Billy Jim Baker

Texas born,”Razorback”raised, Billy Baker ran away from a scholarship and college to join Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, where he became a featured clown with The Greatest Show on Earth in 1970. The mile long, silver circus train was his first home for writing songs while traveling city to city. After musical and comedy years of working Austin, Nashville & Los Angeles, in 1984, Baker arrived in the Smoky Mountains as an entertainment consultant, writer, director and performer at Dollywood. Baker became Dolly Parton’s featured musical comedy star for a decade, before producing and starring in his own award winning Ole Smoky Hoedown show on the Pigeon Forge strip for ten years and featured comedian at The Comedy Barn. Jerry Jeff Walker recorded Baker’s songs as title tracks to two of his most popular albums…”Contrary To Ordinary” & “Too Old To Change”. Baker has also appeared in over 150 comedy television commercials and was a comedy ensemble member on the legendary Hee Haw show. For a lifetime of joy and laughter, Baker was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 2001. Baker lives in Gatlinburg with his smiling wife, Suzi.