William Robert Mize (April 29, 1929 – October 29, 2017)[1] was an American country music singer-songwriter, steel guitarist, band leader, and TV show host.
Mize was born in Arkansas City, Kansas, United States,[1] but raised in the San Joaquin Valley of California, an area steeped in country music thanks to relocated "Okies".
Mize moved to Bakersfield, California and formed his own band playing local gigs and also working as a disc jockey on KPMC.
[1] He recorded for Decca (Solid Sender/It Could happen - 1957), Challenge and Liberty, finally hitting the country charts in 1966 with "You Can't Stop Me" for Columbia.
[1] Directed by William J Saunders and titled Billy Mize and the Bakersfield Sound,[4] it screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2014.