Billy Wayne Craddock was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. He learned how to play guitar from his oldest brother when he was six. At age 11, he entered a local television talent contest and was voted top winner for 15 consecutive weeks. Craddock received the nickname "Crash" while playing running back for the Rankin High School football team. After he left high school, he formed a rockabilly band with one of his brothers called The Four Rebels. His early influences included Little Jimmy Dickens, Ray Price, and Hank Williams.
Craddock's first release was "Smacky-Mouth", which was recorded in 1957 for the local Greensboro Sky Castle label. He released his next single, titled "Birddoggin'", on Colonial Records. It was also released in 1957.
He soon got a deal with Columbia's Date Records. He released "Ah, Poor Little Baby" with no success. The song was covered in the UK by Adam Faith. He began recording for Columbia Records in 1958, recording rockabilly and pop tunes. He was marketed as a teen idol by Columbia, as they needed an artist to compete with Elvis Presley. He appeared twice on American Bandstand but failed to have a hit in the U.S. The only song that charted in the 1950s in the U.S. was "Don't Destroy Me", which peaked at No. 94 for one week in November 1959. He also became popular in Australia recording some songs that became synonymous with other artists. He recorded "Am I to Be the One" and "I Want That", which were covered most notably by Jerry Lee Lewis and British rockers Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.

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