A country trio originally from South Carolina, Uncle Walt's Band settled in Austin, Texas, where their influence was felt on the local scene. Formed in Spartanburg in 1970, it includes Walter Hyatt aka Uncle Walt, Champ Hood and David Ball, all of whom went on to solo careers after splitting up in 1983. Known for their three-way vocal harmonies and eclectic country with folk and bluegrass influences, Uncle Walt's Band first settled in Nashville, before moving to Austin, where he met his biggest fan Lyle Lovett, who opened for the band while he was still a student. The album Blame It on the Bossa Nova (1974), recorded on a return to South Carolina, was released on Walter Hyatt's Lespedeza Records label, before the band split up for the first time in 1975. Back on stage three years later, the trio stayed in Austin and recorded the studio album An American in Texas (1980), then Uncle Walt's Band Recorded Live (1982), before the final split in 1983. Several compilations followed, including Anthology: Those Boys from Carolina, They Sure Enough Could Sing (2018), then Thought You'd Never Ask: The Complete Armadillo Records Recordings (2024), released by Omnivore Recordings.
