The Queen Of The World pointed out to me that Ken Curtis (who played Festus on Gunsmoke) was also a professional singer. In fact, he had a long career doing that: he was lead singer for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, replacing Frank Sinatra in 1942. But he was most famous as front man for Sons Of The Pioneers. This is him singing in 1949.
TQOTW knows stuff.
Thanks Borepatch. That really is a good song.
ReplyDeleteHehehe, that was our theme song when we were on the road, back in the day!
ReplyDeleteMy childhood all over again.
ReplyDeleteMy mom's favorite song. Brought back memories.
ReplyDeleteSo the Sons of the Pioneers performed in 87 movies! Wow, and they performed with Charles Starrett who was part of the Athol Massachusetts precision tool company. Then of course many performances with Leonard Slye aka Roy Rogers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch! I didn't know Ken Curtis was in there.
Great job QOTW and BP!
I listened to the Sons of the Pioneers many times growing up. Especially as I watched Roy Rogers every week.
ReplyDeleteThe Tumbling Tumbleweeds was a classic then also. And that led me to watching Ken "Festus" Curtis singing The Tumbling Tumbleweeds solo.
Wow. Really good voice.
Kind of like Jim Nabors.
Thanks for bringing this to my attentions.
You all be safe and God bless.
The Everlasting Hills Of Oklahoma always brings tears to my eyes. My folks were from there.... Dad had just about every album they ever produced. I listened to them all. I still can sing the songs by heart..... Music from my childhood.
ReplyDeleteThey were also on the Disney's Pecos Pete movie. There was one singer that had the most unique voice I've ever heard on a song. Book of Life features him as I remember...
I believe Mr. Curtis was director John Ford's son in law for awhile.
ReplyDeleteThere's Roy Rogers on the far right!
ReplyDeleteForgot to add that the VERY BEST version of this (and all cowboy) song is by Riders in the Sky. Here's a sample of these exquisitely trained musicians - that can also sing beautifully. Seriously good music
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V23uVjYSOok
Here's some melodic (really) yodeling (with fun):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2N7NZVkKBg
Ken Curtis was Charlie McCorry in The Searchers, Capt. Dickinson in the only version of The Alamo worth watching, Dermot Fahy (the accordion-playing singer in the bar) in The Quiet Man, and Cpl. Wilkie in The Horse Soldiers, long before he ever stepped onto the set of Gunsmoke as Festus.
ReplyDelete;)