THE ROY ROGERS RADIO SHOW

Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye (November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), was an American singer and cowboy actor, as well as the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants chain. He and his wife Dale Evans, his golden palomino Trigger, and his German Shepherd dog, Bullet, were featured in over one hundred movies and The Roy Rogers Show. The show ran on radio for nine years before moving to television from 1951 through 1957. His productions usually featured a sidekick, often either Pat Brady, (who drove a jeep called "Nellybelle") or the crotchety George "Gabby" Hayes. Roy's nickname was "King of the Cowboys". Dale's nickname was "Queen of the West."

~ Wikipedia Bio

Pat Brady with Roy and Dale The Roy Rogers Radio show changed shape and format during its ten year run.  It was originally a western music and variety show.  The shows from the early 50's are still in the earlier mode of some action in a storyline, whether it be outlaws, or tall tales, or a good old-fashioned deed to the ranch cliffhanger. Somewhere the story is broken up by song, with "The Sons of the Pioneers" and Roy and Dale. The music was always first rate Hollywood-style western music, excellently played.

Listen to a few sample shows from
Radio's Golden Age
Roy Rogers On The Air

	January 23, 1945 with guest Sarah Berner
	Missing Atomic Scientist
	Upside Down Liberty Stamp
	March 26, 1953 - Rabies

The show closed with Roy and Dale singing Happy Trails (written by Dale Evans).

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

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A SHORT BIO Born on November 5, 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Leonard Franklin Slye better known as cowboy singer and film star Roy Rogers. In early 1933, Leonard, Winnipeg-born singer/songwriter Bob Nolan, and Tim Spencer formed the Pioneers Trio, with Slye on guitar, Nolan on string bass, and Spencer as lead vocalist. They rehearsed for weeks refining their vocal harmonies. During this time, In 1934, with the addition of fiddle player Hugh Farr, the Pioneers Trio became the Sons of the Pioneers when a radio station announcer changed their name because he felt they were too young to be pioneers. The name was received well and fit the group, which was no longer a trio. By summer 1934, the popularity and fame of the Sons of the Pioneers extended beyond the Los Angeles area and quickly spread across the country through short syndicated radio segments that were later rebroadcast across the United States. The Sons of the Pioneers signed a recording contract with the newly founded Decca label and made their first commercial recording on August 8, 1934. One of the first songs recorded during that first session was "Tumbling Tumbleweeds", written by Bob Nolan. Over the next two years, the Sons of the Pioneers recorded 32 songs for Decca, including the classic "Cool Water", another Bob Nolan composition. By this point Slye had changed his name to Roy Rogers.

Known as the "King of the Cowboys", Rogers appeared in over 100 films (alongside Nolan) and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his Golden Palomino, Trigger; and his German Shepherd, Bullet.
Rogers died of congestive heart failure on July 6, 1998, in Apple Valley, California. Rogers' cultural influence is reflected in numerous songs, including "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett, "Roy Rogers" by Elton John on his 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and "Should've Been a Cowboy" by Toby Keith. Rogers himself makes an appearance in the music video for the song "Heroes and Friends" by Randy Travis. Rogers is referenced in numerous films, including Die Hard (1988) in which the Bruce Willis character John McClane used the pseudonym "Roy" and remarks, "I was always kinda partial to Roy Rogers actually."

~ John Einarson