Lecil Travis Martin, known professionally as Boxcar Willie, was born on
September 1, 1931, in Sterling City, Texas. He began his musical career while
serving in the United States Air Force, adopting the name Boxcar Willie after a
fellow pilot told stories about a hobo by that name. In 1971, Martin retired
from the Air Force and transitioned to full-time performing. His early success
came in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, where he achieved significant chart
success. He released several albums including King of the Road (1979), which
reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. He mo...