Tyler was born David Luke Myrick, 20 June 1916, in Mena, Arkansas, USA. He passed away on January 28, 1972, in Springfield, Missouri, USA.

Tyler spent his early childhood in Texas but was educated in Philadelphia. He learned guitar in his teens and appeared on local radio in the early 30s. He worked with Slim Clere as “Slim And Tex” in Charleston, South Carolina between 1939 and 1942, before adopting a solo career at Shreveport, Fairmont and Indianapolis.

Tyler saw military service from 1944-46 and then moved to Los Angeles where he formed his own band, and his television series Range Round Up gained an award as Best Country Music Show of 1950. In 1946 he recorded for 4 Star Records, having initial success with “Filipino Baby,” but he established himself in 1948 when his recitation “Deck Of Cards” made number 2 in the US country and number 21 in the US pop charts. A version by Tex Ritter also became a Top 10 US country chart hit the same year (the narration later became a million-seller for Wink Martindale in 1959 and a UK pop hit in 1973 for comedian Max Bygraves). The number may be medieval and it was certainly used as a church sermon long before Tyler was born. Over the years it has appeared in many different forms and it is possible that it was a version entitled “The Gentleman Soldier’s Prayer Book” that Tyler first read in the late 30s. He may well also have known a poem about Wild Bill Hickok’s card playing written by Captain Jack Crawford, the “Poet Scout.”

Tyler had further Top 10 successes with the tear-jerking narration “Dad Gave My Dog Away,” “Memories Of France,” “My Bucket’s Got A Hole in It,” “Bumming Around” and finally in 1954 with “Courtin’ In The Rain.” He also recorded for Starday and Capitol, appeared in several western films and was one of the first country stars to appear at Carnegie Hall. He perhaps favored western swing, but performed all types of country music in a growl.

His many Grand Ole Opry and touring appearances and theme song “Remember Me” won him the nickname of “The Man With A Million Friends.” In 1957, after some alcohol problems, Tyler became an ordained church minister and gospel singer at Springfield, Missouri, where he died of cancer in January 1972.

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