as Slim Whitman and Gheorghe Zamfir. Martin went on to become a star in country music. In 1981, Martin achieved a professional landmark by being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. He also had success outside of the United States, with his 1980 album King of the Road giving him his greatest chart success by reaching No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart. Traveling around the world with Martin's band was his steadfast and trusty steel guitar player Chubby Howard, radio show host and musician for many years. In 1985, Martin moved to Branson, Missouri, and purchased a theater on Missouri Route 76, also known as 76 Country Boulevard. In addition to the Boxcar Willie Theater, he opened a museum and eventually had two motels, both bearing his name. Martin was one of the first big stars to open a show in Branson, paving the way for the other nationally known names that followed. He performed at his theater in Branson until his death. On February 23, 1992, Martin was featured on the second-season premier of Tracks Ahead in which he performed with his band at the Boxcar Willie Theater. Death Martin was diagnosed with leukemia in 1996, and died on April 12, 1999, in Branson, Missouri at the age of 67. He was buried at Ozarks Memorial Park in Branson. Major League Baseball umpire "Cowboy" Joe West was among his pallbearers. Legacy After a major reconstruction project, the overpass carrying Farm to Market Road 664 (locally known as Ovilla Road) over Interstate 35E in Red Oak, Texas, was renamed the Boxcar Willie Memorial Overpass. A small park, two blocks from the National Mall, near the L'Enfant Plaza station in Washington, D.C., was renamed Boxcar Willie Park. Martin is still recalled by his nickname, "America's Favorite Hobo". One of his sons, Larry Martin, has performed professionally under the stage name of Boxcar Willie Jr. Discography Albums Singles Sources Trott, Walt (1998). "Boxcar Willie". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 47. References External links via Wayback Machine 1931 births 1999 deaths 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters Military personnel from Texas United States Air Force officers People from Ellis County, Texas People from Branson, Missouri Singer-songwriters from Texas Singer-songwriters from Missouri Country musicians from Texas Country musicians from Missouri Grand Ole Opry members Deaths from