What's In A Name
Fun events that commemorate 21 famous Old West folks.
By: TW Editors 02/01/2009
GENE AUTRY
If not for his job as a telegrapher at the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, Gene Autry may not have become famous as the Singing Cowboy. By chance, he met Will Rogers in 1928, when he wired a newspaper column back East for the humorist. Autry often sang on the job, and Rogers, upon hearing the boy’s voice, suggested he try it professionally. Autry utilized a free railway pass to audition in New York City, but no one seemed interested in him. He returned to Oklahoma and started yodeling on recordings with his boss on the railroad, Jimmy Long. The following year, 1929, Autry signed with Columbia Records. His first hit with them came in 1932, “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine,” a duet he sang with Long. The rest, as they say, is history.
His music and life are celebrated today at the Gene Autry Days, held on June 27-28 in Kenton, Ohio, and the Gene Autry OK Museum Film & Music Festival, held each year on the weekend closest to Autry’s birthday (September 29). This year, the festival takes place on September 23-27, in Gene Autry, Oklahoma.
Kenton: 419-673-3131 HardinOhio.org;
Gene Autry: 580-294-3047 GeneAutryOKMuseum.com
WILL ROGERS
Speaking of the Cherokee-American cowboy humorist, Will Rogers, a look at his amazing life explains why he is remembered today. He was a gaucho in Argentina. A horse trainer in South Africa after the Boer War. A trick roper (most notably for Texas Jack’s Wild West Circus). A weekly columnist. A humorist giving lecture tours across the nation. A presidential nominee. A movie star at Fox Film (now 20th Century Fox) when talkies first came out. And the lead in Eugene O’Neill’s stage play, Ah, Wilderness!
That year, 1934, he declined to star in the movie version, freeing up his summer in 1935 to travel with Wiley Post. Post, a world-renowned aviator, and Rogers were about to embark on a flight during their trip around the world when the engine failed upon takeoff, killing both men. Oolagah, Oklahoma, honors the two in its annual event, Will Rogers—Wylie Post Fly In, taking place this August 16. Rogers was born in Indian Territory, near Oologah, and every year, his birthday is celebrated at Will Rogers Days in Claremore. This year’s celebration will take place on his birthday, November 4 (1879) and continues through the 7th.
918-341-0719
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On February 7, 2009 the Grammy's Special Merit Awards Ceremony honored Gene Autry with the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award. You can read about the award, the ceremony and who was there on GeneAutry.com (818) 752-7770
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