Guitarist Billy Byrd defied his classical music loving parents’ hopes, aspiring to a career in pop or jazz music. In 1938, he settled on country joining the emerging force that was the Grand Ole Opry. He became friendly with Harold Bradley, both as teenagers having been influenced by Charlie Christian. After the war, Byrd played with Wally Fowler from 1946 through '48, before joining Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours, where he remained for a decade. Byrd would go on to record with numerous other stars, including Eddy Arnold and Webb Pierce, and was also a regular on The Eddie Hill Show on daily television for some years.