Walter Hyatt

American musician and songwriter who was involved in the 1970s and early 1980s alternative music scene in Austin, Texas before moving to Nashville in the mid-1980s. From 1970 until 1993, he performed with the acoustic trio Uncle Walt's Band, which he founded in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina with David Ball (3) and Champ Hood. The group was most active professionally during the periods of 1972-1975 and 1978-1982, though they continued to perform together occasionally after 1982. Uncle Walt's Band specialized in combining advanced three-part harmony singing in the manner of Crosby, Stills, and Nash with original songwriting influenced by traditional pop, western swing, and US roots music including country, New Orleans R&B, Cajun music, and soul. From 1975-1978, Hyatt and Hood were members of The Contenders (6), an electric group that also combined popular singer-songwriter styles of the 1970s with harmony vocals and prominent country, soul, and R&B influences. Hyatt pursued a solo recording career starting with the 1985 EP "Fall Through to You", which he released independently. His debut full-length solo album, 'King Tears', was produced for MCA by Lyle Lovett, who cited Hyatt as an important influence on his own music. Hyatt released one further solo album during his lifetime, 'Music Town', for Sugar Hill Records in 1993. Hyatt died during the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in Florida in 1996. b. 25 October 1949 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. d. 11 May 1996 in Florida, USA (aged 46).