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| Music Titles from PT Press | National Carry A Tune Week | Tune Lovers Society | Tune Talk |
Cowboy Song Corral
Honoring the Great Cowboy Songs, Songwriters and Film Stars of the Past
Howdy, buckaroos!
Thanks for riding across the web prairie into the Cowboy Song Corral.
Here at the Bar CSC you can read a whole bunch about your favorite cowboy songs, songwriters, and film stars.
No song lyrics or sheet music can be provided for web readers without a search fee.
Pass the word along to any other cowboy fan you know who might be interested in this site.
Do you want to know which songs and singers received the most votes in Cowboy Song Polls?
Just scroll down this page and you'll find them.
Help support CSC and its efforts for cowboy fans like you by ordering something from PineTree Press or from the Bookshelf Search below.
Let's keep rememberin' those cowboy stars and songs from the good ol' days!
--Roger Hall , CSC Foreman
Send your comments or questions to:
![[Image]](pict252.jpg)
PineTree Press Announces Two Books!
There are two e-books by Roger Hall now available with stories about cowboy film stars --
1. "Following the Stars" - Music and Memories of Hopalong Cassidy
Do you want to read the mystery story of how a young boy got to be on the cover of a national magazine with Hopalong Cassidy in 1950?
That story is now available with a great color illustration of the 1950 magazine cover in a new e-book, playable on your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
The e-book also contains full page sheet music covers, several photos of the glamorous Grace Bradley Boyd (Mrs. Hopalong Cassidy), and lots of photos from the Hopalong Cassidy Festivals in Cambridge, Ohio.
2. "Dream World" - Songs, Poems, and Stories
Another e-book is now available, a memoir of a musician's life between the 1940s and 1970s with his early song lyrics, poems and stories.
The e-book includes information about three popular singing cowboys (Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter) with autographed photos.
Also included are audio files of western songs and other vintage songs, including original pop songs by the author.
To order "Following the Stars" and/or "Dream World" directly from PineTree Productions, go to the
Take a look at this web page on a site devoted to preserving American music:
Honoring the Great Cowboy Singers and Songs of the Past
![[Image]](pict287.jpg) |
Roger Hall (top row in right corner) with The Sons of the Pioneers ( photo courtesy of Bill McCann)
If you 're a Sons of the Pioneers fan, then you should consider ordering this fine book...
Bob Nolan: A Biographical Guide & Annotations to the Lyric Archive at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. By Lawrence Hopper. The book is filled with lots of useful information.
To find out how to get your copy, write to:
Do you want to listen to some very enjoyable vintage western music?
Then click on this web link and look for the link to "Western Music Time" hosted by O.J. Sikes:
Bookshelf Search
Please help support Cowboy Song Corral
Order from Amazon here...
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| CSC Contents |
Singing Cowboys: 2007 Anniversaries
"Back in the Saddle Again" - A Centennial Tribute to Gene Autry
"On the Banks of the Sunny San Juan" - A Centennial Tribute to Eddie Dean
Cowboy Singer-Songwriters: 2005 Anniversaries
"High Noon" - Tex Ritter, America's Most Beloved Cowboy
"San Antonio Rose" - Bob Wills, The King of Western Swing
Song Polls
Top Ten Cowboy Movie Songs (2004)
Top Ten Songs and Singers (2002)
Top Ten Cowboy Songs (2000)
Big 3 Cowboy Star Tributes:
![[Image]](pict319.jpg){kind=small}
Gene
Autry, America's Greatest Singing Cowboy
Hopalong Cassidy -
Music and More
Roy
Rogers, King of the Cowboys
Tune Lovers Society
Collectibles Guide
Favorite Western Films
CD Reviews of Western Songs and Soundtracks
Memorial Tributes:
"Happy Trails" - Dale Evans,
1912-2001
"Hi-Yo Silver, Away!" - Clayton Moore, 1914-1999
"Last of the Silver Screen Cowboys" - Rex Allen, Sr,
1920-1999
"I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven" - Eddie Dean,
1907-1999
"The Last Round-Up" - Billy Hill, 1899-1940
Western Film Composers:
Elmer Bernstein, 1922-2004
Jerry Goldsmith, 1929-2004
David Raksin, 1912-2004
Raoul Kraushaar, 1908-2001
Victor Young, 1900-1956
Recommended Western Song CD Sets
Cowboy Web Links
![[Image]](pict26.jpg)
Cowboy Singers
Centennial Anniveraries - 2005
"High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)" - Woodward Maurice (Tex) Ritter
("America's Most Beloved Cowboy")
born: 12 January 1905
died: 2 January 1974
"High Noon" is on the survey of Top 100 Songs of the 20th Century
Five recommended recordings:
High Noon - Tex Ritter (Bear Family CD, 1994)
Proper Introduction to Tex Ritter (CD, 2004)
Sing Cowboy, Sing - Early Tex Ritter (ASV Living Era CD, 2001)
Tex Ritter - Greatest Hits (Curb CD, 1991)
Very Best of Tex Ritter (Varese CD, 2000)
Links:
"San Antonio Rose" - Bob Wills
("The King of Western Swing")
born: 6 March 1905
died: 13 May 1975
Five recommended recordings:
Boot Heel Drag: The MGM Years (Mercury Nashville 2 CDs)
Essential Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Sony CD, 1992)
King of Lonestar Swing (President CD, 2003)
The King of Western Swing (ASV Living Era CD, 1998)
Take Me Back to Tulsa (Proper Box Set - 4 CDs, 2002)
Links:
Cowboy Song Polls
These song polls are based entirely on voting from web readers.
No claim is made that these are all the best-selling recordings or most popular movies.
They are just what cowboy fans voted on as their favorites.
Web Song Poll
(2004)
| FAVORITE COWBOY MOVIE SONGS |
This poll was for Favorite Cowboy Movie Songs.
The voting was very light and it appears most voted for Gene Autry westerns (6 out of 10 titles).
Thanks to those who sent in their favorite songs.
Here are the Top Ten vote getters (listed alphabetically):
Song Titles Western Film Titles
| "Back in the Saddle Again" (Ray Whitley-Gene Autry) | BORDER G-MAN (1938) - sung by Ray Whitley/ ROVIN' TUMBLEWEEDS (1939), BACK IN THE SADDLE (1941), WAGON TRAIN (1952) - sung by Gene Autry (became his theme song) |
| "Blueberry Hill" (Al Lewis-Larry Stock-Vincent Rose) | THE SINGING HILL (1941) - sung by Gene Autry / also recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with voal by Ray Eberle; and Connie Boswell and Sammy Kaye; and Fats Domino had a million seller in 1956 |
| "Call of the Canyon" (Billy Hill) | CALL OF THE CANYON (1940)/ MELODY RANCH (1940) - sung by Gene Autry |
| "Chant of the Wanderer" (Bob Nolan) | TEXAS STAMPEDE (1939)/ WESTERN CARAVANS (1939)/ RED RIVER VALLEY (1941)- sung By Bob Nolan & The Sons of the Pioneers |
| "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'" (Dimitri Tiomkin-Ned Washington) | HIGH NOON (1952) - sung on the movie soundtrack by Tex Ritter (also a million seller for Frankie Laine) |
| "Hills of Old Wyomin'" (Railph Rainger-Leo Robin) | HILLS OF OLD WYOMING (1937)/ SONG OF OLD WYOMING (IN OLD WYOMING)(1945) - sung by Eddie Dean (also recorded by Roy Rogers and The Sons of the Pioneers, and Tex Ritter) |
| "Mule Train" (Johnny Lange-Hy Heath-Fred Glickman) | MULE TRAIN (1950) - sung by Gene Autry/ SINGING GUNS (1950) - sung by Vaughn Monroe |
| "On the Strings of My Lonesome Guitar" (Jimmy Wakely-Smiley Burnette) | STICK TO YOUR GUNS (1941)/ OKLAHOMA BLUES (1946), THE LONESOME TRAIL (1945) - sung by Jimmy Wakely |
| "South of the Border" (Jimmy Kennedy-Michael Carr) [see 2000 Song Poll below] |
SOUTH OF THE BORDER (1939)/ DOWN MEXICO WAY (1941) - sung by Gene Autry |
| "You're the Only Star in My Blue Heaven" (Gene Autry) | Sung by Gene Autry in 3 westerns: SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES (1937)/ MEXICALI ROSE (1939)/ RIM OF THE CANYON (1949) |
Which movie song got the most votes?
"South of the Border" sung by Gene Autry was the top vote getter.
Web Song Poll (2002)
| TOP TEN COWBOY SONGS |
The songs are listed in alphabetical order along with the singers in the voting.
That list is followed by the top five singers in the voting.
| "Back in the Saddle Again" - Gene Autry/ Herb Jeffries/ Rex Allen Jr. |
| "Blue Shadows On The Trail" - Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers |
| "Call of the Canyon" - Gene Autry/ Jimmy Wakely |
| "Cool Water" - Sons of the Pioneers |
| "Dust" - Roy Rogers; Gene Autry |
| "Hills of Old Wyoming" - Eddie Dean/ Tex Ritter |
| "The Last Round-Up" - Gene Autry/ Roy Rogers/ Rex Allen Sr. |
| "Riding Down the Canyon" - Gene Autry |
| "The Strawberry Roan" - Gene Autry/ Marty Robbins |
| "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" - Sons of the Pioneers/ Roy Rogers/Gene Autry |
| TOP FIVE COWBOY SINGERS OR GROUPS |
| 1. Gene Autry |
| 2. Sons of the Pioneers |
| 3. Rex Allen |
| 4. Marty Robbins |
| 5. Roy Rogers |
Web Song Poll (2000)
| TOP TEN COWBOY SONGS |
Here are the top ten vote getters in alphabetical order, with songwriters and singers who popularized the songs:
| "Back in the Saddle Again" - words & music: Ray Whitley & Gene Autry (1939) - recorded by Gene Autry. His theme song. |
| "Cool Water" - words & music by Bob Nolan (1936) - sung by Sons of the Pioneers |
| "Dust" - words & music by Johnny Marvin for the movie, UNDER WESTERN STARS (1938) - recorded by Roy Rogers/ also recorded by Gene Autry, and Jimmy Wakely. |
| "Empty Saddles" - words: J. Kiernan Brennan/ music: Billy Hill (1934) - recorded by Bing Crosby for the movie musical, RHYTHM ON THE RANGE, 1936; also by Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers. |
| "Happy Trails" - words & music by Dale Evans - recorded by Roy Rogers & Dale Evans and became their theme song. |
| "The Last Round-up" - words & music by Billy Hill (1933) - recorded by George Olsen; Bing Crosby; Gene Autry; and Rex Allen. |
| "Riders in the Sky (aka: Ghost Riders in the Sky)" - words & music by Stan Jones (1949) - popular recordindgs by Vaughan Monroe, and Gene Autry |
| "South of the Border" - words & music by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr (1939) - recorded by Gene Autry for the movie western, SOUTH OF THE BORDER. Also recorded by others, including Bob Wills. |
| "The Strawberry Roan" - words & music by Curley Fletcher, Nat Vincent and Fred Howard (copyright 1931), first sung in Ken Maynard's western movie of the same title in 1933; another version sung by Gene Autry in THE STRAWBERRY ROAN in 1940s; song was revised in 1958 and recorded by Marty Robbins. |
| "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" - words & music by Bob Nolan (1934) - recorded by Gene Autry, Sons of the Pioneers, and others. |
And which song got the most votes?
Well, as you might guess, it was Gene Autry's theme song: "Back in the Saddle Again."
It received more than twice as many votes than any of the other songs.
Tune Lovers
Society
Do you have any favorite western songs or themes?
Maybe it's a song like "Back in the Saddle"(Ray Whitley-Gene Autry) or "The Last Roundup" (Billy Hill).
Or perhaps it's a movie theme like from THE ALAMO (Dimitri Tiomkin) or THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (Elmer Bernstein).
Now you can sign up with the posse and talk about your favorite tunes.
All musicians and music lovers are welcome to join this posse.
Membership in The Tune Lovers Society is FREE!
After you have joined, you can post messages on the "Talking Tunes" messageboard.
To sign up, go to:
There's a whole batch of vintage cowboy songs on the list.
Click on this link:
Collectibles Guide
By Roger Hall
I was pleased and honored to be included in the beautiful full-color guide, Hopalong Cassidy Collectibles, by Joseph J. Caro.
The photos of my wife and me, both of us "Hoppy Kids," are on pages 13 and 14. Also on those same pages are photos of former US President Bill Clinton as a youngster in his Hoppy outfit, and the very glamorous Grace Bradley Boyd (Mrs. Hopalong Cassidy). Both my wife and I are in such good company!!
I appeared with Hoppy on the cover of LOOK magazine in 1950. You can see how much that magazine is valued at on page 180 of the book.
This is a must have book if you collect Hoppy memorabilia. And I don't get any commission for saying that!
If you're interested in collecting any Hoppy merchandise you should get a copy of this excellent well illustrated book by Joe Caro.
There are over 1,200 color photos in the book and it includes a Current Value Guide. It's a beautiful book worth owning just for the pictures.
Order your copy today by clicking on this link to:
Favorite Western Films
Top Ten Westerns
By Roger Hall
With so many great western films it's really hard to pick just a few.
Here are ten of my favorite western films (listed in alphabetical order, each with a song listed):
THE ALAMO (John Wayne) - song: "The Green Leaves of Summer"
HIGH NOON (Gary Cooper) - song: "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin'"
HOP-A-LONG CASSIDY (William Boyd) - song: "Following the Stars"
THE LAST ROUND-UP (Gene Autry) - song: "The Last Round-Up"
NIGHT PASSAGE (James Stewart/Audie Murphy) - song: "Follow the River"
RENEGADE TRAIL (William Boyd) - song: "Lazy Rolls the Rio Grande"
RIO BRAVO (John Wayne) - song: "My Rifle, My Pony and Me"
THE STRAWBERRY ROAN (Gene Autry) - song: "The Strawberry Roan"
TAKE ME BACK TO OKLAHOMA (Tex Ritter/Bob Wills) - song: "You Are My Sunshine"
UNDER WESTERN STARS (Roy Rogers) - song: "Dust"
===========================================================================
Top 100 Westerns
In George Coan's excellent Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter (May/June 2004), here is the list of Top 10 Westerns (out of 100) as selected by Doug Nye:
1. THE SEARCHERS (1956) - score by Max Steiner
2. SHANE (1953) - score by Victor Young
3. HIGH NOON (1952) - score by Dimitri Tiomkin
4. STAGECOACH (1939) - song arrangements by Richard Hageman, Frank Harling, John Leipold, Leo Shuken
5. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) - score by Elmer Bernstein
6. RED RIVER (1948) - score by Dimitri Tiomkin
7. THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976)
8. SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949) - score by Richard Hageman
9. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) - score by Burt Bacharach
10. THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1943)
I didn't see any films starring Gene Autry. How come?
But there were three films by vintage cowboy stars:
87. THE LONE RANGER (1956) - starring Clayton Moore
89. HOPALONG CASSIDY (1935) - starring William Boyd
95. MY PAL TRIGGER (1946) - starring Roy Rogers
Now...what are your favorite western films?
They don't have to be in any order, as long you pick no more than 10 films.
Send in your favorite western films in any order to:
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CD Reviews of Western Songs and
Soundtracks
Are you a musician or record company producer who would like your CD reviewed here?
If so, write to:
Western song tapes and CDs are regularly reviewed by O.J. Sikes in Western Clippings and The Western Way.
The comments and ratings below are based on the whole CD package - recorded music, booklet notes and art design.
Ratings:
***** (Superlative)
**** (Excellent)
***1/2 (Very Good)
*** (Good)
** (Fair)
* (Poor)
For reviews of other soundtracks, go to: FILM MUSIC REVIEW
Gene Autry - 25 Cowboy Classics (2001)
Varese Sarabande 302 066 271-2
Rating: *****
Song titles:
1. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" (released 8/14/39 - from film soundtrack to IN OLD MONTEREY)
2. "Call of the Canyon" (released 11/15/40 - from film soundtrack to MELODY RANCH)
3. +"Red River Valley" (released 8/25/40)
4. +"Purple Sage in the Twilight" (8/25/41)
5. +"Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle" (8/10/42)
6. +"Twilight On The Trail" (2/1/42)
7. +"There's A Rainbow On The Rio Grande" (10/4/42)
8. +"Oklahoma Hills" (2/17/46)
9. +"Sioux City Sue" (3/3/46)
10. +"South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way)" (10/6/46)
11. +"The Last Roundup" (2/16/47)
12. +"Rounded Up In Glory" (3/23/47)
13. +"Ridin' Down The Canyon" (3/30/47)
14. +"The Singing Hills" (7/20/47)
15. +"Ole Faithful" (5/30/48)
16. +"Blue Shadows On The Trail" (1/9/49)
17. +"Ghost Riders In The Sky" (4/30/49)
18. +"Mule Train" (11/19/49)
19. "Sing Me A Song Of The Saddle" (7/23/50 - from TV show)
20. "The Old Chisholm Trail" (5/50 - from film soundtrack, MULE TRAIN)
21. +"There's A Goldmine In The Sky" (6/3/50)
22. "Home On The Range" (7/30/50) - with Cass County Boys (from TV show)
23. "Back In The Saddle Again" (8/20/50) - from TV show
24. +"Rim Of The Canyon" (3/21/51)
25. +"The Hills Of Wyoming" (12/12/54)
+ = from "Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Radio Show"
This is a wonderful collection of great cowboy song standards, sung by the best of all singing cowboys. Of these 25 songs, 19 are from Gene Autry's popular radio program. Three of the tracks are from his television show, and three others are from Gene's feature films.
The first two songs are particular favorites of mine. Bob Nolan's "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" is one of the greatest cowboy classics and it's sung beautifully by Gene from a 1939 western. I'm a big fan of western songwriter, Billy Hill. Two of his best songs are included on this Gene Autry collection. "Call of the Canyon" is from one of Gene's most enjoyable westerns, MELODY RANCH. The other Billy Hill song is his best known one, "The Last Roundup," the title song from Gene's favorite western film.
Just about every song in this collection will be familiar to cowboy fans. Some of the songs are introduced by Gene himself from his radio show. The smooth, natural way that Gene sings these songs is better than just about any other singing cowboy.
The CD booklet includes a loving tribute from Gene's friend, Johnny Western, and informative notes by the always reliable O.J. Sikes.
If you're looking a good single disc collection of great Gene Autry songs, this is the one to get. It may not have every hit song by Gene, but what's here is top notch all the way.
You'll probably be playing this CD a lot cause it's so easy on the ears!
I highly recommend this superb collection of great cowboy classics, sung by the best there was among the singing cowboys.
--Roger Hall, 2001
For more information about the CD, go to:
Another recommended collection is:
Back in the Saddle Again:25 Cowboy Classics
Soundtrack: THE COMANCHEROS (1961)
Total Time = 47:45
Rating: ***1/2
Music Composed and Conducted by Elmer Bernstein. Album Produced by Nick Redman. Executive Producer: Lukas Kendall. Project Coordinator for 20th Century Fox: Tom Cavanaugh. Digital Mastering: Dan Hersch. Music Score Remix: Brian Risner. 35mm Assembly: Ron Fuglsby. CD Art Direction: Joe Sikoryak.
Film Score Monthly, Silver Age Classics, Vol. 2, No. 6.
Track Titles:
1. Prologue (1:12)
2. Main Title (1:40)
3. Riverboat Capture (1:17)
4. Regrets (1:48)
5. The Wide Open (1:48)
6. Eulogy (1:52)
7. McBain (1:09)
8. Digging Again (1:18)
9. Nostalgia (0:50)
10. Attack (4:43)
11. Words (3:19)
12. The Sign (1:24)
13. Comancheros (5:31)
14. Hanging Around (1:36)
15. Keep Your Distance (0:49)
16. Campfire Dance (1:59)
17. Tobe's Death (0:58)
18. Leaving (3:46)
19. Texas Rangers (3:20)
20. Finale and End Title (1:10)
21. "The Comancheros" (2:00) - unused title song, sung by Claude King
22. "You Walked Away" (2:27) - unused song, sung by Claude King
23. Main Title (1:40) - mono mix
Ever since he made his name with the famous theme from THE MAGNICIENT SEVEN, Elmer Bernstein has been known for his raw and robust western scores. During the 1960s, he (along with Ennio Morricone and Jerry Goldsmith) just about owned the western genre score. Almost all of Bernstein's western scores during the '60s were for John Wayne movies. Besides his first one, THE COMANCHEROS, Bernstein also did scores for SONS OF KATE ELDER (one of his best main title themes) and TRUE GRIT (for which John Wayne won his only Oscar).
THE COMANCHEROS starred John Wayne (as Jake Cutter), Stuart Whitman (as Paul Regret), Ina Balin (as Pilar Graile), Nehemiah Persoff (as Pilar's father), Lee Marvin (as Crow), and in a smaller role, Patrick Wayne (as Tobe). TC opens with a short Prologue before leading into one of those great open spaces Main Title themes which Bernstein was so good at providing during that period. In the booklet notes, Bernstein himself says: "The thing I enjoyed about doing the music was that it was a post-MAGNIFICENT SEVEN film, and even though the score is clearly western, if you compare the two themes, THE COMANCHEROS has a very different sensibility musically. THE MAGNIFICENT is very straightforward and square, and actually I like THE COMANCHEROS theme better." Well, he's got the right to express his opinion since he composed it, but more listeners would probably prefer his Main Title from TMS. Actually there are cues in TC that are very reminscent of TMS, such as "Attack" (track 10) with its constant rhythmic propulsion.
THE COMANCHEROS is an excellent example of high quality work by one of today's film music masters. The score is full of high powered themes. The very memorable Main Title (which represents John Wayne's Jake Cutter) reappears in various guises throughout the score. There are also some other noteworthy (pun intended!) cues. One of these is "Eulogy," which begins with a staccato motif in the strings and then switches abruptly to a more somber tone for the victims of a burnt out ranch. Another memorable theme is "Words" (track 11) with a beautiful lyrical string theme, incorporated with some jubilant trumpet solos. Most of the score is filled with action cues for the Comanche warriors and the Comancheros. They range from folklike music, as in "Campfire Dance" (track 16), to the usual action western music such as "Texas Rangers" (track 19).
As a bonus, there are several unused songs included on the CD which were found with the score's master tapes. The title song is sung by Claude King and written by his producer, Tillman Franks. The other song, "You Walked Away," was to be used for gambler Paul Regret's love for Pilar Graile. It is also sung by Claude King. Neither song is particularly distinguished and it's not hard to imagine why they were left out of the film. The last track has a mono mix of the Main Title.
The sound of the 1961 soundtrack is okay, but a bit too bright and harsh sounding in spots, as on the "Texas Rangers" track. But most of the score sounds just fine. Very good notes are provided by Nick Redman (about the film) and Jeff Bond (about the score). The booklet design is also well done with lots of good film stills provided with the notes.
If you're a western film fan, a John Wayne fan, or especially an Elmer Bernstein fan (like me), then by all means get this soundtrack from one of his great western scores. Recommended.
--Roger Hall, 20 June 2000
Note: Over the past few years, Film Score Monthly has been issuing a wonderful series of Golden Age and Silver Age Classics.
Other western scores released are: MONTE WALSH (John Barry); THE WILD BUNCH (Jerry Fielding); 100 RIFLES, STAGECOACH and THE LONER, TAKE A HARD RIDE - all by Jerry Goldsmith.
To see the complete list of FSM titles, go to: www.filmscoremonthly.com/cds
Soundtrack: RED RIVER (1948)
37 tracks
Total Time = 64:10
Music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin. Score Restoration by John Morgan. Moscow Symphony Orchestra & Choir conducted by William Stromberg. Recording Engineers & Editors: Edvard Shaknazarian & Vitaly Ivanov. Notes by Jack Smith. Recorded at Mosfilm Studio, Moscow, Russia in February-March 2002.
Marco Polo CD 8.225217 [reissued on a Naxos CD in 2005]
Rating: ****
[Note: As of this date, the US release has not been issued. This review is based on the European release]
I must start off by admiting that Dimitri Tiomkin is one of my alltime favorite film composers from the past. Having said that, I wanted to yelp out like the cowboys on the cattle drive in RED RIVER. But there were a few reservations that kept this Marco Polo release from hitting the bullseye. But it wasn't far from it either. It's still far above most restored film scores on other labels. This is the first complete digital recording of RED RIVER.
First, let me say what is best about this wonderful soundtrack. The playing by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra is the best I've heard from them in a long while. Maybe it's because, as one of the orchestra musicians is quoted in the CD booklet: "they recognized familiar Russian themes of all the greats from Tchaikovsky to Rachmaninov and Prokofiev in the pages before them." While it's true that Tiomkin was Russian, even when writing music for the American West, his composing style remained uniquely his own. Conductor William Stromberg mentions this fact in his thoughtful Preface.
In my article in Soundtrack (Winter 2002), I classified the years from 1948 to 1958 as Dimitri Tiomkin's "Golden Decade." Those were the years when he had most of major film score triumphs. I also quoted from Chistopher Palmer's outstanding Tiomkin biography about RED RIVER's opening:
The title-music immediately sets the epic, heroic tone. The unison horn-call is indeed an invocation: the gates of history are flung wide and the main theme, high and wide as the huge vault of the sky, rides forth in full-choral-orchestral splendor.
This Main Title is truly one of the best remembered western themes. Unfortunately, that's where my biggest reservation takes place on the Marco Polo CD. The diction by the Russian choir is really quite bad. What makes matters worse is the missing text for the wonderful "Settle Down" choral opening. It's not included anywhere in the CD booklet. I suppose film fans don't need these words. But anyone who tries to understand the Russian choir will probably be at a loss to understand what they are singing. Yet to their credit, the choir sings this jaunty theme with great enthusiasm.
As much as I love Tiomkin's music and especially his westerns, I've always felt he overuses that main theme a bit too much in RED RIVER. It's not as apparent in the film itself, which stars John Wayne (Tom Dunson) and Montgomery Clift (Matthew Garth). But on this CD soundtrack the over abundance of the main theme becomes very apparent. I think his later western scores such as RIO BRAVO and THE ALAMO provide more diversity of orchestral color. And that also goes for HIGH NOON, even though basically a monothematic score. So, I wouldn't put RED RIVER in the top three western scores, along with Max Steiner's THE SEARCHERS and Alfred Newman's HOW THE WEST WAS WON. That's what Jack Smith does in his notes. I know that he is a huge devotee of RED RIVER and Tiomkin, who he affectionately calls "Big T." I would agree with the Big T label but not as much for RED RIVER. That's just my opinion, of course. Jack Smith's detailed notes provide a wealth of useful information. He provides many insightful remarks and quotes from legendary directors John Ford and Howard Hawks, as well as from Tiomkin himself.
As mentioned earlier, I believe the main theme appears too often in this score. But that doesn't mean the theme is not always handled effectively. One of the more majestic quotes of the theme is in "Birth of Red River D" (track 6, 3:15), with the choir humming the theme and the orchestra moving from blazing flutter-tongue brass to quieter lulls. This technique of rapidly changing dynamics would be employed by Tiomkin in his later scores. Listening to RED RIVER, you can hear these great contrasts. For instance, "Dunson Moves South" (track 2, 4:47), opening with quieter passages to accompany the wagon train, then switching over to louder brass and percussion for the Indian attack.
Most of this robust score is devoted to the action taking place on the long cattle drive. One of the most obvious examples is the incredibly fast pace heard in "Stampede" (track 14, 2:46). This is an especially exciting cue on the CD. There's also cues with more dramatic overtones, like the manacing cue, "Dunson Swears Vengeance" (track 21, 1:24).
Another reservation I have is with Marco Polo not releasing this outstanding CD in the US market. Apparently, there were legal problems with the photos used in the booklet. I'd rather have no photos and see this CD get released in the US, so everyone can enjoy it. That goes for the recording and the well written and extensive notes as well.
In the final analysis, it doesn't matter what I say about the RED RIVER score.
If you like the film, as many do, then you should definitely get your copy of this Marco Polo CD.
John Morgan and William Stromberg deserve special praise for keeping up such a high level with their Marco Polo releases in the Classic Film Music Series.
This RED RIVER CD is especially recommended to Tiomkin and western fans.
--Roger Hall, 6 November 2003
Soundtrack: RIO CONCHOS (1964)
Total Time= 75:15
Music Composed and Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Album Produced by Jeff Bond and Nick Redman. Executive Producer: Lukas Kendall. Project Consultant: Douglas Fake. Digital Mastering: Dan Hersch. Project Coordinator for 20th Century Fox: Tom Cavanaugh. CD Art Direction: Joe Sikoryak. Music Score Remix by Brian Risner. Stereo tracks remixed from the original 35mm film elements at 20th Century Fox Studios.
Film Score Monthly Silver Age Classics, Volume 2, Number 8.
Rating: ***1/2
Track Titles:
1. Main Title (2:37)
2. The Prisoner (0:19)
3. Get Me Out (0:39)
4. The Exterminator (0:32)
5. Where's the Water (1:52)
6. The Fuse (1:00)
7. Bandits Ho (6:03)
8. Smoke Signals (0:54)
9. The River (1:53)
10. Unlucky Lover (0:55)
11. River Crossing (4:21)
12. The Aftermath (2:09)
13. Lassiter Remembers/ The Lance (1:37)
14. Wall of Fire (2:15)
15. Lonely Indian (3:11)
16. Cantina 1 & 2/ A Change of Luck (4:26)
17. The Captive (0:57)
18. Big Deal (1:20)
19. Chief Bloodshirt (2:36)
20. Drag Race/ The Corral (4:01)
21. Free Men/ The Intruder (5:02)
22. Special Delivery (5:41)
23. Cast Credits (0:29)
TITLE SONG
24. "Rio Conchos" - sung by Johnny Desmond (2:36)
STEREO BONUS TRACKS
25. Main Title (2:37)
26. River Crossing (4:21)
27. Drag Race/ The Corral (4:01)
28. Special Delivery (5:41)
29. Cast Credits (0:29)
Jerry Goldsmith composed some of the most memorable scores of the '60s and '70s. Many of these were western scores. In addition to RIO CONCHOS, he did STAGECOACH (1966 - available on an FSM Silver Age Classic CD), HOUR OF THE GUN (1967), BANDELERO! (1968), RIO LOBO (1970), and TAKE A HARD RIDE (1975 - another FSM Silver Age Classic CD). All of these scores had a freshness and vitality to them. Let's take a look at Goldsmith's first western score...
RIO CONCHOS was released in 1964 and starred Richard Boone (known especially from his western TV series, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL), Tony Franciosa, and Stuart Whitman. It's an exciting, action-filled western and Goldsmith has written very flavorful music to underscore the action. The main title has one of Goldsmith's typically memorable rhythmic themes which appears from time to time throught the soundtrack. One example is track 9, "The River," where the main theme is incorporated with a rapid flow of brass (especially trumpet), woodwinds, and the rest, until it settles down to a single guitar. Goldsmith is a master at writing for only a few instruments, which he learned from his days working on television series. This technique is demonstrated in track 10, "Unlucky Lover," beginning with guitar and horns and then including castanets and a few other instruments. It's a technique used in other tracks as well.
What makes this CD so worthwhile is the complete score and the extra music. In his notes, co-produced Jeff Bond explains that "This album features the entire score in its original mono mix, including 12 cues not included on the the re-recording [done by Goldsmith for Intrada in 1987] for a total of 11 minutes of previously unreleased music, plus two cantina source cues and a vocal version of the title song performed by Johnny Desmond." If only new soundtracks were this complete when they are released? The title song (lyrics by?) is a very good one, much better than other western film songs of that era. Bond also mentions that the mono tracks were in "considerably better shape than the stereo tracks." That's why they had to be used. While not up to today's digital standards, the mono sound is just fine, at least to my ears. Five of the stereo tracks were in good enough shape to include on this CD as bonus tracks. They are worth having even with their not always ideal sound quality, as in track 27, "Drag Race/ The Corral" - good mix of percussion and woodwinds but brass are somewhat shrill.
The attractive CD booklet has the usual film stills and two very good essays: "Riding the Dark Trail" by Jeff Bond, and "The Sound of Wild Spurs" by Doug Adams.
As with Elmer Bernstein's THE COMANCHEROS, this is another FSM soundtrack worth adding to your western film score library. If you're a western film fan, take a look at the other soundtracks offered by Film Score Monthly. All are worth considering for your collection. RIO CONCHOS has a very good Goldsmith score to an equally good western film.
--Roger Hall, 7 July 2000
Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection (2002)
2 CDs
Disc One = 19 tracks, 72:16
Disc Two = 19 tracks, 67:52
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Nic Raine. Crouch End Festival Chorus, David Temple, Choir Master. Soloists: Jason Howard, Charlotte Kinder, Keith Ferreira.
Produced by James Fitzpatrick. Execuitve Producer: Reynold da Silva. Release Co-ordination: David Stoner. Front Cover Painting: Gary Carter. Art Direction and Design: Sean Mowie. Chief Digital Recording Engineer: John Luard Timperley. Assistant Engineer: Jan Holzner. Recorded at Smecky Studios, Prague. Choir recorded at Sony Music Studios, London.
Silva Screen America SSD 1136.
Rating: ****1/2
Disc One -
1. THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL/ 2-3. THE ALAMO/ 4. THE BIG COUNTRY/ 5. THE BIG VALLEY/ 6. BLAZING SADDLES/ 7. BONANZA/ 8. BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID (Song)/ 9. THE COMMANCHEROS/ 10. DUEL IN THE SUN/ 11. A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE/ 12. FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE/ 13. FRIENDLY PERSUASION (Song)/ 14. GIANT/ 15-16. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY/ 17. GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL/ 18. THE HANGING TREE.
Disc Two -
1. HIGH CHAPARREL/ 2. HOW THE WEST WAS WON/ 3. HIGH NOON (Song)/ 4. THE JAYHAWKERS/ 5. THE LONE RANGER/ 6. NEVADA SMITH/ 7. OLD GRINGO/ 8. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST/ 9. ONE-EYED JACKS/ 10. THE PROUD REBEL/ 11. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD/ 12. QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER/ 13. RIO BRAVO/ 14. THE SCALPHUNTERS/ 15. SHANE/ 16. THE SHOOTIST/ 17. THE UNFORGIVEN/ 18. VIVA ZAPATA/ 19. THE VIRGINIAN.
This wonderful compilation of themes and songs from western films is the second double CD volume. The previous one was titled: "The Wild West - The Essential Western Film Music Collection" (Silva Screen SSD 1099). That collection had a nice slipcase with cover art by Gary Carter for the CD. The second volume doesn't have a slipcase, but does have another attractive western painting by Carter on the cover. And the music on volume two is just as good as the first release, which didn't have any songs. The second volume has several of the best known songs featured in western films: "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" from BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID; "Thee I Love" from FRIENDLY PERSUASION; and "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'" from HIGH NOON. Even though they aren't by the original artists, they are done in the same style. There is also a chorus (Crouch End Festival Chorus) featured on some of the themes and songs.
With music from 36 western films, this is a great collection sure to delight western film fans. It's a very good listen. Recommended.
--Roger Hall
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Western Film Composers - Memorial Tributes
These three major film composers wrote for many types of films, including westerns:
Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004) - THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, TRUE GRIT, many others
Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004) - RIO CONCHOS, 100 RIFLES, others
David Raksin (1912-2004) - APACHE, WILL PENNY
All three died within one month of each other during the summer of 2004.
To read tributes to them, go to:
Film Music Review - From the Editor
Raoul Kraushaar (1908-2001):
He was credited with composing over 100 film scores for movies and serials. Many of these were for westerns, especially those featuring Gene Autry. His first film credit was for the Autry western, ROUND UP TIME IN TEXAS, in 1937. Other Autry westerns include: ROOTIN' TOOTIN' RHYTHM (1937); BOOTS AND SADDLES (1937); SOUTH OF THE BORDER (1939); MELODY RANCH (1940); and BACK IN THE SADDLE (1940). In the 1950s, Kraushaar composed more western scores such as: STAGE TO BLUE RIVER (1951); WYOMING ROUNDUP (1952); and THE FIGHTING LAWMAN (1953). He is also credited with composing music for several TV western series like NORTHWEST PASSAGE and BONANZA.
Victor Young (1900-1956):
This film composer was born in Chicago on August 8, 1900. He composed many song standards, such as "Stella By Starlight" and "My Foolish Heart." He was also an arranger, conductor, orchestra leader for radio programs (Bing Crosby) and records, and a film composer. He composed over 350 film scores, mostly while working at Paramount Pictures. He wrote one of his best scores for the classic western film SHANE in 1953.
Three of his early film scores were for Hopalong Cassidy westerns:
RANGE WAR (1939)
LAW OF THE PAMPAS (1939)
THREE MEN FROM TEXAS (1940)
He also wrote the title song for THE HEART OF THE WEST (1936)
For more about Victor Young's film scores, go to Film Music Review
Memorial Tributes
"Happy Trails"
Dale Evans, Queen of the West
After a long and very fulfilling life, Dale Evans has left us and gone on to join her saddle mate, Roy Rogers, in that great big corral in the sky.
Dale was born Frances Octavia Smith in Uvalde, Texas on October 31, 1912. After several failed marriages (Thomas F. Fox and August Johns) and work as a stenographer in an insurance company in Memphis and at Goodyear in Chicago, she landed a job at a radio station - WHAS in Lousiville, Kentucky. There she met her next husband, Robert Dale Butts, who was a pianist and arranger at the radio station. They were married in 1937 after both had moved on to WFAA in Dallas, Texas. After singing with the Jay Mills Orchestra and Anson Weeks Orchestra, she gets her own CBS radio program, "That Gal From Texas." Then, in 1940, she gets a Hollywood screen test and lands a one year contract with 20th Century Fox. Among the films she appeared in are GIRL TROUBLE and ORCHESTRA WIVES (with Glenn Miller and His Band). Then she moved on to Republic Pictures in 1943. The next year she makes appearances on the Roy Rogers radio show. She also appears in her first western with Roy: THE COWBOY AND THE SENORITA.
On December 31, 1947, Dale and Roy are married in Oklahoma. They continue to make western together for Republic. Their last one in 1951: PALS OF THE GOLDEN WEST. It was also that year that Roy bought Dale's horse, Buttermilk, for their television show. "Happy Trails" was used as the television show theme. But the song had been written before the television series began.
Here is Dale's description about her song from Happy Trails: Our Life Story by Roy and Dale, with Jane and Michael Stern (Simon & Schuster, 1994):
"I got to thinking about the music on the 'Roy Rogers Show' on the radio. Roy had theme song song at the time called 'Smiles Are Made Out of the Sunshine.' It was popular, but I felt it wasn't Western enough, and it didn't say enough about what it means to be a cowboy - especially when the trails you ride aren't always sunny ones. For years, Roy had signed autographs with 'Many Happy Trails' or 'Trails of Happiness,' and I thought, that's what he needs - a trail song. I was sitting at home with Robin and I started to remember way back to a trip my mother had taken down into the Grand Canyon, a trail ride. I had always loved 'The Grand Canyon Suite,' which has a trombone slide in it that made me think of someone saying 'Happy trails' in a deep canyon, with a kind of echo effect: 'Happy trails to yooou.' Once I thought of that, I wrote the song in three hours. At the time, I never suspected it would become our theme song; nor did I realize just how much the words would mirror our lives. We took the song to the Mutual network, taught it to the group singers, and closed our show with it, as a duet. When it became a hit, nobody was more surprised than I."
Among the many performers who recorded "Happy Trails" besides Roy and Dale are: Sons of the Pioneers, Riders in the Sky, Janet Sorenson, Don McLean, Van Halen, and last by not least, Gene Autry.
[Thanks to Larry Hopper for providing the above information]
After their daughter, Robin, who had Downs Syndrome, died in 1953, Dale wrote her first book: Angel Unaware. It became a best-seller. She went on to write about ten more books based on positive spiritual themes.
Dale's other well known song, "The Bible Tells Me So," was published in 1955.
The Roy Rogers TV series ended in 1957. Ten years later, they opened their museum in Apple Valley, California. Dale was inducted in the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1976. That year, the Roy and Dale museum moved to Victorville. The museum was later moved to Branson, Missouri. In 1983, Dale received the Golden Boot Award.
In 1992, she suffered a heart attacke. Three years later, she was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. In 1997, Roy and Dale celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Her health became worse after Roy died in 1998.
Dale died of congestive heart failure at her Apple Valley home on February 7, 2001 at the age of 88.
She was indeed Queen of the West. But she was much more as well - singer, songwriter, author, religious leader, and mother to six children (with 16 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren).
She now has met her saddle pal and rode off into that Golden Corral in Heaven.
Happy trails to you, Dale and Roy, until we meet again...
[Note: Much of the above information is gathered from the detailed article by Boyd Magers in Western Clippings, #40 Mar./April '01. To order a copy or subscribe, write to: Western Clippings, VideoWest, 1312 Stagecoach Rd, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123. ]
"Hi-Yo, Silver, Away!"
Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger
At the end of 1999, we lost another well-known TV cowboy star. Clayton Moore was no singing cowboy, but who doesn't remember his trademark theme - the "William Tell Overture"? He was fortunate enough to portray The Lone Ranger from 1949 until 1957, except for two years (1952-54) when the TV character was played by John Hart.
Clayton Moore was born Jack Carlton Moore on September 14, 1914. His early years in movies were spent making serials, such as "Ghost of Zorro" in 1949. That same year, Moore was picked to play the lead in "The Legend of the Lone Ranger," with Jay Silverheels playing his sidekick, Tonto. Moore had been a fan of the radio version, starring Brace Beemer.
Ironically, The Lone Ranger debuted the day after Moore's 35th birthday on September 15, 1949 on the early struggling ABC television network. It was an immediate hit. Moore became so identified with The Lone Ranger character that he continued to wear the mask even after the show ended in 1957. He even wrote his autobiography with that description in the title: "I Was That Masked Man."
If you want to get the The Lone Ranger's famous theme (the finale of Rossini's "William Tell Overture"), check out Songs of the West (Rhino Records, 4 CD set) or Small Screen Cowboy Heroes (Risky Business/ Sony Music Entertainment AK 57474). Larry Hopper told me there's a CD (Cinedisc CDC 1019) with music from The Lone Ranger, consisting of original cues and scores conducted by John King, and the rest of the CD devoted to original recordings used on the radio and television programs.
There's also a very good book about the radio show: The Mystery of the Masked Man's Music: A Search for the Music Used on The Lone Ranger Radio Program, 1933-1954 by Reginald M. Jones, Jr.
Clayton Moore died on December 28, 1999 at the age of 85. He'll always be remembered as that man on the beautiful white horse, who used silver bullets and rode off at the end of the TV show saying, "Hi-Yo, Silver, Away!"
Adios, masked man - hi-yo, Silver, away...
"Last of the Silver Screen
Cowboys"
Rex Allen Sr.
In 1998, we lost two of the biggest singing cowboy stars: Gene and Roy. Then in 1999, we lost two popular singing cowboy stars - Eddie Dean and Rex Allen Sr. What a sad time time it is for cowboy fans. But we can still remember these stars through their cowboy movies and their songs.
In his beautifully illustrated book, Singing Cowboys Stars, Robert W. Phillips writes this description in his last chapter -
Rex Allen was born in Willcox, Arizona [December 31, 1920] and grew up on a ranch playing shoot-'em-up games in the mountains. At the age of ten, his father, a popular country fiddler in the area, bought him his first guitar...Rex maintained a rewarding recording career on numerous labels from the 1940s to the 1960s, offering the public a unique voice with rich western accents...Among the really big hits for Allen were "Afraid" (1949), "Sparrow on the Tree Top" (1951), "Don't Go Near the Indians" (1962), "Crying in the Chapel" (1963), "Tear After Tear" (1964), and even "Tiny Bubbles" (1968).
Rex Allen made his first western, The Arizona Cowboy, in 1949. It was in his second film, The Hills of Oklahoma, that Koko "the Miracle Horse of the Movies" became his trusty riding companion. Koko was part quarter and part Morgan horse and a beautiful animal on screen. Rex later played in a TV series, "Frontier Doctor." Besides that, he was the narrator for about 80 Walt Disney features. In 1973, he narrated the popular children's animated film classic, "Charlotte's Web."
One of his last and most touching recordings was made in 1982 with his pal, Roy Rogers, and his son, Rex Allen Jr. What's the song? It was "Last of the Silver Screen Cowboys." He sure was one of the last. There are still a few left: Monte Hale and Herb Jeffrey (The Bronze Buckaroo) among them.
In a very sad end to his life, Rex Allen reportedly had a severe heart attack and fell to the ground just before his caretaker ran over him as she backed up his car and didn't see him lying on the ground.
He died on December 17, 1999 at the age of 78.
Rest in Peace, Rex. Your fine mellow voice can now join with Eddie, Gene and Roy in that great cowboy quartet singing so beautifully up there in heaven...
"I Dreamed of a Hillbilly
Heaven"
Eddie Dean, The Singing Cowboy
One of the last oldtime singing cowboys, Eddie Dean, died on March 4, 1999. He was 91 years old. Beginning in 1936, he appeared in over 30 western movies, including some with Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy. Here's a list of the Hopalong Cassidy westerns, starring William Boyd, which include Eddie Dean:
THE RENEGADE TRAIL (1939) - Eddie plays "Red" and sings "Lazy Rolls the Rio Grande."
RANGE WAR (1939) - Eddie plays "Pete"
LAW OF THE PAMPAS (1939) - Eddie plays "Curley Naples"
SANTA FE MARSHAL (1940) - Eddie plays "Town Marshal"
THE SHOWDOWN (1940) - Eddie plays "Marshal"
HIDDEN GOLD (1940) - Eddie plays "Logan"
STAGECOACH WAR (1940) - Eddie plays "Tom"
In an interview with Bobby J. Copeland, Eddie Dean said he knew that William Boyd didn't like singing in his westerns so Eddie told him he wouldn't sing anymore - at least in the Hopalong Cassidy westerns.
Eddie was also a popular songwriter who wrote "One Has My Name, the Other Has My Heart" and "I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven."
"The Last Round-Up"
Bill Hill, Western Songwriter
Do you remember songs like "Empty Saddles" and "Wagon Wheels"?
Who doesn't remember them if you're an oldtime western song fan. But do you know who wrote them?
Well, the songwriter's name is Billy Hill (1899-1940).
I was able to interview Billy Hill's daughter, Lee. She was thrilled to receive the Hall of Fame award at the 11th Annual Western Music Association in memory of her father. I wrote a long story about Billy Hill for the Western Music Association Festival. Unfortunately, they only used a small excerpt for the festival program and had nothing at all in their Western Music Advocate magazine. Guess an old songwriter doesn't get the same treatment as a western film star or singer. That's too bad because Billy Hill was one of the best western songwriters.
Fortunately, my article on Billy Hill was published in his hometown newspaper, the Weymouth (MA) News, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. A copy is available by request.
To read about this important songwriter, click on this link:
"The Last Round-Up"- A Tribute to Billy Hill
Western Film Composers -
Memorial Tributes
These three major film composers wrote for many types of
films, including westerns:
Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004) - THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, TRUE GRIT, others
Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004) - RIO CONCHOS, 100 RIFLES, others
David Raksin (1912-2004) - APACHE and WILL PENNY
All three died within one month of each other during the summer of 2004.
To read tributes to them, go to:
Film Music Review - From the Editor
Raoul Kraushaar (1908-2001):
He was credited with composing over 100 film scores for movies and serials.
Many of these were for westerns, especially those featuring Gene Autry. His first film credit was for the Autry western, ROUND UP TIME IN TEXAS, in 1937. Other Autry westerns include: ROOTIN' TOOTIN' RHYTHM (1937); BOOTS AND SADDLES (1937); SOUTH OF THE BORDER (1939); MELODY RANCH (1940); and BACK IN THE SADDLE (1940).
In the 1950s, Kraushaar composed more western scores such as:
STAGE TO BLUE RIVER (1951); WYOMING ROUNDUP (1952); and THE FIGHTING LAWMAN (1953). He is also credited with composing music for several TV western series like NORTHWEST PASSAGE and BONANZA.
Victor Young (1900-1956):
This film composer was born in Chicago on August 8, 1900. He composed many song standards, such as "Stella By Starlight" and "My Foolish Heart." He was also an arranger, conductor, orchestra leader for radio programs (Bing Crosby) and records, and a film composer. He composed over 350 film scores, mostly while working at Paramount Pictures. He wrote one of his best scores for the classic western film SHANE in 1953.
Three of his early film scores were for Hopalong Cassidy westerns:
RANGE WAR (1939)
LAW OF THE PAMPAS (1939)
THREE MEN FROM TEXAS (1940)
He also wrote the title song for THE HEART OF THE WEST (1936)
For more about Victor Young's film scores, go to Film Music Review
Recommended Western Song CD Sets
The
Gene Autry Show: The Complete 1950s Television Recordings -
Varese
(3 CD box set)
Notes by Allen J. Weiner. Compilation Produced and Compiled by Cary E. Mansfield and Karla Buhlman. Executive Producer: Jackie Autry. Disc One: Episodes 1-27, 1950-52 (38 tracks)/ Disc Two: Episodes 28-64, 1951-53 (40 tracks)/ Disc Three: Episodes 65-91, 1954-1955 (37 tracks). Taken directly the television soundtracks and also includes some dialogue. Great collection.
Happy Trails: The Roy Rogers Collection - Rhino Records R2 75722 (3 CD box set)
90 songs recorded between 1937 and 1990. Foreword by Dale Evans Rogers and Cheryl Rogers-Barnett. Included are unreleased songs sung on Roy's radio show, "Satuday Night Roundup," featuring Dale Evans and The Sons of the Pioneers in the 1940's. One of the most complete collections available. Highest recommendation.
My Rifle, My Pony And Me - Bear Family Records BCD 15625 AH
26 songs from movies and TV, including title song sung by Dean Martin &Ricky Nelson from RIO BRAVO, and songs by Frankie Laine, Tex Ritter, Marty Robbins, Roy Rogers, Sons of the Pioneers, and many others. A terrific collection, with 24 page booklet filled with vintage movie photos.
Other similar titles available from Bear Family Records: Wanderin' Star; From Alamo To El Dorado; Rio Bravo And Other Movie & TV Songs. To order these CDs, go to: www.collectorschoicemusic.com
Sing Cowboy Sing: The Gene Autry Collection - Rhino Records R2 72630 (3 CD box set)
84 songs recorded between 1937 and 1955. Produced in cooperation with the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage. Includes rare and unreleased performances from Gene's popular "Melody Ranch" radio program.
Songs of the West - Rhino R2 71263/71451, 1993 (4 CD box set)
72 tracks on 4 CDs. 13 songs sung by Gene Autry. Also songs by Rex Allen, Marty Robbins, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Sons of the Pioneers, Jimmy Wakely and other singers from movies and television. A special treat is the song: "Hoppy, Gene and Me" sung by Roy Rogers from 1974. This collection is a must for any western music fan.
Singing in the Saddle: Seventy Years of Recorded Cowboy Song - Rounder Records 1101-1104 (4 CDs)
Compiled by Douglas B. Green (Ranger Doug from Riders In The Sky). Four CD titles: "Cattle Call: Cowboy Music And Its Roots"(1101); "Don't Fence Me In: Western Music's Early Golden Era" (1102); "Stampede! Western Music's Late Golden Era, 1945-1960" (1104). An essential set.
Treasury of the West - Time Life Records, 1999/2001 (4 CDs)
Excellent collection of popular western songs and themes, many of them available elsewhere. But this set also includes rare TV show themes like on Vol. 2 the "Hopalong Cassidy March" (Frank DeVol) and "The Virginian."
Cowboy Web Links
If you have a cowboy web site and
would like it listed here, send it in to:
Cowboy Song
Corral
* To read about cowboy songs and singers, click on this link: Cowboy Songs
* One of the most extensive sites with just about every popular cowboy star is available at Chuck Anderson's: The Old Corral
* The best place to go for cowboy news is Joe Konnyu's fabulous site: "Cowboy Pal - Home of the Silver Screen Cowboys." It's chock full of cowboy tributes, photos, questions & answers, and much more. Well worth checking out. Go to: Cowboy Pal
* There's a very worthwhile newsletter available. For information how to get it, go to: Old Cowboy Picture Show
* There's a very enjoyable radio show available on the Web called "Western Music Time" hosted by O.J. Sikes at: Boston Pete.com
* For those who collect Hopppy memorabilia (including music) this is the best guide that's out there: Hopalong Cassidy Collectibles
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