By 1978, Don Williams had perfected a style that required little more than his warm baritone, an unhurried melody, and a good story to command attention.
Nicknamed “The Gentle Giant” for his imposing stature and laid-back delivery, Williams brought that approach to “Tulsa Time,” a rollicking country song that became another No. 1 hit during one of the most successful periods of his career. Written by Danny Flowers, the track gave Williams a classic that would eventually reach well beyond country music.
Flowers was a guitarist in Williams’ band when inspiration struck.
The songwriter reportedly came up with “Tulsa Time” while stranded in a snowstorm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during a trip home to Nashville. Its narrator has tried his luck in Hollywood only to discover that chasing dreams in California isn’t working out. His solution is simple: head back to Oklahoma and start living on “Tulsa time.”
Williams recorded the song for his 1978 album Expressions.
Rather than treating the narrator’s disappointment as heartbreak, his recording moves with an easygoing swagger. The steady groove and Williams’ relaxed vocal made the prospect of abandoning Hollywood sound less like defeat than a welcome homecoming.
Country radio embraced it.
Released as a single in 1978, “Tulsa Time” climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart, becoming the eighth chart-topper of Williams’ career. It followed a remarkable succession of hits that included “You’re My Best Friend,” “Till the Rivers All Run Dry” and “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend.”
Williams wasn’t the only musician who immediately recognized the song’s brilliance.
“Don and Eric and I were sitting around playing,” Flowers told Tulsa World. “Don said ‘Play that new song you wrote.’ So I did. Don is playing rhythm guitar and I’m playing rhythm guitar and Eric is playing a slide on a dobro thing. I thought, ‘This is great.'”
A playful argument ensued between the two artists.
“I just put both hands up and said, ‘Stop! If you are going to fight about it, I’m not going to let either one of you do it,” Flowers said.
Clapton eventually got his turn with the track and recorded “Tulsa Time” for his 1978 album Backless, giving Flowers’ composition a bluesier rock treatment. Clapton also made it a regular part of his live performances, and a concert version later appeared on his 1980 album Just One Night.
For Williams, “Tulsa Time” was one milestone in a career filled with them. His understated approach eventually produced 17 No. 1 country hits, and in 2010, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“I think it’s super amazing,” Williams said in an interview reflecting on the longevity of his career. “The fans are still there and they seem to like what I’m doing, and y’know, that makes me real happy.”
Nearly five decades after its release, “Tulsa Time” still captures what made the Gentle Giant so distinctive. Williams never needed to overpower a song to make it memorable. On this 1978 No. 1, his effortless delivery did all the work.
Related: 1970 Iconic Ballad, Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Made 18-Year-Old Singer a Major Star
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