 Durham first performed professionally at age 11, appearing on Billy Mize's TV show.He performed solo and occasionally with his brother Wayne on local shows such as "Town Hall Party", "Trading Post", and Cliffie Stone's "Hometown Jamboree" and in 1953 he joined Cousin Ebb's Squirrel Shooters, which was the house band for the "Pumpkin Center Barn Dance".Following this he played with Jolly Judy and the Go-Daddies and with Gene Davis's Palomino Riders.