Back In The Saddle Again

Today is the anniversary of Gene Autry's birth. (1907-1998). I know I heard his music long before we had a TV, but I remember watching The Gene Autry Show (1950-1956) from the time we got our first TV in 1954 through 1956. 

The other singing cowboy, Roy Rogers, also had a TV show (1951-1957) and I much preferred watching him. Back In The Saddle Again was Autry's theme song, while Roger's was Happy Trails. 

Autry was born in a small town in Texas. He bought his first guitar from the Sears Roebuck Catalog for $8.00 when he was twelve years old. 

Before his TV show, he became popular as a singer and the movies he made in the 1930's.

And just as I became a fan of Bill Haley and the Comets, Elvis Presley and other rock and roll singers in the 1950's, I imagine Bud's mother felt the same about Gene Autry in the 1930's.

Which may be why she had her own Gene Autry 'Roundup' Guitar sold through the same catalog from which Autry purchased his first guitar though at a slightly higher price. 

This Gene Autry guitar sold for $9.75 from the Fall of 1932 through the Fall of 1938.

It was Lottie's wish that her guitar would go to her grandson Mark.

And that's just what happened when he visited us in December 2012.

I have no idea what this Gene Autry guitar might sell for today - nor whether or not Mark plays it - but it has stayed in the family. That's what matters.