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01 Aug 12 - 08:20 PM (#3384877) Subject: Sons of the Pioneers From: olddude there were 3 guys in the park tonight, two guitars and one upright bass. MAN they did tumblin tumbleweeds as good as the Pioneers. Blew me away, I thought it was a record. That has to be my favorite from that group ... any other closet Pioneer fans .. God with Roy Rodgers ... holy cow that was a great group .. anyone know if there is a new generation of the sons of the Pioneers out there? |
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01 Aug 12 - 08:28 PM (#3384880) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: pdq The Sons of the San Joaquin have been doing SOTP-style music for years. They have a bit of a "heavy" vocal sound, like the late 1950s Pioneers did. Western Music is a great art form even for people who have never been on a horse. |
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01 Aug 12 - 08:58 PM (#3384883) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Bill D I have 141 SOTP songs as MP3s.... They were a wee bit syrupy at times, but they were so good that I forgive them. I'm fond of "Springtime in the Rockies", "Nettie Moore", "Prairie Lullaby", "Belle of Baltimore".... and sure...Tumbleweeds and 40 more |
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01 Aug 12 - 09:05 PM (#3384885) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Q (Frank Staplin) I have most of the Sons on cd. Always a favorite. |
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01 Aug 12 - 09:09 PM (#3384886) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Beer Ah yes!! Loved there music. Just so laid back and i am sure oldude that the folks you heard (probably young) have been doing some digging and appreciated a good sound when they found them. pdq, you mention "Western Music" and not "Country and Western". Was that on purpose? Maybe I shouldn't even bring this up as it may end up in curses back and forth like what is "Folk Music". So in a very good way, are you separating the two? I've often wondered what is the difference if there is one. Adrien |
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01 Aug 12 - 09:57 PM (#3384895) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,leeneia adrien, I think "country and western" was simply a term used by radio-station managers to describe pop music which sounded traditional. The two kinds sounded a lot alike, but one had cows and the other had horses. But come to think of it, the western music probably had more of a Mexican or Spanish tonality to it. However, when you contrasted them with Elvis, the Beatles, or "The Girl from Ipanama" they constituted one class. ============ Olddude, I like the SOTP too. Just the other day I was listening to them on YouTube. Don't forget "Ghost Riders in the Sky." |
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01 Aug 12 - 10:44 PM (#3384905) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Sandy Mc Lean Riders In The Sky perhaps do the best at keeping alive The Sons Of The Pioneers sound. That statement is of course subjective and their costumes knock your eyes out but I like their stuff! |
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02 Aug 12 - 12:06 AM (#3384915) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Seamus Kennedy I based a lot of the songs on my most recent CD 'Sidekicks & Sagebrush' on Sons of the Pioneers arrangements, complete with 3-part yodeling harmonies and some hot western jazz accordion and fiddle licks. I truly believe that the Farr Brothers were right up there with Reinhardt/Grapelli and Lang/Venuti in their virtuosity. Bob Nolan was a genius when it came to lyrics. In fact, most of his songs would stand out as brilliant poems, evocative of western imagery and sensibilities. Damn good singer too, and when combined with Tim Spencer and Roy Rogers, that trio was just superb. I hope Don Meixner comes and joins in this discussion; he's another SoTP buff! |
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02 Aug 12 - 09:38 AM (#3385044) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,DonMeixner Sons of who? |
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02 Aug 12 - 09:46 AM (#3385048) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,Don Meixner I am at work and really have no time to discuss the Sons. BUT, MY favorite era was the originals. The Roy years. Listen and you will hear jazz swing in a western suit. The Pioneer Trio (Len Slye, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer)had all the vocal gifts a band could want. Then The Farr Brothers came along and created a musical and vocal force of nature. Listen to the instrumental behind Blue Bonnet Girl or Navajo Trail. Drop the vocals and you have fine stand alone instrumental pieces. Then listen to the pure harmony behind those songs and Tumble Weeds and Water and Way Out There and remember this was decades before Auto Tune (Fix a flat)and they nailed those vocals in the studio with out over tracking lines. D |
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02 Aug 12 - 10:54 AM (#3385089) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: olddude Amen Don and Ghost riders, wagon wheels, water, lone prairie, streets of Laredo the list goes on an on .. how great were these guys right |
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02 Aug 12 - 11:07 AM (#3385100) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,leeneia "Auto Tune (Fix a flat)" Love it, Don! My first chuckle of the day. But actually, I'm baffled by this Auto Tune stuff. In my world, (church, house concerts, sessions) people are expected to sing in tune. I mean it's normal, just like being able to walk or eat. In choir, we have to practice the parts for our four-part harmonies, but pretty soon everybody is in tune. Did the earth in its orbit go through some kind of toxic cloud which made young performers lose the ability to sing in tune? |
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02 Aug 12 - 11:31 AM (#3385109) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker .. well since sexually attractive 'good' looks and dance move ability became far more of a priority than natural singing voice.... Now say what you like about Roy Rogers, but he was hardly what most folk of any gender persuasion would call a fantasy sex idol ??? Which reminds me, this thread is making me want to remember which box my Roy Rogers CDs are stored in. My first ever 'single' was probably a red vinyl Golden Records Roy Rogers' and Dale Evans "Happy Trails to you" / "A cowboy needs a horse" Anyone know a CD which compiled these exact recording sessions ??? http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-antique-ROY-ROGERS-and-DALE-EVANS-Little-Golden-RECORDS-78rpm-yellow-vinyl-/380383103227#ht_868wt_882 |
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02 Aug 12 - 12:00 PM (#3385123) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker It's 5 or 6 years since I last looked into this. Latest development is a retro Little Golden Records cult collectors site that has digitised the tracks for Itunes.. and a couple of various artist compilation CDs on Amazon [needle drops of old poor quality novelty undersized colour vinyl 78's???] But it don't look like any complete Roy Rogers' and Dale Evans Little Golden Tones recording sessions available on CD ? Wonder if the master tapes survived ??? http://littlegoldenrecords.com/folk-songs |
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02 Aug 12 - 12:25 PM (#3385136) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Mark Clark I love the Sons of the Pioneers. The group continues to perform, albeit with different personnel, and can be seen live in Branson, MO. There is a SOTP Web site where you can buy their book, “Hear My Song”–The History of The Sons Of The Pioneers. I have a copy of the book and it's well worth the $20 for any SOTP fan. - Mark |
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02 Aug 12 - 01:15 PM (#3385166) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,Don Meixner http://www.bobnolan-sop.net/Biographies/Biographies.htm Go here. D |
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02 Aug 12 - 01:39 PM (#3385175) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: pdq The most popular LP they recorded was in 1959, after all of the original Pioneer Trio had left. The album called "Cool Water" has a loney cowpoke laying prone drinking from a waterhole, horse in background, hot sun burning down. This was part of RCA's "Living Stereo" series and was the first SOTP album in stereo. As far as I can tell, there were six members on the record, probably... Hugh Farr (1934–1959) vocals, fiddle Karl Farr (1935–1961) guitar Lloyd Perryman (1936–1977) vocals, guitar Pat Brady (1937–1968) bass Tommy Doss (1949–1963) vocals Dale Warren (1952–2008) vocals, bass although... Shug Fisher (1944–1959) bass George Bamby (1959–1960) accordion may have helped also. This record has a fair amount of orchestrated backup and consists mainly of re-recordoings of their best-known material from a couple of decades earlier. |
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02 Aug 12 - 04:10 PM (#3385261) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,leeneia The Sons of the Pioneers were great, but the Riders in the Sky will go one more teach you to do Alpine yodeling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxXy-m5VgKY&feature=related And Ranger Doug is SO sexy! |
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02 Aug 12 - 09:25 PM (#3385398) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,Bernie The SOP continues as a six member western group;they have an easily accesible website.....no,it's NOT the "original" group;they'd all be over 100 years old by now...I have their recent live DVD performance,great singing and hot instrumentals....all acoustic..guitar,fiddles,string bass,great vocals....no,they don't have quite the"blend" of the several trios in the bands history,but it's a damn good blend and a textbook example of how six fine singers and players can do a show live,without drums,electric bass,etc,etc... The most distinctive trio "sound" was originally achieved by the lead of Tim Spencer,tenor of LLoyd Perryman,and baritone of Bob Nolan..when Nolan retired in 1949,he was replaced by Lloyd"Tommy"Doss,who sounded almost exactly like him,only with a bit more range.....Doss was with them from 1949 to 1963 on records and in person,he retired from the road but continued on recordings through 1967,when he returned permanently to Oregon to live the quiet life...he passed away not long ago at the age of 91. Many[including me]think the finest vocal trio of all who passed through the Pioneers was that of Doss[baritone]Dale Warren[lead]and Lloyd Perryman[tenor]....their RCA lp's of 1961-1967 are classics.. When Perryman died in 1977[still leading the group],Dale Warren took the reins and remained as leader until he too passed away in 2008 or thereabouts...Present leader is Luther Nallie,who joined in 1968[his son,John,came in for a few years].....more info than anyone really wants,I realize,but I feel the groups accomplishments and longevity should be noted.... |
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02 Aug 12 - 10:26 PM (#3385417) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Seamus Kennedy I think the resemblance between Tommy Doss's voice and that of Bob Nolan was uncanny, although didn't think they sounded alike. I agree with Don Meixner that the Pioneer Trio - Slye, Nolan and Spencer - were vocally superb with tight 3-part yodeling harmonies, and solid Jazz guitar work. |
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02 Aug 12 - 10:38 PM (#3385420) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Seamus Kennedy Oops, I hit the Submit button too soon. But when the Farr Brothers joined them, they were unbeatable. |
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03 Aug 12 - 05:04 PM (#3385769) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: John on the Sunset Coast "any other closet Pioneer fans .." I ain't no closeted Pioneer fan...I'm straight out open about it! Currently there are 200+ tracks of SOP on my computer. This includes multiple distinct recordings of some songs recorded by the various iterations of the group. It would take nearly nine (9) hours to listen to them in one sitting. The recordings of the 1930s, both the original trio and with the Farrs, are my favorites. |
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04 Aug 12 - 02:43 PM (#3386129) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: Ebbie Seamus's 'Sidekicks and Sagebrush' is an excellent CD, and fun too. Due to his generous spirit I have a copy as well as a copy for a musician friend who is a great admirer of Bob Nolan. Incidentally I found out yesterday that Riders in the Sky is coming to Juneau in September. I am thrilled. They are wonderful musicians, notwithstanding their costumes and comedy, and I am getting a ticket forthwith. |
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04 Aug 12 - 07:38 PM (#3386222) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: kendall I've loved the Sons ever since I was old enough to go to the movies. |
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16 Sep 12 - 01:24 AM (#3405490) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,Robyn Craft Great to see so many still interested in th Pioneers. I am a huge fan, mostly of Bob Nolan....he was my first crush when I was a little girl. I have written a poem, For Bob Nolan, which is on his official website. My one wish is that they would update these wonderful old movies in DVD, color and lighten them up, fix some of the shakiness, etc. I'm afraid if someone don't stand up for these wonerful westerns, they won't be here for any future generations...which would be truly sad. |
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16 Sep 12 - 08:08 PM (#3405874) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: GUEST,Ken Brock The 1959 Cool Water album is among my very favorites by anybody. Bob Nolan came out of retirement in the mid 1970s and made an album (or perhaps two?) on Elektra |
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16 Sep 12 - 09:39 PM (#3405924) Subject: RE: Sons of the Pioneers From: pdq Yes, the 1959 stereo record "Cool Water" is over-produced, but still a splendid effort. BTW, the bass voice is suppied by one Trurl Ravenscroft and the spooky soprano is by Norma Zimmer. Ravenscroft is true bass, beyond the capabilities of Hugh Farr. |