ATHLETIC CAREER

https://www.dbq.edu/athletics/athleticshalloffame/grahamturnbull/

 

Graham “Scotty” Turnbull (C’56) was a key member of the Spartans four-straight Iowa Conference Championships from 1953-56. Turnbull won the Long Jump at the IIAC Outdoor Championships in 1955 and 1956. Following graduation from the University of Dubuque, he was a member of the 1956 Canadian Olympic Team and All Canada Track team for six years. Turnbull won two Canadian Long Jump championships and represented Canada at the 1954 British Empire Games in Vancouver. 

While rehabbing, Turnbull (later changed his name to “Scotty Graham”) taught himself to play the guitar while at Texas Tech. It was while at Texas Tech that he met a young Buddy Holly who he would go on to co-write thirteen songs. Turnbull would also work as a composer, producer, publisher, and actor over his 50 years in the entertainment business. In all, he wrote over 400 songs which were recorded by noted artists such as Buddy Holly, Guy Mitchell, Dean Martin, Del Reeves, Slim Whitman, and Tammy Wynette.