

"I'm going to push it on social media. It's one piece of the puzzle to building a whole album. I think it's really going to touch people," he says.

He admits to some nervousness about Tuesday night's solo debut, but the nerves have nothing to do with performing.

"It's the thought and preparation I'm putting into it because I want it to be something people will really enjoy. Songbirds has been very supportive of me. It's overwhelming to think about this opportunity."

He's hired a backing band of "some of the hottest musicians out of Nashville," he says. There's going to be line dancing - and he plans to join in. He's even planned an after-party at Regan's Place and everyone attending the show is invited.

"It's about people having a good time; enjoying a good evening of live music. It's something I'm putting my heart into," says Walker.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.