A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Walter Carter was born on July 2, 1950 and earned a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1971, Carter moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in songwriting. He is a writer and musician, and has applied both of these talents to further his chosen career.
From 1978 to 1982, Carter's background brought him success as a reporter on the Nashville music scene. This led to his first book, The Oak Ridge Boys: Our Story, published in 1966. From 1988 to 1992, he was a writer and researcher for Gruhn Guitars, completing Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars in 1990. He then joined the Gibson Guitar Corporation as a historian and researched and wrote Gibson Guitars: One Hundred Years of an American Icon. In addition to his writing, Walter Carter is still active on the Nashville music scene. Since 1995, he has been a member of the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, also serving as a songwriter, and he is an active member of the American Federation of Musicians.
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