The Sons of the Pioneers western vocal harmony group

The Sons of the Pioneers was an American cowboy singing group founded in 1933 by Leonard Slye (better known by his later screen name Roy Rogers), with Tim Spencer and Bob Nolan. They were joined by Hugh Farr (fiddle/bass vocals) in 1934, Karl Farr (guitar) in 1935 , and Lloyd Perryman (vocals) in 1936. When Slye/Rogers began his film career, the group took on Pat Brady (string bass), who brought with him his flair for comedy (Brady later starred as Slye/Rogers' sidekick in his popular 1951 television program). The group remained popular into the 1960s. In 2003, the Sons of the Pioneers was among the winners of the Golden Boot Award, along with actors Chris Alcaide, Kelo Henderson, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kris Kristofferson.

Though all of the original members are deceased, the group continues today (2007), led by Dale Warren (a member since 1953 replacing Ken Curtis), and performs regularly at concerts in Branson, Missouri, and other locations. It has been claimed that the Sons of the Pioneers is the oldest continually performing private musical group in history. Ken Curtis is best remembered as an actor, primarily for playing "Festus" on Gunsmoke, but was a member of the Sons from 1949 to 1953.

Sons of the Pioneers was the name of a 1942 singing cowboy film starring Roy Rogers and featuring the group. The Sons of the Pioneers recorded songs for the John Ford movies Wagon Master in 1949 and Rio Grande in 1950, and performed the theme song for The Searchers in 1956. "Tumbling Tumbleweed" was also used in the Coen Brothers film 'The Big Lebowski' (1998). In 1962, the Sons of the Pioneers appeared in the short-lived comedy, western, and variety program,The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show, on ABC.

The six members who made the Sons of the Pioneers famous in the 1930s with their close-harmonied western style music were elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1995, they were inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1977, the Smithsonian designated the Sons of the Pioneers as "national treasures". That year their album A Country-Western Songbook hit number 50 on the US Country charts.

Discography

These 16 traditional hymns and spirituals are sung in the wonderful cowboy harmony sound of the Sons of the Pioneers and are accompanied by string bass, guitars and fiddles These songs were all recorded exclusively for radio airplay, not released on records to the public. “When They Ring Those Golden Bells,” “You Must Come In At The Door,” “Lord, You Made the Cowboy Happy,” “The Touch of God‘s Hand,” “What You Gonna Say To Peter,” “Keep A-Inchin’ Along,” “Dem Golden Slippers,” “Old Time Religion” and “Lead Me Gently Home, Father,” these are wonderfully innocent, joyous and sincere songs of faith from the Depression years of 1935 through 1941. Great stuff!

This generous, beautifully-recorded collection of traditional cowboy songs features the original members of the all-male Sons of the Pioneers, including Roy Rogers and Bob Nolan, and contains 18 accompanied recordings from their peak years of 1934-1941. “Blue Bonnet Girl,” “Press Along the the Big Corral,” the classic “Home on the Range,” “Jesse James,” “Round Up in the Sky,” “Cowboy’s Dream,” and “Down Along The Sleeply Rio Grande” are some favorites. The rich harmonies, soaring fiddle leads, and folky, bluegrass lyrics make this a rich, generous collection from a more innocent era.

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