The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music performers and remained popular through the years. Since 1933, through many changes in membership, the Sons of the Pioneers have remained one of the longest-surviving country music vocal groups.

Origins

In the spring of 1931, Ohio-born Leonard Slye, the cowboy singer who would later change his name to

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

, arrived in California and found work as a truck driver, and later as a fruit picker for the Del Monte company in California's Central Valley. He entered an amateur singing contest on a Los Angeles radio show called Midnight Frolics and a few days later got an invitation to join a group called the Rocky Mountaineers. In September 1931, Canadian-born

Bob Nolan Bob Nolan (born Clarence Robert Nobles; April 13, 1908 – June 16, 1980, name changed to Robert Clarence Nobles in 1929) was a Canadian-born American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a founding member of the Sons of the Pioneers, and compo ...

answered a classified ad in the ''Los Angeles Herald-Examiner'' that read, "Yodeler for old-time act, to travel. Tenor preferred." The band was The Rocky Mountaineers, by then led by Leonard Slye. After listening to the tall, slender, tanned Nolan sing and yodel, Slye hired Nolan on the spot. Although Nolan stayed with the group only a short time, he stayed in touch with Slye. Nolan was replaced by Tim Spencer, who had been working in a Safeway Stores warehouse. In the spring of 1932, Slye, Spencer, and another singer, Slumber Nichols, left the Rocky Mountaineers to form a trio, which soon failed. Throughout most of 1932, Slye and Spencer moved through a series of short-lived groups like the International Cowboys and the O-Bar-O Cowboys. Spencer left the O-Bar-O Cowboys and quit music for a while. Slye joined Jack LeFevre and His Texas Outlaws, who were a popular act on a local Los Angeles radio station. In early 1933, Slye, Nolan, and Spencer formed a group called the Pioneer Trio. The three young singers rehearsed for weeks honing their singing. While Slye continued to work with his radio singing group, Spencer and Nolan began writing songs for the group.

Early success

By early 1934, the group consisted of Leonard Slye,

, and Tim Spencer on vocals, with Nolan playing string bass and Slye playing rhythm guitar. During that time, fiddle player Hugh Farr joined the group, adding a bass voice to the group's vocal arrangements. He also sang lead on some songs. Later that year, the "Pioneers Trio" became the "Sons of the Pioneers" through a radio station announcer's chance remark. Asked why he'd changed their name, the announcer said they were too young to have been pioneers, but that they could be sons of pioneers. The name was received well and fit the group, who were no longer a trio. By the summer of 1934, the Sons of the Pioneers' popularity and fame extended beyond the

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

area and quickly spread across the United States through short syndicated radio segments that were rebroadcast all over the country. They signed a recording contract with the newly founded

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...

label, and on August 8, 1934, the Sons of the Pioneers made their first commercial recording. That same day, the immensely popular crooner

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

also made his first

session. One of the first songs recorded by the Sons of the Pioneers during that first August session was written by Bob Nolan, "

Tumbling Tumbleweeds "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" is a song composed by Bob Nolan. Although one of the most famous songs associated with the Sons of the Pioneers, the song was composed by Nolan in the 1930s, while working as a caddy and living in Los Angeles. Originally ti ...

", that would soon become a staple in their repertoire. The original title "Tumbling Leaves" was changed to give the song a western character. Over the next two years the group would record 32 songs for Decca. Their output includes a 1937 recording of " The Blue Juniata," by Marion Dix Sullivan.

Motion pictures

Between 1935 and 1984, the Sons of the Pioneers appeared in 87 films, several short films, and a television series. In 1935 they signed with

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

to supply the music for the studio's

Charles Starrett Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the ''Durango Kid'' westerns. Starrett still holds the record for starring in the longest series of theatrical features: ...

westerns. In 1937, Leonard Slye was offered a contract as an actor with rival

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

. Part of that deal required him to leave the singing group. Leonard Slye was rechristened Roy Rogers, and went on to achieve major success as a singing cowboy in the movies. Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers remained close throughout the coming years. When the Starrett unit disbanded temporarily at the end of the 1941 season, the Pioneers rejoined Rogers at Republic and were soon appearing as highly popular supporting players in the Rogers westerns. By this time the group was billed as "Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers." Nolan was reluctant to be the "leader" of the group, which had been formed as a co-operative outfit with no formal leader, but he bowed to the demands of show business. Agents, music publishers, and recording companies insisted that co-operative bands needed a name to promote them (as in Glen Gray and the

Casa Loma Orchestra The Casa Loma Orchestra was an American dance band active from 1929 to 1963. Until the rapid multiplication in the number of swing bands from 1935 on, the Casa Loma Orchestra was one of the top North American dance bands. With the decline of the b ...

). Because Bob Nolan's featured appearances with Starrett had made him the most recognizable of the Pioneers, Nolan reluctantly became the "front" for the group. The group, as "Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers," made guest appearances in the Warner Bros. all-star revue ''

Hollywood Canteen The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in the Los Angeles, California, neighborhood of Hollywood between October 3, 1942, and November 22, 1945 (Thanksgiving Day), as a club offering food, dancing and entertainment for serv ...

'' (1944, singing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds") and the RKO Hollywood-themed comedy '' Ding Dong Williams'' (1945, singing "Cool Water").

Radio

The Sons of the Pioneers always valued radio exposure, and appeared often on radio broadcasts. They had three network shows of their own: ''10-2-4 Ranch'' (1941-45, for

Dr. Pepper Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. It was created in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is now also sold in Europ ...

), ''Radio Rodeo'' (for the Mutual Broadcasting System, 1941-42), and ''The Lucky U Ranch'' (1951-53, for Planters Peanuts). The group also began making transcription records for broadcast in 1934. These were syndicated by Standard Transcriptions (1934-36), Mutual (1939, as ''The Sunshine Ranch''),

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

(1940, as ''Symphonies of the Sage''), the Armed Forces Radio Service (1942-45, as ''Melody Roundup''), and Teleways (1947-49, as ''The Sons of the Pioneers Show''). The Teleways series was intended as a daily 15-minute show but could be programmed anywhere on a station's schedule, at the station's discretion. The group prepared a demonstration record for radio stations and their potential local sponsors, with announcer Art Gilmore reading promotional copy between songs. The informal, semi-scripted show had Bob Nolan acting as master of ceremonies, bantering with the other singers between numbers. The group was careful to program a variety of choral music, including cowboy songs, barbershop harmony, and spirituals, to appeal to the widest possible audience. The personnel was Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman, Pat Brady, Hugh "Foghorn" Farr, Karl Farr, and Ken Carson. The earliest shows include Ivan Ditmars accompanying them on piano and organ; Nolan appreciated Ditmars's efforts but preferred that the group's established sound should be preserved for the radio series, so Ditmars was released.

Personnel changes

In 1949 Tim Spencer retired from performing with the group, to devote himself to handling the group's business interests; his place in the group was taken by singer

Ken Curtis Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates; July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the CBS western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Although he appeared on ''Gunsmoke'' earl ...

. That same year, Bob Nolan left the group; he was replaced by Tommy Doss, who sounded almost exactly like him. Lloyd Perryman took over Nolan's emcee duties. Nolan returned to the group in 1955 at the insistence of RCA Victor, which valued the group's distinctive sound with Nolan, and refused to record the Sons of the Pioneers unless Nolan was present. Nolan's participation was limited to RCA records through 1958; he no longer appeared with the group. Similarly, Tim Spencer still participated in the RCA recording sessions through 1957.

Passing of an era

In 1971, Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer were both elected to the

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1970 by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is ...

. In 1972, most of the surviving members of the Sons of the Pioneers, including the original Pioneer Trio of Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan, and Tim Spencer, gathered at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles for one last performance. In 1980, the Sons of the Pioneers were inducted into the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has ama ...

. In 1979, Bob Nolan returned to the studio for the final time and recorded a successful solo album of classics and newer compositions titled ''Bob Nolan – The Sound of a Pioneer''. The late 1970s saw the passing of an era, as many of the founding members of the group died. Tim Spencer died on April 26, 1976. Lloyd Perryman, who had been with the group since 1936, died on May 31, 1977. Hugh Farr, who had retired from the group in 1958, died on April 17, 1980. Bob Nolan died on June 16, 1980.

Sons of the Pioneers today

Following the death of Lloyd Perryman in 1977, Dale Warren, who had joined the group in 1952, took over the leadership of the Sons of the Pioneers, guiding them into the 2000s until his death on August 8, 2008. They continued to perform in concert and recorded as well with a lineup that featured, among many others, Luther Nallie (guitar, vocals), Rusty Richards (vocals), Billy Armstrong (fiddle), Billy Liebert (accordion), Gary LeMaster (lead guitar), and Rome Johnson (vocals). The current "Trail Boss" of the Sons of the Pioneers is Tommy Nallie (vocals, bass), who joined the group in 1983. Other current band members are Ken Lattimore (vocals, fiddle), Roy ("Dusty") Rogers, Jr. (vocals, MC), John Fullerton (vocals, guitar), Paul Elliott (fiddle), and Chuck Ervin (bass, vocals). In 2001, a book about the group was published, titled ''The Sons of the Pioneers'' by

Bill O'Neal William O'Neal (April 9, 1949 – January 15, 1990) was an American FBI informant in Chicago, Illinois, where he infiltrated the local Black Panther Party (BPP). He is known for being the catalyst of the 1969 police/FBI assassination of Fred ...

and Fred Goodwin. Another book about the group, first published in 1974, is called ''Hear My Song, The Story of the Celebrated Sons of the Pioneers'' by Ken Griffis, and is available on The Pioneers' website.

Legacy

In addition to their appearances and filmed performances, their music was used in numerous other films and television shows. and for

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

movies '' Wagon Master'' in 1949 and ''Rio Grande'' in 1950, and performed the theme song for the John Ford classic ''

The Searchers ''The Searchers'' is a 1956 American Technicolor VistaVision epic Western film directed by John Ford and written by Frank S. Nugent, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May. It is set during the Texas-Native American wars, and stars John W ...

'' in 1956. The Sons of the Pioneers made an appearance along with Roy Rogers in the 1983, season 2, episode 11 of the TV show "The Fall Guy", titled "Happy Trails" "

" was used in the Coen Brothers film ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken ...

'' in 1998.In 1977, the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Found ...

, which designates certain artists and performers who have made a noteworthy contribution to the arts and culture of America, named the Sons of the Pioneers as "National Treasures". In 1995, the Sons of the Pioneers were inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Am ...

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

. The Sons of the Pioneers were the first

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...

and

group to sing at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

, and the first to perform at the lavish nightclubs in Las Vegas.Forsythe, Wayne. "The Sons of the Pioneers" in ''Country Music'', April 1975. The group has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 6845 Hollywood Blvd. for recording.

Pioneertown, California Pioneertown, California, is an unincorporated community of the Morongo Basin region of San Bernardino's High Desert. The historical town was originally incorporated in 1946 and fell into the hands of San Bernardino County in the late 1960s. The ...

was named for the Sons of the Pioneers who were original investors. It was built in 1946 as an old west movie set. The Sons of the Pioneers Transcription Disc Collection resides at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill within the Southern Folklife Collection.

Timeline

Since 1934, 42 singers and musicians have been official members of the Sons of the Pioneers. #

# Tim Spencer # Hugh Farr # Karl Farr # Lloyd Perryman # Pat Brady # Ken Carson # Deuce Spriggens # Shug Fisher #

# Tommy Doss # Dale Warren # George Bamby # Roy Lanham # Wade Ray # Rusty Richards # Billy Armstrong # Bob Minser # Luther Nallie # Billy Liebert # Rome Johnson # Doc Denning # Dale Morris # Tommy Nallie # Sunny Spencer # Jack Nallie # Gary LeMaster # Daryl Wainscott # David Bradley # John Nallie # Roy Warhurst # Ken Lattimore # Randy Rudd # Preston Eldridge # Ricky Boen # Mark Abbott # Justin Branum # Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. # John Fullerton # Paul Elliott # Chuck Ervin

Honors and awards

* 1971 Western Heritage Wrangler Award from the

National Cowboy Hall of Fame The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Ame ...

* 1976 Gene Autry Award * 1976 Hollywood Walk of Fame Award * 1977

's "National Treasure" Designation * 1978 Pioneer Award from

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country musi ...

* 1980

as the Original Sons of the Pioneers (Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman) * 1984 New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame Award * 1986

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

for " Cool Water" * 1988 Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame * 1994 Western Music Association Hall of Fame Award * 2002

for "

" * 2003

Golden Boot Award Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

by Motion Picture and Television Fund

Selected discography

Albums

LP 10" * ''Cowboy Classics'' (1952) * ''Cowboy Hymns and Spirituals'' (1952) * ''Western Classics'' (1953) LP 12" * ''25 Favorite Cowboy Songs'' (1955) * ''How Great Thou Art'' (1957) * ''One Man's Songs'' (1957) * ''This Was the West'' (Disneyland, 1958) – Stan Jones and the Sons of the Pioneers as The Ranger ChorusGriffis, Ken, ''Hear My Song: The Story of the Celebrated Sons of the Pioneers'', JEMF Special Series, No. 5, John Edwards Memorial Foundation at the University of California, Los Angeles, Revised Edition 1974, 1977, page 107 * ''Wagons West'' (RCA Camden, 1958) * ''Cool Water'' (RCA Victor, 1960) * ''Room Full of Roses'' (RCA Camden, 1960) * ''Westward Ho!'' (1961) * ''Lure of the West'' (1961) * ''Tumbleweed Trail'' (RCA Victor, 1962) * ''Good Old Country Music'' (RCA Camden, 1962) * ''Our Men Out West'' (1963) * ''The Sons of the Pioneers Sing Hymns of the Cowboy'' (1963) * ''Trail Dust'' (1963) * ''Country Fare'' (1964) * ''Tumbleweed Trails'' (Vocalion, 1964) * ''Sons of the Pioneers Best'' (1964) * ''Down Memory Trail'' (1964) * ''Legends of the West'' (1965) * ''The Best of the Sons of the Pioneers'' (1966) * ''The Songs of Bob Nolan'' (1966) * ''Campfire Favorites'' (1967) * ''South of the Border'' (1968) * ''San Antonio Rose'' (RCA Camden, 1968) * ''San Antonio Rose'' (Delta Records, 1968) * ''The Sons of the Pioneers Visit the South Seas'' (1969) * ''Riders in the Sky'' (RCA Camden, 1973) * ''Western Country'' (Granite, Attic, Telefunken, 1976) * ''A Country-Western Songbook'' (RCA, 1977) * ''The Sons of the Pioneers'' (RCA Special Products, 1977) * ''Tumbleweed Trails'' (MCA, 1980) * ''Let's Go West Again'' (1981) * ''Celebration Vol. 1'' (Silver Spur, 1982) * ''Columbia Historic Edition'' (Columbia, 1982) * ''Twenty of the Best'' (1985) * ''Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' (MCA, 1986) * ''Good Old Country Music'' (RCA Camden, 1986) * ''Cool Water – Edition 1 1945–46'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Teardrops in My Heart – Edition 2 1946–47'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''A Hundred and Sixty Acres – Edition 3 1947'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Riders in the Sky – Edition 4 1947–49'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Land Beyond the Sun – Edition 5 1949–50'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''And Friends – Edition 6 1950–51'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''There's a Goldmine in the Sky – Edition 7 1951–52'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' (Universal Special Products, 1987) * ''Collection, Vol. 1'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Collection, Vol. 2'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Collection, Vol. 3'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Collection, Vol. 4'' (Bear Family, 1987) * ''Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' (RCA, 1989) * ''Sunset on the Range'' (Pair, 1990) * ''Empty Saddles'' (1990) * ''Country & Western Memories'' (Pair, 1991) * ''Country Music Hall of Fame'' (MCA, 1991) * ''Songs of the Trail'' (Pair, 1991) * ''San Antonio Rose and Other Country Favorites'' (RCA/Camden, 1996) * ''Our Best to You'' (1999) * ''Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' (Country Stars, 1999) * ''Teleways Transcriptions'' (Soundies, 1999) * ''Symphonies of the Sage'' (Bloodshot, 2001) * ''The Essential Collection'' (South Side Phunk, 2002) * ''Memories of the Lucky U Ranch'' (Jasmine, 2002) * ''Cigareets, Whusky...And Cool, Cool Water'' (ASV, 2002) * ''The Sons of the Pioneers: Ultimate Collection'' (Hip-O, 2002) * ''The Essential Collection'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2003) * ''RCA Country Legends'' (Sony Music Entertainment, 2004) * ''Classic Western Harmony, Vol. 2'' (2005) * ''Under Western Skies'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2005) * ''My Saddle Pals and I'' (Proper, 2005) * ''Classic Cowboy Songs'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2006) * ''The Republic Years'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2006) * ''Western Hymns and Spirituals'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2008) * ''Way Out There: The Complete Recordings 1934–1943'' (Bear Family, 2009) * ''Cigareets, Whusky...And Cool, Cool Water'' (USD, 2010) * ''Sing the Stephen Foster Songbook'' (Varèse Sarabande, 2010)

Singles

Filmography

* ''Slightly Static'' (1935), short * ''Way Up Thar'' (1935), short * ''Gallant Defender'' (1935) * ''The Mysterious Avenger'' (1936) * ''Song of the Saddle'' (1936) * ''

Rhythm on the Range ''Rhythm on the Range'' is a 1936 American Western musical film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, and Bob Burns. Based on a story by Mervin J. Houser, the film is about a cowboy who meets a beautiful young wom ...

'' (1936) * ''California Mail'' (1936) * '' The Big Show'' (1936) * ''

The Old Corral '' The Old Corral '' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Irene Manning. Based on a story by Bernard McConville, the film is about a sheriff of a small western town who sings hi ...

'' (1936) * ''The Old Wyoming Trail'' (1937) * ''

Outlaws of the Prairie ''Outlaws of the Prairie'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Sam Nelson, starring Charles Starrett, Donald Grayson, and Iris Meredith. Cast * Charles Starrett as Dart Collins * Donald Grayson as Slim Grayson * Iris Meredith as Judy G ...

(1937) * ''Cattle Raiders'' (1938) * ''Call of the Rockies'' (1938) * ''Law of the Plains'' (1938) * ''West of Cheyenne'' (1938) * ''South of Arizona'' (1938) * '' The Colorado Trail'' (1938) * ''West of the Santa Fe'' (1938) * ''

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

'' (1938) * ''Songs of the West'' (1939), short * '' Texas Stampede'' (1939) * ''North of the Yukon'' (1939) * ''Spoilers of the Range'' (1939) * ''Western Caravans'' (1939) * ''The Man from Sundown'' (1939) * ''Riders of Black River'' (1939) * ''Outpost of the Mounties'' (1939) * ''

The Stranger from Texas ''The Stranger from Texas'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by Sam Nelson and starring Charles Starrett, Lorna Gray and the Sons of the Pioneers. Cast list * Charles Starrett as Tom Murdock/Tom Morgan * Lorna Gray as Jean Browning * ...

'' (1939) * ''Two-Fisted Rangers'' (1939) * ''Bullets for Rustlers'' (1940) * ''Blazing Six Shooters'' (1940) * ''Texas Stagecoach'' (1940) * '' The Durango Kid'' (1940) * ''West of Abilene'' (1940) * ''Thundering Frontier'' (1940) * '' The Pinto Kid'' (1941) * ''Outlaws of the Panhandle'' (1941) * ''

Red River Valley The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North; it is part of both Canada and the United States. Forming the border between Minnesota and North Dakota when these territories were admitted ...

'' (1941) * ''

Man from Cheyenne '' Man from Cheyenne '' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Roy Rogers. Cast * Roy Rogers as himself * George "Gabby" Hayes as Gabby Whittaker * Sally Payne as Sally Whittaker * Lynne Carver as Marian Hardy ...

'' (1942) * '' South of Santa Fe'' (1942) * ''

Sunset on the Desert ''Sunset on the Desert'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Roy Rogers, and George "Gabby" Hayes. Plot Cast *Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers / Deputy Bill Sloan * George "Gabby" Hayes as Gabby Whittaker * Lynn ...

'' (1942) * '' Romance on the Range'' (1942) * ''

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...

'' (1942) * ''

Call of the Canyon ''Call of the Canyon'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Joseph Santley and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, the Sons of the Pioneers, and Ruth Terry. Based on a story by Maurice Rapf and Olive Cooper, the film is about a singing ...

'' (1942) * ''

Sunset Serenade ''Sunset Serenade'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Roy Rogers, and George "Gabby" Hayes. Plot Vera Martin, a scheming housekeeper in her late twenties, receives orders to vacate the Bagley Ranch, over wh ...

'' (1942) * '' Heart of the Golden West'' (1942) * ''Ridin' Down the Canyon'' (1942) * ''Idaho'' (1943) * ''Song of Texas'' (1943) * ''Silver Spurs'' (1943) * ''The Man from Music Mountain'' (1943) * ''Hands Across the Border'' (1944) * ''Cowboy and the Senorita'' (1944) * ''The Yellow Rose of Texas'' (1944) * '' Song of Nevada'' (1944) * ''

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...

'' (1944) * ''Lights of Old Santa Fe'' (1944) * ''Hollywood Canteen'' (1944) * ''Utah'' (1945) * ''Bells of Rosarita'' (1945) * ''Man from Oklahoma'' (1945) * ''Along the Navajo Trail'' (1945) * ''Sunset in El Dorado'' (1945) * '' Don't Fence Me In'' (1945) * '' Song of Arizona'' (1946) * '' Ding Dong Williams'' (1946) * ''Home on the Range'' (1946) * ''Rainbow Over Texas'' (1946) * ''

My Pal Trigger ''My Pal Trigger'' is a 1946 American Western musical film directed by Frank McDonald. The screenplay by Jack Townley and John K. Butler was based upon a story by Paul Gangelin. The film stars Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, George “Gabby” Hayes, ...

'' (1946) * '' Under Nevada Skies'' (1946) * ''

Roll on Texas Moon '' Roll on Texas Moon '' is a 1946 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. Cast * Roy Rogers as Himself * Trigger as Roy's Horse (The Smartest Horse in the Movies) * George 'Gabby' Hayes as Gabby Whittaker * D ...

'' (1946) * ''Home in Oklahoma'' (1946) * ''Heldorado'' (1946) * ''

Apache Rose ''Apache Rose'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. It was the first Roy Rogers Western shot in the process though most copies on DVD are in monochrome. Plot When oil is discovered on ...

'' (1947) * ''Hit Parade of 1947'' (1947) * ''

Bells of San Angelo '' Bells of San Angelo '' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. The first Roy Rogers film shot in Trucolor, this modern day Western mixes half a dozen songs with mystery, international smu ...

'' (1947) * ''

Springtime in the Sierras ''Springtime in the Sierras'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Trigger, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film is now in the public domain. Plot Singing cowboy Roy Rogers and the Son ...

'' (1947) * ''

On the Old Spanish Trail ''On the Old Spanish Trail'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film starring Roy Rogers and directed by William Witney. Plot Cast * Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers *Trigger as Trigger, the Smartest Horse in the West * Tito Guízar as Rico ...

'' (1947) * ''

The Gay Ranchero '' The Gay Ranchero '' is a 1948 American Western film starring Roy Rogers. It was filmed in Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California.Fleming, E.J. (2010). ''The Movieland Directory: Nearly 30,000 Addresses of Celebrity Homes, Film ...

'' (1948) * ''Unusual Occupations'' (1948), short * ''

Under California Stars '' Under California Stars '' is a 1948 American Trucolor Western (genre), Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film was shot in Trucolor. After returning from Hollywood, Los Angeles, ...

'' (1948) * ''

Melody Time ''Melody Time'' is a 1948 American live-action/animated musical film produced by Walt Disney. The tenth Disney animated feature film, it was released to theatres by RKO Radio Pictures on May 27, 1948. Made up of seven segments set to popular mu ...

'' (1948) * '' Eyes of Texas'' (1948) * ''

Night Time in Nevada '' Night Time in Nevada '' is a 1948 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. Plot Ran Farrell kills his mining partner and instead of giving the money to his partner's (Jim Andrews) daughter he steals it. Joan ...

'' (1948) * ''My Pal Trigger'' (1949) * ''Everybody's Dancin'' (1950) * '' Rio Grande (film)'' (1950) * ''Fighting Coast Guard'' (1951)

References

External links

Sons of the Pioneers Official Website

Country Music Hall of Fame

Western Music Association Hall of Fame
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Sons of the Pioneers Transcription Discs Collection, Southern Folklife Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sons Of The Pioneers Musical groups established in 1933 Country music groups from Tennessee Country Music Hall of Fame inductees RCA Victor artists Decca Records artists Vocalion Records artists Roy Rogers