Rusty Wier

Rusty Wier
Birth name	Russell Allen Wier
Born	(1944-05-03)May 3, 1944 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Died	October 9, 2009(2009-10-09) (aged 65) Driftwood, Texas, U.S.

Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier (May 3, 1944 – October 9, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas. Wier's career dates back to the 1960s and covers multiple music genres. Wier was the drummer in the Austin garage rock band The Wig, whose 1967 single "Crackin' Up" (a Wier composition) was included on volume 1 of the Pebbles series of compilation albums. Wier had a major local Texas hit in 1968 with "Watchout" with Gary P. Nunn and The Lavender Hill Express on Sonobeat Records. This was one of the first stereophonic 45s.

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". His 1975 release "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance" became a regional hit and was later covered by a variety of artists, including Chris LeDoux, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Barbara Mandrell.

Wier was inducted into the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2002.

Death

In November 2007, Wier was diagnosed with cancer. He died on October 9, 2009, aged 65. He is survived by four children.

External links

• Official website
• Moser, Margaret (May 31, 2002). "I Before E: Cosmic Soulman Rusty Wier, Still Dancing After All These Years". Austin Chronicle.