Career
Between 1958 and 1964, Wallace charted nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the Number. 8 "Primrose Lane" that was later used as the theme song for the television series The Smith Family. He made his debut on the country music charts in 1965, entering it thirty-five times between then and 1980.
In that timespan, Wallace charted within the country Top Ten four times.
His only number one song was "If You Leave Maine Tonight I"ll Cry," a song which gained popularity after it was used in an episode of the 1970s television series Night Gallery. Wallace was born in Guilford, Missouri.
From June 1957 through June 1958, Hollywood, California based Challenge Records, founded by Gene Autry, issued three discs with songs by Wallace. Half of the songs have been evaluated as being done in a style now known as rockabilly.
His better-known songs include "How the Time Flies" (1958), "Primrose Lane" (1959, written by Wayne Shanklin and George Callender), "Shutters and Boards" (1963, written by American Movie actor Audie Murphy and Canadian song producer Scott Turner), "In the Misty Moonlight" (1964) and "Otoko no Sekai" (男の世界, lit "The World of the Manitoba", English title: "The Lovers of the World") (1970, his biggest selling single that was released in Japan only).
"Primrose Lane" was his biggest hit, reaching Number. 8 popular and Number. 12 Rhythm & Blues in the United States, selling over one million copies and awarded a gold disc. After his song "If You Leave Maine Tonight I"ll Cry" was featured in the 1972 Night Gallery episode "The Tune in Dan"s Cafe," the song became a Number.
1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country chart that August, spending two weeks at the top of the chart, crossing to Number.
38 popular. "How The Time Flies" was Wallace"s first big hit, reaching Number. 11 popular and Number. 11 Rhythm & Blues. Wallace died on May 5, 2008 in Corona, California, after suffering congestive heart failure.
A United States Navy veteran of World World War II, Wallace was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.