Liner Notes

Happy Trails: The Roy Rogers Collection (1937-1990)

$49.98

Producer's Note

I first met Roy Rogers in 1980 when he and Dale Evans were on a promotional tour for Far West Savings. I remember how excited I was to find out that the King of the Cowboys would be just a mile from my house. I decided to bring my prized Roy Rogers collectible--a July 1943 Life magazine cover with Roy and Trigger in a glorious stance. To me this was a true testament to the popularity of both Roy and Trigger. I arrived early and stood in line as grown-up kids in their thirties and forties looked at Roy with that gleeful anticipation you get at Christmas. As I neared the head of the line, I noticed that a gentleman was clutching a dog-eared old photo of Roy that he wanted signed. As he reached the front of the line, he began his explanation of how Roy was his hero, etc. He politely asked Roy to sign the photograph he brought. Apologetically, Roy explained that he wasn't signing PHOTOS but would give him one of the promotional photographs supplied by the bank.

Now it was my turn. I went through the obligatory list of admirable qualities that nearly everyone bestows upon the King of the Cowboys. I was not about to embarrass myself by asking him to sign my Life magazine cover, so I just pulled it out of the bag and said "Do you remember this?" First of all, let me tell you what a silly question that was. This is only the most famous Life cover ever, highly prized by collectors and, I might add, on display at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Victorville, California. Roy takes the magazine and holds it as if he hadn't seen it in 30 years. He smiles that Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys smile. You know, the one that seems to say, "Hey kid, you're OK. May the good Lord take a likin' to ya." He then holds up my magazine and calls to Dale (who's also surrounded by fans) and says, "Hey, Dale, do you remember this?" "Oh, yes," says Dale, "that was shot up in Topanga Canyon." Roy proceeds to reminisce about the photo and location. Then he pauses, leans over to me, and quietly asks, "Do you want me to sign that for ya?"

So, that was how I met Roy Rogers. To say that he made a lasting impression on me would be an understatement. You see, with Roy what you saw in movies and on television was what was there in real life. Roy was not just King of the Cowboys; he was king of '50s pop culture as well. Roy invented his own style. Usually he was stunning with his striped pants neatly tucked into those fancy, hand-made boots with inlay aplenty. His shirts, often custom-designed by Roy himself, allowed him to be seen at rodeos, fairs, and various personal appearances from any vantage point. But it was his unique voice, emblematic of the Old West that captured the hearts of kids growing up in the '40s, '50s, and even into the '60s.

Just listening to "Blue Shadows On The Trail" is such a wistful experience, it even leaves a hint of sagebrush in the air. Few, if any, have had such a command of their voice for more than 50 years. One day coproducer Laurence Zwisohn and myself sat in Roy's office and showed him the very song list contained within this collection. As he glanced at the tracks, he would occasionally stop and say, "Oh, I remember this one." In his 83-year-old voice, Roy would croon a few lyrics. Pleased that he could still remember the song, Roy would smile and his eyes would twinkle. Oh, yes, we were completely swept away by his good nature and Old West hospitality. The photographs that picture Roy, Dale, and Trigger number in the thousands. Each one reminds me that Roy Rogers was the Elvis Presley of Western music. It was the look and the voice that made Roy Rogers a pop culture hero to so many kids.

This collection of Roy's music is very unique indeed. The concept was born in 1993 in a phone conversation with Laurence Zwisohn, the Rogers' family friend and historian. It was a pie-in-the-sky dream that not only found support from Rhino but also genuine enthusiasm from his son Dusty, his daughter Cheryl, and Roy and Dale as well. Dusty informed us of a veritable trove of radio transcriptions, auditions, and other unreleased material from the 1940s and early '50s. The value of these 16-inch discs is priceless, as there are no other known copies in existence. Dusty also agreed to allow Laurence and myself to drive to Victorville, pick up eight to ten discs at a time, transfer them onto DAT, and hand-deliver the transcriptions back to the museum. It would take more than two years to accomplish this task. The result is a major discovery of Roy, Dale, Pat Buttram, Gabby Hays, and The Sons Of The Pioneers performing in a relaxed setting for a live audience and/or in a studio for broadcast at a later date. Throughout, Roy is in top form. The unique intimacy and camaraderie makes for performances that very often surpass the released version, including Roy singing lead on "Cool Water." Never before has Roy sung this on record, as the lead vocal has always been by Bob Nolan and The Sons Of The Pioneers.

Also included in this collection are the staples of his career on Okeh, RCA Victor, Capitol, and Decca. Another rare find is Roy singing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" with The Sons Of The Pioneers, live on Ralph Edward's This Is Your Life. My peak moment in compiling all of this wonderful material was finding an analog tape of "Happy Trails" by Roy and Dale from his Saturday morning TV show. That version is included on Disc Three of this set.

To conclude, this has been a rare and wonderful opportunity to not just collaborate on a Roy Roger's collection but also to celebrate his life, a life he spent pleasing both children and adults at a time when we needed him the most.

I loved Roy Rogers and miss him so very much. All I can say is . . . "Happy trails, Roy, and may the good Lord take a likin' to ya!"

--James Austin(Rhino A&R)

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