Archive for the Cowboy Music category.
I’ve sung “Streets of Laredo” since grade school, and have long wondered where the song came from. The answer’s interesting but complicated. There are many versions of this song, also known as “Cowboy’s Lament.” Here’s one of the most familiar.
“As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day,
I spied a young cowboy, all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped up in white linen and cold as the clay.
“I see by your outfit, that you are a cowboy.”
These words he did say as I slowly walked by.
“Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story,
For I’m shot in the chest, and today I must die.”
“‘Twas once in the saddle I used to go dashing,
‘Twas once in the saddle I used to go gay.
First down to Rosie’s, and then to the card-house,
Got shot in the breast, and I’m dying today.”
“Oh, beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly,
And play the dead march as you carry me along;
Take me to the valley, and lay the sod o’er me,
For I’m a young cowboy and I know I’ve done wrong.”
There’s more, too much to include here. The song is widely considered a traditional ballad, and the origins are not entirely clear. It seems to be primarily descended from a British folk song of the late 18th century called “The Unfortunate Rake.” Here’s a sample of the English lyrics – definitely not for the kiddies.
As I was a walking down by the [Hospital]
As I was walking one morning of late,
Who did I spy but my own dear comrade,
Wrapp’d in flannel, so hard is his fate.
Had she but told me when she disordered me,
Had she but told me of it at the time,
I might have got salts and pills of white mercury,
But now I’m cut down in the height of my prime.
I boldly stepped up to him and kindly did ask him,
Why he was wrapp’d in flannel so white?
My body is injured and sadly disordered,
All by a young woman, my own heart’s delight.
Transported to America, the song evolved into a New Orleans standard, “St. James Infirmary Blues.” Here’s a verse from the Louis Armstrong version:
I went down to St. James Infirmary,
Saw my baby there,
Set down on a long white table,
So sweet, so cold, so fair.
Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
Wherever she may be,
She can look this wide world over,
She’ll never find a sweet man like me.
“Streets of Laredo” is closer to the original. The old-time cowboy Frank H. Maynard (1853-1926) claimed authorship of the revised version, but most scholars believe he edited an already existing song. As for the melody, I’m a bit confused myself. According to Wikipedia, the British ballad shares a melody with the British sea-song “Spanish Ladies.” Since I wasn’t able to find the music I’m not sure it’s the tune used in “Streets of Laredo.”
Be that as it may, here are links to versions sung by two of our favorite cowboys, Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash. Do you have a favorite version of this song? Is there anyone out there who’s never heard it?
Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14UKBjC5Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSzfWLlvlAE
Does the name Dr. Brewster Higley ring a bell? It didn’t with me until I researched the subject of this blog. Now I’ll never forget it.
Dr. Higley, an Indiana physician and lawyer, left his practice in 1871 to move to the Kansas prairie. He built a cabin on some land awarded him by the Homestead Act of 1862. It wasn’t fancy living, and Higley’s parcel of land was small. But evidently it was a beautiful place, with a creek running through it and wild animals, like buffalo, deer and antelope, roaming the landscape.
Dr. Higley seemed contented there. He was so contented that one day in 1872, he sat down on the banks of the creek and jotted down a bit of poetry he titled, “My Western Home.” It started like this:
Oh, give me a home,
Where the buffalo roam,
And the deer and the antelope play,
Where never is heard a discouraging word,
And the sky is not clouded all day.
The poem was never intended for an audience. But one day a friend named Trube Reese dropped by the cabin for a visit, found the poem and convinced Higley to turn it into a song. Higley got a fiddler named Dan Kelley to help him set the poem to music. Here are a few more of the original lines:
A home! A home! Where the Deer and the Antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the sky is not clouded all day.
Oh! give me a land where the bright diamond sand Throws its light from the glittering streams,
Where glideth along the graceful white swan,Like the maid in her heavenly dreams.
The song was an instant hit. Before long it had taken on a life of its own. Settlers and cowboys passing through the territory heard the song and took it with them, adapting the lyrics to each new place. There was “My Colorado Home,” and “My Arizona Home.” Within five or six years, hardly anyone remembered who had written the original or set it to music.
The first commercial recording of “Home on the Range” was made by a Texas singer named Vernon Dalhardt. More recordings followed. By 1935, the song was everywhere. Then an Arizona couple filed suit, claiming they’d written the song 30 years earlier. An attorney doing research for the defense came across a copy of Higley’s poem in an 1876 edition of a Kansas newspaper. Even with the changes over the years, the poem was close enough to the lyrics to establish Brewster Higley, who’d died in 1911, as the original author.
Early in the 20th century, Texas composer David Guion did a new arrangement of the music and sometimes credited as the composer. “Home on the Range” was adopted as the state song of Kansas in 1947 and is commonly regarded as the unofficial anthem of the American West.
Want to here it sung? Here’s a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_YK7ebcZ2o
The version I learned in grade school is closest to the one presented by folklorist John Lomax (1910). Do you have any special memories of “Home on the Range?” Do you think children still sing it today?
As we find ourselves with Christmas less than a week away, I’m sure many of you are as busy with last minute shopping and preparations as I am. I thought this would be a good time to pause for a few minutes to reflect on the meaning behind all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
And along those lines, a friend sent the poem below to me and I thought it would be good to share it with all of you. At the bottom, you’ll find a link that will take you to a video of a cowboy reciting the poem. And as a bonus, I’ve also included a link to John Denver singing Christmas For Cowboys.
A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PRAYER
By S. Omar Barker (1894-1985)
I ain’t much good at prayin’, and You may not know me, Lord-
I ain’t much seen in churches where they preach Thy Holy Word,
But you may have observed me out here on the lonely plains,
A-lookin’ after cattle, feelin’ thankful when it rains,
Admirin’ Thy great handiwork, the miracle of grass,
Aware of Thy kind spirit in the way it comes to pass
That hired men on horseback and the livestock we tend
Can look up at the stars at night and know we’ve got a friend.
So here’s ol’ Christmas comin’ on, remindin’ us again
Of Him whose coming brought good will into the hearts of men.
A cowboy ain’t no preacher, Lord, but if You’ll hear my prayer,
I’ll ask as good as we have got for all men everywhere.
Don’t let no hearts be bitter, Lord.
Don’t let no child be cold.
Make easy beds for them that’s sick and them that’s weak and old.
Let kindness bless the trail we ride, no matter what we’re after,
And sorter keep us on Your side, in tears as well as laughter.
I’ve seen ol’ cows a-starvin, and it ain’t no happy sight:
Please don’t leave no one hungry, Lord, on thy good Christmas night-
No man, no child, no woman, and no critter on four feet-
I’ll aim to do my best to help You find ‘em chuck to eat.
I’m just a sinful cowpoke, Lord-ain’t got no business prayin’-
But still I hope You’ll ketch a word or two of what I’m sayin’:
We speak of Merry Christmas, Lord-I reckon you’ll agree
There ain’t no Merry Christmas for nobody that ain’t free.
So one thing more I’ll ask You, Lord: Just help us what you can
To save some seeds of freedom for the future sons of man.
* Hear a recitation of this poem
* Hear John Denver sing Christmas For Cowboys
I wish you all a very merry and blessed Christmas, filled with family, love and peace.
First off, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my fellow Canucks! I hope you’ve stuffed yourselves full of turkey and cranberry sauce this weekend!
When I was a girl, I lived on a farm, so we never really vacationed much. In the summer time, it was too busy. In the late fall and winter, I was in school. There was the odd trip to the Annapolis Valley for apple grower field days in the summer. But I didn’t camp.
My husband’s family, on the other hand, camped A LOT. When we started dating, I suddenly learned what Coleman stoves and lanterns were for. How to put up a tent. The taste of bacon and eggs cooked in the outdoors. How you don’t touch the sides of the tent in the morning or when it rains or else you’ll get wet. We moved out west and had kids and bought a bigger tent. Then we bought a tent trailer – a pop up that keeps us off the ground and has a table that works out dandy when it’s raining. I love how I can leave my dishes and necessities in it and not have to pack them up every time. It has burners but we still take the Coleman stove and use it unless it’s pouring down rain. It wouldn’t be camping without the camp stove.
One of my favourite camping trips ever was the summer before we left Alberta. We’d already spent a few weeks in the Shuswap area of British Columbia, but after being home a few days we felt the urge to hit the road again. The husband left the destination up to me. I think for a while he regretted it, because I picked The Great Canadian Barn Dance in Hillspring, Alberta – I think it was 2 or 3 nights camping and then a roast beef dinner and dance included.
Now my husband is a quiet guy. The idea of going to a “group” dinner and then a barn dance earned me a few nasty looks. The girls, on the other hand, thought it sounded marvelous.
Southern Alberta is beautiful, and the campground was only a short drive from Waterton National Park. If you’re at all familiar, you’ll know that Waterton is on the Canadian side of the Montana Border and Glacier National Park. It’s absolutely stunning. And all around it is some of the most beautiful ranch country I’ve ever seen.
And the barn dance was great. First there was dinner – roast beef, potatoes, beans, coleslaw, buns….mmmm. And Apple Crisp for dessert. Then there was the entertainment – the place is run by the Kunkel family and they’re all pretty talented. There’s an audience participation component (can you see my husband’s eyes roll again?) and wouldn’t you know he got chosen to play the “gut bucket” aka washtub bass. But he was a good sport. After that the kids got a wagon ride around the place and then there was the dance itself.
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to two-step or line dance. They’ll teach you. They’ll teach you something called The Butterfly too. A mutual friend taught me to two-step several years ago, but this was the first time my husband ever did it, and it was great. We left before it was over to put the kids to bed, but as we sat outside we could still hear the music. We even shared a dance beneath the stars as the party ended.
Now that we live on the East Coast, we’ll probably never make it back there again. But I’m sure glad we went. And glad we’ve got the memories. Heck, it even inspired one of my Romances that was out in 2009.
Our camping trips inspired lots of locations, sometimes just be exploring a part of Alberta or British Columbia and finding it particularly pretty. Such is the case with my next Harlequin Romance, Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle. It’s out in February, but it’s out this month in the UK as a Mills and Boon Cherish.
Living in Lexington, Kentucky, my husband and I see horses all the time. We were driving down New Circle Road the other day, not paying attention to anything, when a truck with a horse trailer pulled up next to us. The horse neighed at the top of its lung
s and startled us both.
My husband, being a bit of a comedian, started singing the Mr. Ed Song. That led to all sorts of trivia questions about the old show. It also got me thinking about famous songs about horses. The “Mr. Ed Theme Song” is on the list, of course, of course, but it’s not exactly a personal favorite.
Just for fun–and because I’m still up to my chin in revisions due May 30th–here are some of my favorite songs about horses:
No. 1 on my list is Strawberry Roan by Marty Robbins. You’ve got to love a horse that can “turn on a nickel and give you some change.” The song is about a horse no one can 
ride. Right away, I’m thinking about putting that horse in a book and pitting him against a hero with a lot of patience and a lot of love.
No. 2. is Silver Stallion by the Highwaymen. You probably know this group is made up of Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Talk about the Mount Rushmore of country music! This song is full of romance and adventure. When I need inspiration, I play it.
No. 3 always makes me laugh. It’s Beer for My Horses by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson. There’s something wonderfully outlandish about the whole picture. I’m not the only person who likes this song. In 2003 it spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts.
No. 4 on the list is a Golden Oldie from 1948. Ghost Riders in the S
ky is a folk tale about a cowboy who envisions red-eyed, steel hoofed cattle being chased across the sky by doomed cowboys. He takes it as a warning to change his ways. I love the drama in this song. It’s been recorded many times, but the version I remember is by Frankie Laine. Bing Crosby sang it, too. I can’t quite imagine that! I’ve also heard the Johnny Cash version. Very cool!
No. 5 on my list is a song that sometimes I like, and sometimes I don’t. I’m not generally a Rolling Stones fan, but their Wild Horses is classic. Susan Boyle just remade it. She put a whole new spin on it.
That’s my list. I know there are others . . . Garth Brooks has some horse songs. The group “America” did A Horse with No Name. That song always bothered me. I wanted to name the horse, of course, of course! Anything but Mr. Ed! That’s my list. Does anyone have titles to add?
With the issuance of the “Cowboys of the Silver Screen” stamps, the U.S. Postal Service honors four extraordinary performers who helped make the American Western a popular form of entertainment. Film stars from the silent era through the singing era are featured on the stamps: William S. Hart, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers. The stamps go on sale April 17.
Roy Rogers was so much more than an extraordinary performer. Born Leonard Slye on November 5, 1911, on a quiet street in Cincinnati, Ohio, wh
ere Cinergy Field, home of the Reds, now stands; “right where second base is now” according to Roy.
Though Roy was city born, he was farm raised. His family bought a small farm near Duck Run, OH, when Roy was seven. On Saturday nights, Roy was the musical entertainment, singing, yodeling, and playing mandolin while the family and their neighbors danced. His yodeling abilities were self-taught, and he, his mother, and sisters used the musical form to communicate when they worked in different areas of the farm.
The Roy Rogers we know best was a silver screen cowboy who sang his way to stardom. He always played the Western hero, with a warm smile, good character, and strong values.
Thanks to Gene Autry and his wildly successful films, every movie studio in Hollywood wanted a singing cowboy. Columbia Pictures signed the Sons 
of the Pioneers to appear in a series of westerns. Here, give ‘em a listen.
Sons of the Pioneers ~ Tumbling Tumbleweeds, written by band member Bob Nolan
When Gene Autry, who’d grown unhappy with his contract with Republic Pictures, threatened not to report for the start of his next film, Republic held auditions for another singing cowboy, just in case. Roy heard about the auditions: “I saddled my guitar the next morning and went out there, but I couldn’t get in because I didn’t have an appointment. So I waited around until the extras began coming back from lunch, and I got on the opposite side of the crowd of people and came in with them…” It worked, and Republic signed him to a sever year contract. And when Autry left the studio, they put Len Slye, who had been renamed Roy Rogers, into the lead role in Under Western Stars. When the film was released in April 1938, it became an immediate hit, and Roy Rogers was a star.
In preparation for filming of Under Western Stars, several of the stables that provided horses to Republic brought their best lead horses to the studio so Roy could select a mount. The third horse Roy got on was a beautiful golden palomino that handled smoothly and reacted quickly to commands. Roy used to say “he could turn on a dime and give you change.” Roy named him Trigger, and the horse became synonymous with Roy Rogers.
As Roy’s popularity grew he never failed to give Trigger credit for much of his success. Roy was proud of the fact that through more than 80 films, 101 episodes of his television series, and countless personal appearances, Trigger never fell.
Trigger wasn’t his only sidekick. Smiley Burnette was Roy’s sidekick in his first two films, followed by Raymond Hatton, who worked with him in three films. Early in 1939, Gabby Hayes was cast as Roy’s sidekick in Southward Ho. Although Gabby had already made a number of films with John Wayne and William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd, he is probably best remembered today for the many films he made with Roy Rogers.
Roy Rogers & Gabby Hayes ~ We’re Not Comin Out Tonight
In 1943 Roy was voted the #1 Western star at the box office, and Republic began billing him as the King of the Cowboys. A few months later he made a guest appearance in the Warner Bros. all-star wartime musical film Hollywood Canteen, in which he and the Pioneers introduced the Cole Porter song Don’t Fence Me In.
Here’s another one I think you’ll enjoy: Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers ~ Cowboy Ham and Eggs
By 1944, Roy had starred in 39 films and had worked with almost as many leading ladies. Then the studio cast Dale Evans in The Cowboy And The Senorita. The immediate chemistry between Roy and Dale lit up the silver screen. Dale’s intelligence, strong will, beauty and talent earned her the moniker “the queen of the West.”
Did you know that Happy Trails to You, the song that became a Roy Rogers trademark, was written by Dale? Here are the two of them singing it together: Happy Trails to You
Children across America who grew up on The Roy Rogers Show wanted to be just like him and tried to live by the Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules:
- Be neat and clean.
- Be courteous and polite.
- Always obey your parents.
- Protect the weak and help them.
- Be brave, but never take chances.
- Study hard and learn all you can.
- Be kind to animals and care for them.
- Eat all your food and never waste any.
- Love God and go to Sunday School regularly.
- Always respect our flag and our country.
Roy Rogers died on July 6, 1998, at the age of 86. Although Roy was a huge success in show business, he remained a down-to-earth country boy that Americans couldn’t help but admire. “Roy Rogers was a man who unashamedly loved his God, his family, and his country. He was that rare public figure who was just the same on screen as he was off. He just wouldn’t have known how to be anything else.” — from Happy Trails: The Life of Roy Rogers by Laurence Zwisohn (www.royrogers.com/roy_rogers_bio.html)
It’s Home Sweet Home to Me
“Goodbye, good luck, and may the good Lord take a likin’ to ya.” – Roy Rogers
Not much happened in the telegraphy office of the St. Louis-San Francisco railroad, especially not on the late shift. To pass the time, the young clerk brought his guitar and played to amuse himself. On one of those lonely nights, he received a visitor. That visitor was legendary humorist Will Rogers, and Rogers liked what he heard from a young man called Orvon Gene Autry.
The chance meeting launched a career spanning six decades that included 640
records with over 100 million copies sold. And that’s just the start of it. Gene Autry starred in 95 movies, had a long running radio program, and produced and starred in his own television show. When he retired from Hollywood, he went on to own the California Angels and KTLA, a Los Angeles television station. He’s also the only entertainer to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for every category established by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. No wonder he’s on a postage stamp honoring Hollywood cowboys!
His success was quite a leap for the young man born Sept. 29, 1907 in Tioga, Texas. At the age of five, Gene’s preacher-grandfather taught him to sing. His mother encouraged her son’s interest in music with hymns and folks songs. Gene was 12 when he bought his first guitar for $8 out of the Sears Catalog. After graduating from high school, he took the telegraphy job that led to his chance meeting with Will Rogers.
Rogers advised him to purse a career in show business, and a year later Gene went to New York to audition for RCA Victor. He didn’t win immediate favor. An executive told him to come back when he’d gotten more experience, and Gene did just that. He returned in six months and made his first recording, “My Dreaming of You” with a flipside of “My Alabama Home.”
In 1929 he signed with Columbia Records and went on to star in “National Barn Dance,” a popular show on a Chicago radio station. By the 1930s, he was one of the most beloved country singers in America, and his sales proved it. Gene Autry earned the first Gold Record ever awarded. No wonder he’s known as “America’s Favorite Singing Cowboy.”
Movies came next for Gene. He first appeared on the screen in 1934, but the film that made him a star was “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” in 1935. It led to several more “singing cowboy” movies, produced by Republic Pictures at a rate of a movie every six weeks. By 1937, Gene was rated a top box office attraction in the class of Clark Gable, Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy.
In addition to the movies, Gene had a radio presence. His “Melody Ranch” show aired from 1940 to 1956. Just about everyone knew the words to Back in the Saddle Again. When television became the main source of family
entertainment, Gene was the first major movie star to make the shift. He produced and starred in the Gene Autry Show for six years.
The stats for Gene Autry go on and on, but there are two things he’s known for that don’t have a number attached. One of those things is “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Gene recorded this Christmas song in 1949, and it’s a true American Classic.
The second is even more fitting for Petticoats & Pistols, a blog dedicated to western romance. Gene Autry is credited with “The Cowboy Code.” Here is it:
1. A cowboy never takes unfair advantage – even of an enemy.
2. A cowboy never betrays a trust. He never goes back on his word.
3. A cowboy always tells the truth.
4. A cowboy is kind and gentle to small children, old folks, and animals.
5. A cowboy is free from racial and religious intolerances.
6. A cowboy is always helpful when someone is in trouble.
7. A cowboy is always a good worker.
8. A cowboy respects womanhood, his parents and his nation’s laws.
9. A cowboy is clean about his person in thought, word, and deed.
10.A cowboy is a Patriot.
If that doesn’t sum up what it means to be a western hero, I don’t know what does. 
The Singing Cowboy stamps go on sale Saturday, April 17th. It’s fitting the official unveiling will be at the Autry National Center in the Museum of the American West in Los Angeles.
I heard a song on the radio the other day that took me way back to the days when westerns dominated the movie screen and the television airwaves. The song was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Hearing the song immediately put me back in front of the screen reliving scenes from that great movie.
Got me to thinking about other Cowboy/Western ballads I love – not all of them movie related – and I thought I’d do a list of my top ten favorites for this post. And for those of you who want to hear them again (or for the first time), I’ll post links to videos that feature them as well.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJMLbyEaPWs&feature=related
High Noon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKLvKZ6nIiA
The Streets Of Laredo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L14UKBjC5Is
El Paso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T9OeN3t37Y
Come A Little Bit Closer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu9ZepcV0CM
Big Bad John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx59fmP7jYE
Ringo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyuq-ofnPc
Big Iron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKrXSrqCLY4
Johnny Reb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VknxL_we6PY
Ballad Of The Alamo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3amU4FqKCqw
And as a bonus, I thought I’d include my 10 favorite western TV classic theme songs as well
Have Gun, Will Travel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvxu8QY01s&feature=related
Maverick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYrsDT02OcE
Bat Masterson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAdUJrrS7vk
Wyatt Earp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mroOwJDeqkY
Rawhide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I4uJ4aStmc
Cheyenne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h9rUNf64cw&NR=1
Bronco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBHbqo9Z2Og&feature=related
Rin Tin Tin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YjMAoDy-jE
Branded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV-7D4io1Rs&feature=related
Bonanza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdRgBAY278
So how about you – did I leave one of your favorites off of my lists? If so – share!
There are more than a dozen forms of country music. Who knew? When researching this, because I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC, I was amazed to learn it’s origin and how it has progressed through the decades. Founded in the southern states, country music has its origins in the Appalachian Mountains and has roots in gospel, Celtic music, traditional folk music and old-time music.
Because “hillbilly music” was deemed too degrading, the name was changed to “country and western music” in the 1940’s. Even the term “country and western” has been changed to simply “country” now.
Think Elvis and Garth Brooks and you’ve landed on the two top selling artists OF ALL TIME. Elvis was known as the “Hillbilly Cat” and was on the radio show Louisiana Hayride. Elvis, as you know went on to become a defining figure in rock and roll, while Garth Brooks continues to be the top-selling solo artist in US History.
Early in music history, the Irish fiddle, German dulcimer, Italian mandolin, Spanish guitar and African banjo were the most common musical instruments. The interaction among different ethnic groups in the U.S. brought about string bands using primarily the banjo, fiddle and guitar.
The first commercial recording of Country Music called “Sallie Gooden” by fiddler A.C. Robertson was made in 1922 for Victor Records and in 1924 Columbia Records began issuing records of “hillbilly” music.
The Grand Ole Opry aired on radio in Nashville in 1925 and continues to be a driving force today. Their early stars were Uncle Dave Macon, Roy Acuff and Deford Bailey.
Singing cowboys made their mark during the 1930s and 1940s and Hollywood films popularized their songs. Gene Autry, Sons of the Pioneers and Roy Rogers were the mo
st famous of the singing cowboys. Roy was my personal favorite. Who could forget the ending song on the Roy Rogers Show?
Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.
Oh that brings back good memories.
By the 1950’s and 1960s a blend of western swing, honky tonk and country boogie were played across the country, but “rockabilly” soon took over with Elvis’ Heartbreak Hotel, Johnny Cash’s, I Walk the Line and Carl Perkins’, Blue Suede Shoes.
The 1970’s saw stars like Tammy Wynette and Charlie Rich emerge in a pop culture that morphed into Countrypolitan aimed for more mainstream audiences.
Ray Charles turned his attention to country music with the release of his song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You.
Country Rock was established after the British Invasion with a desire for some to return to the old values of rock and roll. Contributors to this form of music were the Byrds and the The Flying Burrito Brothers (? I don’t remember them) The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers and The Eagles. I love The Eagles! Also, believe it or not, but the Rolling Stones got into the act with their songs “Honky Tonk Woman” and “Dead Flowers”
Some other forms of country music that emerged during the years are Outlaw Country (think Willie Nelson and Waylan Jennings), Country Pop (Glen Campbell, John Denver, Marie Osmond), Neocountry disco music (think Urban Cowboy), Alternative Country, Truck Driving Country and Bluegrass.
Wow! Like I said before, who knew there were so many forms of country music? I was never into the twang, I have to admit and I loved Elvis Presley. But today my tastes are more for the pop culture of country with stars like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Brooks and Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Martina McBride and George Strait. BTW- George won the 2009 Artist of the Decade Award by the Academy of Country Music. Yay George!
I find country music reaches deep into my soul. It tells a story, most often a romance and the ballads can be heartbreakingly sincere and the upbeat tunes, just plain ole fun. It’s just about all I listen to on the radio.
So, what form of music do you like? Were you an Elvis the Pelvis fan like me? Did you like the singing cowboys? Who are your favorites today?
My book, not released yet in stores, has been an Eharlequin Top 10 Bestseller for the first three weeks in August! To celebrate, one commenter today will win an autographed copy and a beautiful Brighton key chain, from my heart to yours.
Oh the buzzin’ of the bees
In the cigarette trees
Near the soda water fountain
At the lemonade springs
Where the bluebird sings
On the Big Rock Candy mountain
If you’re anywhere near as old as I am, you may recognize this song, attributed to Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock and made famous in a 1950s recording by Burl Ives. Not long after the release of the song in 1928, some local wags places a sign at the base if a colorful mountain in Southern Utah, naming it “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” They also placed a sign next to a nearby spring proclaiming it “Lemonade Springs.” The names stuck, and the mythical Big Rock Candy Mountain of the song became one of the most recognized spots in the state.
So why am I telling you all this? Because the Big Rock Candy Mountain was a 
wonderful part of my childhood. I grew up an hour north of the mountain, and, as a kid, it was one of my favorite places to go. Not only was the hiking fun, but they had a campground, and a restaurant connected to a store that sold little bags of honest-to-goodness rock candy—the “rocks” were jelly beans, but they were made to look like real pebbles.
Outside there were some animal pens with a cougar named Whiffy, a pair of lynxes named Sniffy and Spiffy, and some coyotes that would howl when the lady who ran the place came out and howled with them. Once when we were there, they had a mother porcupine with babies. I got to hold one of the babies—their quills don’t harden until they get older. Looking back I realize it wasn’t a good situation for the animals, but as a little girl I was fascinated by them.
On Easter weekend my parents and their friends would reserve a picnic area for all their families. It was so much fun, chasing around the mountain with a big gang of kids, rolling eggs down the slope and feasting on hotdogs and watermelon while the grownups visited. The Sevier River ran along the road, and in the winter a wide section called Horseshoe Bend froze over—Great for sledding and ice skating. I am smiling as I write this.
Did you have a favorite place to go as a child? Tell us about it.
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