Billy Armstrong

From 1965 through 1977 Billy Armstrong ranked among country music's foremost fiddle players, securing the ACM Fiddle Player of the Year honor for thirteen consecutive years. His professional debut occurred in 1943 alongside Bob Lively's Dude Ranch Cowboys; after four years he departed to establish Billy Armstrong & the Westerners, whose lineup featured Don Hoag on drums, Bobby Wagoner on guitar, and Billy Strange on guitar. Radio work began in 1948 on Spade Cooley Presents, and the following year he took "Lefty" Joe Holley's place in Tommy Duncan's Western All Stars. Several recording sessions for the Intro label with Duncan preceded his return to L.A. and his entry into Hi Busse & the Frontiersmen, where he remained until 1951. A brief engagement with another ensemble preceded the formation of the Westernaires.

After the group's 1957 dissolution, Armstrong spent six months with Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys. Exhaustion from constant touring prompted his resignation and return to L.A., where he first joined Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree and subsequently Tex Williams' band. The year 1959 brought the release of two singles, "Gloria" and "If You Leave While I'm Sleeping." In 1965 he claimed his first ACM Fiddler of the Year award while issuing the single "The Orange Blossom Special." He next appeared with Gene Davis on the television series Star Route, then entered the Sons of the Pioneers in 1966, singing lead and alternating tenor parts. He remained until early 1972, at which point he joined the Chaparral Brothers. During the 1970s his solo recording work produced three albums.