Lecil Travis Martin (September 1, 1931 – April 12, 1999), whose stage name was Boxcar Willie, was an American country music singer-songwriter, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with overalls, and a floppy hat. "Boxcar Willie" was originally a character in a ballad he wrote, but he later adopted it as his own stage name. His early musical career was parallel to service as an enlisted flight engineer in the United States Air Force. Biography According to his birth record, Martin was born in Ovilla, Texas, to Birdie and Edna Mae Martin. He joined the United States Air Force in May 1949, and served as a flight engineer on the B-29 Super Fortress during the Korean War in the early 1950s. In Lincoln, Nebraska, Martin was once sitting at a railroad crossing and a fellow that closely resembled his chief boom operator, Willie Wilson, passed by sitting in a boxcar. He said, "There goes Willie." He pulled over and wrote a song entitled "Boxcar Willie". It eventually stuck and became Martin's nickname. In 1962, Martin met his future wife, Lloene, in Boise, Idaho. They later had four children. In San Jose, California, Martin attended a talent show as "Boxcar Willie" and performed under that nickname for the first time. He won first place and a $150 prize. That was his part-time vocation, however, as he was still in the Air Force and had been flying daily missions. In the early 1970s, while assigned to the 136th Air Refueling Wing of the Texas Air National Guard, Martin served as a flight engineer aboard the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter and participated in Operation Creek Party. This operation provided critical in-flight refueling services for fighter aircraft assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe for 10 years. In 1976, Martin retired from the Air Force and became a full-time performer. One of his first national appearances was a win on Chuck Barris' The Gong Show. In the late 1970s, Martin traveled to Grand Prairie, Texas, where he purchased hundreds of 8-track tapes pre-recorded with his music to sell later in various places. After he received a contract with other recording studios, he discontinued his dealings with Cleo McDonald. Martin entered American mainstream pop culture consciousness due to a series of television commercials for record compilations of artists who were obscure in the United States, yet had large international followings, such