Rusty Wier
| Rusty Wier | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Russell Allen Wier |
| Born |
May 3, 1944 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. |
| Died |
October 9, 2009 (aged 65) Driftwood, Texas, U.S. |
| Website | http://www.rustywier.com/ |
Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier (May 3, 1944 – October 9, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas.[1] Wier's career dates back to the 1960s and covers multiple music genres.[2] Wier was the drummer in the Austin garage rock band The Wig, whose 1965 single "Crackin' Up" (a Wier composition) was included on volume 1 of the Pebbles series of compilation albums.
In the 1970s Wier switched to country-rock and became a fixture on the burgeoning Austin music scene, and had a cult success with the song "I Heard You Been Layin' My Old Lady". But he is perhaps most famous for his composition "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance," which was a minor pop hit for him, but has been covered by, among others, Jerry Jeff Walker, Todd Snider, Chris LeDoux, John Hiatt, and Barbara Mandrell.[3] Bonnie Raitt's version of the song was a country hit when it was included on the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. Wier was inducted into the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2002.
Death
In November 2007, Wier was diagnosed with cancer.[4] He died on October 9, 2009, aged 65.[1] He is survived by four children.[5]
References
- 1 2 "Rusty Wier Tribute". RustyWier.com. October 9, 2009.
- ↑ Goodspeed, John (July 5, 2002). "Applause still Rusty Wier's measuring stick". San Antonio News-Express.
- ↑ Moser, Margaret (April 11, 2003). "Phases and Stages: Texas Platter". Austin Chronicle.
- ↑ Mueller, Chelsea (November 27, 2007). "Love and War in Texas Rusty Wier Benefit a Success". Dallas Observer.
- ↑ "Obituary: Rusty Wier". www.legacy.com. October 9, 2009.
External links
- Official website
- Moser, Margaret (May 31, 2002). "I Before E: Cosmic Soulman Rusty Wier, Still Dancing After All These Years". Austin Chronicle.