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Leroy Van Dyke | |
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| Born | Leroy Frank Van Dyke (1929-10-04)October 4, 1929 (age 96) Mora, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1956–present |
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| Website | www |
Leroy Frank Van Dyke (born October 4, 1929) is an Americancountry music and honky-tonk singer and guitarist, best known for his hits "The Auctioneer" (1956) and "Walk on By" (1961).
Van Dyke was born inMora, Missouri, and graduated from the University of Missouri, majoring in agricultural journalism, as well as being a member of FarmHouse Fraternity.[1] He was catapulted into country music fame in 1956 with his composition "The Auctioneer", which sold over 2.5 million records.[1] He wrote the song about the life of his cousin,National Auctioneers Association Hall of Famer Ray Sims, also a Missourian. Van Dyke had the lead role of a budding country music performer in the 1967 movieWhat Am I Bid? in which Sims played himself as an auctioneer.[1]
In his 50 year-plus career, Van Dyke has recorded more than 500 songs, dozens of them making the charts. His record of "Walk on By" (1961) was named byBillboard magazine in 1994 as the biggest country single of all time, based on sales, plays, and weeks in the charts.[2] It stayed at number one in the U.S. country chart for 19 weeks, and in all, charted for 42 weeks, reaching number five on the pop listings. It sold more than 1.5 million copies.[1]
Other Van Dyke hits were "If a Woman Answers", "Black Cloud", "Big Man in a Big House", "Anne of a Thousand Days", "Happy to Be Unhappy", "Night People", "Be a Good Girl", "Dim Dark Corner", "Five Steps Away", "How Long Must You Keep Me a Secret", "Afraid of a Heartache", "Big Wide Wonderful World of Country Music", "Birmingham", "Just a State of Mind", "Mr. Professor", "My World Is Caving In", "The Other Boys Are Talking", "Poor Guy", "Roses from a Stranger", "Texas Tea", "Who’s Gonna Run the Truck Stop in Tuba City When I’m Gone", "Wrong Side of the Tracks", "Your Daughter Cried All Night", "Your Money", and "The Life You Offered Me".
In theUK Singles Chart Van Dyke had two hits: "Walk on By" reached number five in February 1962, and "Big Man in a Big House" made number 34 in May that year.[3]
He was a cast member in the late 1950s onOzark Jubilee, and was co-host, withBill Mack, of the Southern Baptist Radio/TV Commission-producedCountry Crossroads radio show for 10 years, and was joined by a third co-hostJerry Clower. It became the most widely syndicated radio show in country music history.[citation needed]
Van Dyke continues a performance schedule, traveling from his office/home complex on his 1,000-acre (4 km2) ranch in west-central Missouri nearSedalia. He is a member of the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame, is active in many music industry organizations, and as a sideline, raises premium quality Arabian mules. All aspects of Leroy Van Dyke Enterprises are managed by his wife Gladys, a former legal secretary and court reporter. Their son Ben plays lead guitar in all Van Dyke performances. Van Dyke is also aKorean War veteran.
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Walk On By | Mercury |
| Movin' Van Dyke | ||
| 1963 | The Great Hits | |
| 1964 | Songs for Mom and Dad | |
| At the Trade Winds | ||
| 1965 | Out of Love | Wing |
| Walk on By | Mt. Dew | |
| The Leroy Van Dyke Show | Warner Bros. | |
| 1966 | Country Hits | |
| Movin | Wing | |
| Auctioneer | Dot | |
| 1967 | Have a Party | Mt. Dew |
| What Am I Bid | MGM | |
| 1968 | Lonesome Is | Kapp |
| 1969 | Greatest Hits | |
| Just a Closer Walk with Thee | ||
| I've Never Been Loved Before | Harmony | |
| 1972 | Greatest Hits | Decca |
| 1973 | Golden Hits | Sun |
| 1975 | Just for You | Dot |
| 1977 | Gospel Greats | Plantation |
| 1978 | Rock Relics | |
| 1982 | Cross Section | Audiograph |
| 1983 | Audiograph Live |
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [4] | |||
| 1956 | "The Auctioneer" | 9 | 19 | single only |
| 1961 | "Walk on By" | 1 | 5 | Walk On By |
| 1962 | "If a Woman Answers (Hang Up the Phone)" | 3 | 35 | Movin' Van Dyke |
| "Black Cloud" | 16 | The Great Hits | ||
| 1964 | "Happy to Be Unhappy" | 54 | singles only | |
| "Night People" | 45 | |||
| 1965 | "Anne of a Thousand Days" | 40 | ||
| 1966 | "You Couldn't Get My Love Back (if You Tried)" | 120 | ||
| "Roses from a Stranger" | 34 | I've Never Been Loved Before | ||
| 1967 | "I've Never Been Loved" | 66 | ||
| 1968 | "Louisville" | 23 | ||
| "You May Be Too Much for Memphis, Baby" | 69 | Lonesome Is | ||
| 1969 | "Crack in My World" | 56 | singles only | |
| 1970 | "An Old Love Affair, Now Showing" | 63 | ||
| "Mister Professor" | 71 | |||
| 1971 | "I Get Lonely When It Rains" | 62 | ||
| 1972 | "I'd Rather Be Wantin' Love" | 69 | ||
| 1975 | "Unfaithful Fools" | 79 | ||
| 1976 | "Who's Gonna Run the Truck Stop in Tuba City When I'm Gone?" | 75 | ||
| 1977 | "Texas Tea" | 77 | ||
In 1967, Leroy Van Dyke was awarded the Founding President's Award (formerly Connie B. Gay Award) from theCountry Music Association.[5]
