Jimmy Walker recorded the first version of the country standard "Detour" in 1945, and to date he is the only man who ever replaced Roy Acuff on the Grand Ole Opry.
Born Ernest E. Walker in Mason County, West Virginia on December 18, 1915, "Jimmy" did not opt for a regular musical career until the mid-forties.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Walker moved on to serve stints of roughly a year and a half each on WLW Cincinnati's Midwestern Hayride and WWVA Wheeling's "World's Original Jamboree."
During this time one of his songs "Unkind Words" recorded by Jamboree vocalist Kathy Dee made the "Billboard Top 20" in 1964, but as is often the case, the royalties never reached him.
One of the better-known films in which he played a character role was the Lee Marvin - Clint Eastwood picture, "Paint Your Wagon."
When one of his recordings would begin to take off, Columbia or Victor would rush a "cover" onto the market by a Spade Cooley or an Eddy Arnold respectively and overshadow his efforts.
Hired as a featured act on the Opry, he found himself back on the outside when superstar Roy Acuff chose to exercise his option to return.