 In 1994 , Bob Cannon of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Walker 's image of a " <unk> hat , sturdy <unk> face , and very tight jeans " seemed to be from a " Country Music Handbook for Success , " but also said that he " ignores the danger of being dismissed as just another hunk in a hat . " Walker has been compared to Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Byrd , both of whom are also Beaumont , Texas natives who began their careers shortly before Walker did . Of the comparison among the three , Rick Koster wrote in the book Texas Music that Walker 's success came more quickly than that of Chesnutt or Byrd . Kurt Wolff and Orla Duane , authors of Country Music : The Rough Guide , said that he " had loads of youthful energy , a golden Texas twang , and , of course , plenty of boyish good looks . " They also called his music " relatively tame " but said that " his Texas bar @-@ room roots remain clearly visible in his voice and songs . " Regarding Walker 's onstage persona , former Warner Bros. executive Bill Mayne told Billboard magazine in 1997 that Walker has " maintained a low profile " but that he " really touches people and connects . " 
