 By age 17, he had learned to play the string bass and spent his summer vacation working at WROL-AM in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he performed on Cas Walker's radio show.After graduating from high school, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1944–47.He returned to WROL and played string bass for country singers Molly O'Day and Skeets Williamson, and began his singing career.