Tex Ritter: From Texas to Broadway, etc.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 3 Oct 2000 11:14 am

More from www.tipworld.com

Written by Michael Simmons. (Never met the man. Have no idea what he's talking about.)

TEX RITTER GOES FROM TEXAS TO BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD TO NASHVILLE

"Tex Ritter, who was one country music's most famous singing cowboys, took a circuitous route to stardom. Although he was raised on a ranch in Texas, he had ambitions to become a lawyer. While he was attending
law school at the University of Texas, he decided to become an actor, so he headed to New York to try his luck. After working in a few shows, he got a part in "Green Grow the Lilacs," the play that was the basis for the musical "Oklahoma." Part of his role was to play guitar and sing western songs during the scene changes, which led to his being invited to sing on various radio shows. A film producer heard him and hired him to star in a series of westerns to compete with Gene Autry. By the time singing cowboys became old hat, he had made 85 movies and begun a new career as a country singer. Throughout the 1940s, Tex Ritter songs, like "I'm Wasting My Tears on You," "You
Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often," and "You Will Have to Pay," were regular visitors to the top of the charts. In 1953, Ritter recorded "Do Not Forsake Me," the theme song of the Gary Cooper western "High Noon." In 1961, he scored his last top-five country hit with his recording "I Dreamed of a Hill-Billy Heaven." In 1965, he moved to Nashville, where he finally became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Ritter continued to perform there until he died of a heart attack in 1974.

By Michael Simmons

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 3 Oct 2000 11:29 am

I was just about to make a cynical wise-ass disparaging remark about the outstanding body of work his son John Ritter has left behind, like "Three's Company", when I looked at the cubicle I'm sitting in as I type this and considered the impact my existence has had on the world to date and the likelihood that anyone outside of my immediate circle of friends, family and coworkers will ever even know I existed..and the coworkers won't care as long as they can have my bookshelf when I'm gone...if you put 'em side by side, John Ritter has done pretty well for himself.

rmason · Post by **rmason** » 3 Oct 2000 12:03 pm

We don't all get a leg up like John Ritter,
Hank, Jr., Pam Tillis, and hundreds of
other kids of stars. I'm really happy to
be who I am and that you, Pat, are who you
are with your cool posts that we wouldn't
otherwise have. Remember that for every
adoring fan, those folks have a hundred out there who can't stand them.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 3 Oct 2000 3:19 pm

I believe during the time Tex was in New York
City he had a contract with Decca circa 1937.
His version of Singing in the Saddle is on the Decca from the Vaults Box Set

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 4 Oct 2000 5:52 am

I used to listen to the Grand Ole Opry on WSM radio nearly every Saturday night back in the 50's 60's and 70's. Tex Ritter was singing "New Moon Over My Shoulder" on his portion of the show and I heard one of the best twin steel guitar and Electric guitar breaks by, who I believe was, either Weldon Myric or Hal Rugg, and Leon Rhodes, I had ever heard, I thought that Tex was in the groove that night. A couple of days later, I read where he had died of a heart attack. Tex could sing a good country song. This song may have been the last one he sang on the Opry?

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 4 Oct 2000 8:56 am

I produced a show with Tex,Jack Greene, and others in June of 1973 at the Columbia Township Auditorum. We used a big Mobile unit with 2" quad tape and recorded the shows as they performed live. The tapes are still in the tape vault as the guy ran out of money and never got to edit a complete show.
Vern<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Vernon Hester on 04 October 2000 at 09:57 AM.]</p></FONT>