Bobby Austin left Wisconsin in 1955 for Los Angeles and joined
Wynn Stewart's band as a bassist.
Austin also did session work with
Buck Owens and
Tommy Collins before Capitol Records signed him in 1962.
Austin wrote his first hit song (with
Johnny Paycheck), "Apartment No. 9," in 1966, which was named Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and became
Tammy Wynette's first hit the following year. The song "Try a Little Kindness" became a hit for Glen Campbell, and "Knoxville Station" made the charts in 1972. ~ Ron DePasquale