Walter Brennan was an American actor and singer, known for his distinctive raspy voice and narrative style. Despite being primarily recognized for his acting career, he also made a significant impact in the country and folk music genres. Brennan's musical style often involved spoken word storytelling set against traditional country instrumentation. His most notable musical work, the 1960 single "Old Rivers," peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, illustrating his crossover appeal from the screen to the music industry.