Saddle Up For Spring - 4/13/2013

Did You Know? - Some record companies in Atlanta turned away early artists such as Fiddlin' John Carson; while others realized that his music would fit perfectly with the lifestyle of the country's agricultural workers.

The first commercial recordings of what was considered country music were "Arkansaw Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw" by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson on June 30, 1922 for Victor Records and released in April 1923. Columbia Records began issuing records with "hillbilly" music (series 15000D "Old Familiar Tunes") as early as 1924.

Did You Know? - Preserved examples of various forms of spoons used by the ancient Egyptians include those composed of ivory, flint, slate and wood; many of them carved with religious symbols .

During the Neolithic Ozieri civilization in Sardinia, ceramic ladles and spoons were already in use. Ancient Indian texts also refer to the use of spoons. For example, the Rigveda refers to spoons during a passage describing the reflection of light as it "touches the spoon's mouth" (RV 8.43.10).

The spoons of the Greeks and Romans were chiefly made of bronze and silver and the handle usually takes the form of a spike or pointed stem. There are many examples in the British Museum from which the forms of the various types can be ascertained, the chief points of difference being found in the junction of the bowl with the handle.

Did You Know? - Some fictional Cowboys...

Hopalong Cassidy
Cisco Kid
The Lone Ranger
Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen
Lucky Luke
Red Ryder
Shane
Tonto
Zorro
Barbarosa
Marlboro Man
Pecos Bill and Slue-Foot Sue
Woody and Jessie, from the Disney/Pixar films Toy Story
Yosemite Sam from Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.

Did You Know? - A singing cowboy was a subtype of the archetypal cowboy hero of early Western films, popularized by many of the B-movies of the 1930s and 1940s. The typical singing cowboys were white-hat-wearing, clean-shaven heroes with the habit of showing their emotions in song.

Around the campfire, the original cowboys sang of life on the trail with all the challenges, hardships, and dangers encountered while pushing cattle for miles up the trails and across the prairies.

While much of what is included in the genre of "cowboy music" is "traditional," a number of songs have been written and made famous by groups like the Sons of the Pioneers and Riders in the Sky and individual performers such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Michael Martin Murphy, and other "singing cowboys." Singing in the wrangler style, these entertainers have served to preserve the cowboy as a unique American hero.

Did You Know? - Ken Maynard was the screen's first singing cowboy. He first appeared in silent motion pictures in 1923 and in addition to acting also did stunt work. His horsemanship and rugged good looks made Maynard a cowboy star. He recorded two songs with Columbia Records before making his first film with a musical soundtrack. He sang two songs in Sons of the Saddle (1930).

Did You Know? - This polka is a double circle dance. Boys on the outside girls on the inside. Cues: Heel toe heel toe slide clockwise 4 steps. Heel toe heel toe slide 4 steps counterclockwise. clap right hands 3 times clap left hands 3 times clap both hands 3 times clap your knees 3 times right elbow swing boys move on to the next girl clockwise.

Quotation To Remember:

• Always drink upstream from the herd.
• An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.
• Any cowboy can carry a tune. The trouble comes when he tries to unload it.
• Always take a good look at what you’re about to eat. It’s not so important to know what it is, but it’s critical to know what it was.
• Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.
• Generally, you ain't learnin' nothing when your mouth's a-jawin'.
• If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya.
• I took to the life of a cowboy like a horse takes to oats.
• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.
• It's better to keep your mouth shut and look stupid than open it and prove it.

Did You Know? - The term bandit (introduced to English via Italian around 1590) originates with the early Germanic legal practice of outlawing criminals, termed *bannan (English ban). The legal term in the Holy Roman Empire was Acht or Reichsacht, translated as "Imperial ban".

Did You Know? - A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context (i.e. regularly constituted armed forces or even guerrilla or insurgent forces) would usually be considered a battle or firefight (depending on size), rather than a shootout. Shootouts are often portrayed in action films and western films.

Did You Know? - Riding into the Sunset is a bronze sculpture by Electra Waggoner Biggs, depicting Will Rogers on his horse, Soapsuds. There are four castings, located in Fort Worth, Texas, Claremore, Oklahoma, Lubbock, Texas, and Dallas, Texas.

The work was commissioned in 1937, by Amon G. Carter, a friend of Rogers, following Rogers death in 1935. Biggs initially used Soapsuds as her model but was not satisfied with her animal anatomy. While living in New York City, she hired a police horse and model, as well as a veterinarian to check her horse anatomy, to aid in the work's completion.