calsfoundation@cals.org
August 20, 2012
Mena (Polk County) native David Luke Myrick, better known as T. Texas Tyler, introduced a distinctive country-and-western music style that made him a successful recording artist in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. With this style, in which many or all of the lyrics were spoken, Tyler inspired many performers who went on to greater fame, such as Red Sovine, Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Dean. Tyler died in 1972.