Doc Williams

• Born: June 26, 1914, Cleveland, OH
• Active: '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s
• Genres: Country
• Instrument: Vocals
• Representative Albums: "The Doc Williams Collection (1951-1957)", "Collectors Series", "25th Anniversary Album

Biography

Doc Williams and his wife Chickie were popular performers in the Canadian maritimes and New England; although the couple and their band the Border Riders recorded, performed live and appeared on the radio for over five decades, they never had a national hit. Doc was born Andrew John Smik, Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio and was raised in Kittaning, Pennsylvania, and got his professional start playing with the Kansas Clodhoppers during the early '30s. The Clodhoppers eventually became the Border Riders, and moved to WWVA Wheeling in 1937; soon, with the addition of comedian Froggie Cortez and cowboy crooner Big Slim the Lone Cowboy, they became one of the station's most popular attractions. In 1948, Williams married Jessie Wanda Crupe, a singer known for her sweet voice who soon adopted the stage name Chickie. Williams founded Wheeling Records in the late '40s and through it released all of his and his wife's albums; occasionally, they sang together, and sometimes with their three daughters. Among his best-known songs were "Willie Roy the Crippled Boy" and "Polka Dot and Polka Dreams." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide

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