b. William Clarence Phillips, 28 January 1936, Canton, North Carolina, USA. Phillips grew up in an area steeped in country music and learned guitar and began singing before leaving high school to work as an upholsterer. In 1955, he joined theOld Southern Jamboree on WMIL Miami and sang at local clubs, before moving to Nashville in 1957. He joined Cedarwood Publishing as a songwriter and soon gained attention when he penned Webb Pierce's 1958 Top 10 country hit ‘Falling Back To You'. This success saw Phillips signed to Columbia Records and in 1959 and 1960, he registered his fi...