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Why Did Festus Leave Gunsmoke? Here’s The Truth

Why did Festus leave Gunsmoke? If you are a fan of this Western Television series, continue reading to know the truth. Only a handful of television shows can boast of lasting for 20 seasons, and shockingly, Gunsmoke can! The American Western series had 20 seasons, with 635 episodes aired in 20 years. Gunsmoke was a popular and successful […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Red Headed Stranger

Members of the Western Writers of America included Red Headed Stranger in their list of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Entertainment critic and lyricist Edith Lindeman wrote the Red Headed Stranger with composer and radio announcer Carl Stutz in 1953. Before working on the song, they collaborated on other popular country songs such as “Little Things […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 18, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Get Along, Little Dogies

“Get along, Little Dogies or Git along, Little Dogies,” also known under the title, “Whoopie Ti Yi Yo,” is a traditional cowboy ballad. The song is believed to be a variation of a traditional Irish ballad regarding an old man rocking a cradle. In the 1893 journal of Owen Wister, author of The Virginian, the […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Goodbye Old Paint

Black cowboy Charley Willis created the traditional Western song called Goodbye Old Paint. Songwriter, N. Howard “Jack” Thorp first collected it in his 1921 book Songs of the Cowboys. Members of the Western Writers of America chose Goodbye Old Paint as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. About the Song Texas cowboy Charley […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 18, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: South of the Border

South of the Border is a popular song that describes a trip to Mexico. It was written by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr and released in 1939 for the film of the same name starring country star Gene Autry. In the lyrics, a man looks back with regret at leaving a woman he will never […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Last Wild White Buffalo

Western Writers of America included The Last Wild White Buffalo in their list of Top 100 Western Songs of all time. The Last Wild White Buffalo is a story song that won the first-ever Spur Award for Best Western Song. The Last Comanche Moon and The Old Cantina were the two other songs of Blakely […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 18, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Don’t Take Your Guns to Town

Don’t Take Your Guns to Town is a song that American singer Johnny Cash wrote and recorded. It was the first single from the album The Fabulous Johnny Cash released in December 1958. The song tells a story of a young cowboy who, neglecting advice from his mother, brings his guns into town, goes with […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Desperados Waiting for a Train

Desperados Waiting for a Train is also one of the songs that members of the Western Writers of America chose as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Guy Clark wrote the song while Jerry Jeff Walker originally recorded it for his 1973 album Viva Terlingua. American country music supergroup the Highwayman […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Featured Western History

What Guns Did Billy the Kid Use?

What Guns Did Billy the Kid Use? If you’ve never heard of Billy the Kid, you’ve probably been living under a giant rock. That’s because almost everyone has heard of the famous daredevil outlaw who ruled the American West in the 1800s. Sure, some of the stuff we’ve read online may be rumors or exaggerations […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Tonight We Ride

Tonight We Ride is a song by American singer-songwriter Thomas “Tom” George Russell. Although most well recognized in the Americana music tradition, his music also includes elements of folk, rock, and the cowboy music of the American West. Members of the Western Writers of America voted Tonight We ride together with another Russell song titled Navajo […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 18, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Bonanza

“Bonanza” is the musical theme for the NBC western television series also called Bonanza, starring Lorne Greene. Jay Livingston and Raymond Evans wrote the song for the series. It was orchestrated by David Rose and arranged by Billy May for the television series. Members of the Western Writers of America included it in the Top […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 18, 2022

Western Music

Western Song: Ballad of Ira Hayes

The Ballad of Ira Hayes is a song written by folksinger and songwriter Peter La Farge. Its words tell the story of Ira Hayes, one of six sailors who became famous for raising the United States flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Members of the Western Writers […]

The Lone Writer 3 years agoAugust 17, 2022

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