Charlie Graham was born on November 11, 1927, and started rodeoing at age 13 in Houston, Texas. He was a member of the RCA, Old Timers Rodeo Cowboy Association, PRCA Gold Card Member, Lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Bud Light Team Roping Association. Charlie Graham rodeoed in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, California, and Kansas. He competed in bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, and team roping. These rodeos were produced by Everett Colburn, Amy Rigger, Melvin Harper, Kenny Brothers, L.H. Seven Ranch, Tommy Steiner, Bobby Estes, Lawrence Wenfree, Bernis Johnson, Paul Long, Frank Harris, and Dutch Albert.
His traveling partners included C.D. and Buck Ferguson, H. Churchill, Jake Cook, Claude Landry, Joe Vinus, Pistal Holliday, Buck Rutherford, Ed Cameron, Johnny Cobb, Boots, Kim and Casey Graham, Maurice Champion, Buford Thompson, and John Pancanno. Charlie Graham was the 1945 First Junior Rodeo All Around Cowboy Champion. In 1958, he won the second go-round in the steer wrestling at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. All Around Champion in Navasota, Texas, and at the Spring Branch Texas rodeo. He was the first ever to rope a calf in 1.3 seconds. He earned the 1980 Eddie Boren Memorial Belt Buckle and was the ORCA Chairman of National Finals.
