Leroy Frank Van Dyke (born October 4, 1929) is an American country music and honky-tonk singer and guitarist, best known for his hits " The Auctioneer " (1956) and " Walk on By " (1961).
8-635: Van Dyke was born in Mora, Missouri . He lived in Spencer, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Missouri majoring in agricultural journalism as well as being a member of FarmHouse Fraternity. He was catapulted into country music fame in 1956 with his composition "The Auctioneer", co-written with Buddy Black, which sold over 2.5 million records. He wrote the song about the life of his cousin, National Auctioneers Association Hall of Famer Ray Sims, also
16-424: A Missourian. Van Dyke had the lead role of a budding country music performer in the 1967 movie What Am I Bid? in which Sims played himself as an auctioneer. In his 50 years-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 by Billboard magazine in 1994 as the biggest country single of all time, based on sales, plays, and weeks in
24-590: 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
32-568: A former legal secretary and court reporter. Their son Ben plays lead guitar in all Van Dyke performances. Van Dyke is also a Korean War veteran. In 1967, Leroy Van Dyke was awarded the Founding President's Award (formerly Connie B. Gay Award) from the Country Music Association . †Honorary former member; was scheduled to be invited, but died before the invitation was extended Mora, Missouri Mora
40-645: Is an unincorporated community in northern Benton County , Missouri , United States. It is located on Missouri Supplemental Route U approximately sixteen miles south of Sedalia . Mora was laid out in 1882, when the railroad was extended to that point. A post office has been in operation at Mora since 1882. Mora is the birthplace of country music singer Leroy Van Dyke . Stan Kroenke , sports team owner, grew up in Mora and attended schools in Cole Camp . This Benton County, Missouri state location article
48-729: The UK 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. He was a cast member in the late 1950s on Ozark Jubilee , and was co-host, with Bill Mack , of the Southern Baptist Radio/TV Commission-produced Country Crossroads radio show for 10 years, and was joined by a third co-host Jerry Clower . It became
56-428: The charts. 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. 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
64-577: The most widely syndicated radio show in country music history. Van Dyke continues a performance schedule, traveling from his office/home complex on his 1,000-acre (4 km) ranch in west-central Missouri near Sedalia, Missouri . 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,
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