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Morning Open Thread Saturday April 19, theme: music by 'The Sons Of The Pioneers' [1]
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Date: 2025-04-19
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>>>In the spring of 1931, Ohio-born Leonard Slye, the cowboy singer who would later change his name to Roy Rogers, arrived in California. 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 early 1933, Slye, Bob Nolan, and Tim Spencer formed a group called the Pioneer Trio 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.
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.
By the summer of 1934, the Sons of the Pioneers' popularity and fame extended beyond the Los Angeles 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 label, and on August 8, 1934, the Sons of the Pioneers made their first commercial recording.
One of the first songs recorded during that first August session was written by Bob Nolan, ‘Tumbling Tumbleweeds’, that would soon become a staple in their repertoire. The original title ‘Tumbling Leaves’ was changed to give the song a western character.
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 to supply the music for the studio's Charles Starrett westerns.
In 1937, Leonard Slye was offered a contract as an actor with rival Republic Pictures. 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.
The Sons of the Pioneers have never stopped performing since their inception in 1934. They continued to perform in concert and recorded as well.
In 1977, the Smithsonian Institution, 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".
The Sons of the Pioneers were the first Country/Western group to sing at Carnegie Hall. The group has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
All words above are from Wikipedia link: Sons Of The Pioneers
Wikipedia link for Roy Rogers: Roy Rogers
Cool Water
Ghost Riders In The Sky
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
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