Farrell H. "Rusty" Draper, born on January 25, 1923, in Kirksville, Missouri, is an American country and pop singer known for his distinctive red hair, which earned him the nickname "Rusty." He began playing guitar at age two and started working in radio in the 1930s. Draper's first single "Just Because / How Could You? (Blue Eyes)" was released in February 1952 under Mercury Records but did not chart. His breakthrough came with "Texarkana Baby / No Help Wanted" in February 1953, which reached number 10 on the Pop-Hitparade. Draper's biggest success was "Gambler’s Guitar", a cover of Jim Lowe's song released in May 1953, which peaked at number 6 on both the pop and country charts and selling over a million copies. Other notable hits include "The Shifting, Whispering Sands / Time" (1955), which reached number 3 on the Pop-Charts, and "Freight Train / Seven Come Eleven" (1957). Draper's career saw a decline in chart success after 1957, although he continued to release albums until 1979. He hosted the TV show Swingin' Country and was inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in 2002. Draper passed away on March 28, 2003, in Bellevue, Washington, from pneumonia.
