Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-23

1t was always the town or city felloN
who knew the songs to the bitter enc
never the cowboy. But the girls an
professors" In the western music hall
knew the songs and sang them 70
the entertainment Of the cowmen VIII
visited their places.
The correctness Of my conclusion ha.
, been borne out to my own satisfaction
by attendance at the annual reunion
of the Montana Cowboys association
held in Great Falls during the pas
three years at which have been present
from 300 at the first one, to 450 al
the second and nearly 800 at that o.
1910, of old-time brand owners, vet
eran COWBOYS and sons Of both still
engaged in the stock business. During
the three reunions no old-time cowboy
has been heard even attempting tt
raise his voice in song, not even In
the dipping vat" where old friends
gather to renew friendships of so years
or more and to recall the range days
and to tell stories Of bad horses
leader" and outlaw steers and OF
"jobs" put up on this or that fellow
and jokes played on others. But never
Gangs All Here"
observations did some of what might
be called research" work in the mat
ter. started in by asking Sid Willis
| if Charlie Russell could sing. Willis
was for many years rider for the
old Home Land g. Cattle Co., of the
/ Nedringhaus brothers, which ranged
cattle all over eastern and northern
Montana; he is a former sheriff of
Valley county, former United States
marshal for Montana and owner of
the states largest collection Of the
paintings of the cowboys artist,
Charlie Russell.
Russell Couldn't Even Hum
sid" said /, could Charlie Russell
sing cowboy songS2"
Sid looked at me in amazement. I
don't think he even intended answer
ing my question, until I insisted by
repeating it. Then I thought he was
going to swallow his cigar. You know
It's usually half way down, anyhow.
He played safe this time by removing
it from his mouth.
mo" he said, Charlie couldn't even
hum a tune. That's one story that's
never been told about Charlie and
there have been lot told, some true,
some not.
"One of the most outrageous lies
ever told about Charlie was that he
used to draw pictures to pay for drinks
in saloons. There was never a word of
truth in that. Quite the contrary.
Everybody was tumbling over them
selves in an effort to achieve the honor
of buying drinks for him. Scores Of
times have known him to either leave
the place altogether or secrete himself
in the back room to get away from
those who wanted him to drink with
them"
Sid's statement regarding Charlie
RlIssell's lack of singing ability was
corroborated by Finch David of Utica,
Fergus county, a saddle companion Of
RuSsell's probably for q longer period
than any other surviving old-time
'No'" said Finch in answer to my
question. Charlie couldn't sing note
any more than I could"
Finch then told me story of time
when he and Russell were riding for
the Ben Phillips outfit In northern
Montana. There was another rider
with the outfit, said Finch, who imag-
ined he could sing. One evening Rus
sell, IN q wagon camp, sat down on
his bedron and raised his voice In song.
After his first effort he asked Finch
to Join and help him hit the right key.
Finch came to Russell's assistance.
mo, no." said Russell, that's too
high" He then appealed to the COW
boy who thought he could sing and
the three of them let go altogether.
The result was barrage of boots,
chunks of firewood, COW chips and any
thing else within reach of the re-
mainder of the camp population in
protest against what must have been
indeed a raucus vocal outburst. THAT |
ended the concert" said Finch, land !
it came out just the way Charlie had
Charlie and Finch assuaged the
wounded feelings of their contempor-
airy by assuring him that his effort |
was really fine and he, rejoicing In |
the euphenious cognomen Of Cray |
Bill" believed them and their denun-
Citations of the other cowboys, VINO |
they convinced him, were really unable |
to appreciate good music.
Most COnsiderate OF Men
'I never heard Charlie Russell insult |
q man nor say anything 10 hurt an !
others feelings during all the years I
knew him." said Finch. HE was one
Of the most considerate men have
ever known"
Thus Sid and Finch both assured me
that the old-time cowboy song for the
most part was the product Of city song
writer's and musicians, sung for the
most part by honky-tonk singers. Cow
boys carried back to the range with
hem q fragmentary recollection OF
lhe songs, but If two cowboys were
trying to sing the same song, they
usually had a different tune for it,
neither of them recognizable.
Having known Finch David for more
han 80 years I am quite convinced
hat he told me the truth when he
;aid he never could sing, cowboy songs,
Dr. anything else.
Once I thought heard him sing
ing, but upon investigation found he
was not Finch was running the livery
barn in the old mining camp of Ken
iall at the time, and had Just ridden
n from the lower Judith river. had
stabbed and unsaddled my horse and
started to leave the barn when heard
something that sounded like 1t might
be an effort on the part of Finch to
sing.
I turned back to make sure But he
wasn't singing. He was cussing my
;addle horse, Blackbird, which had
lust kicked at him as he entered the
tall with a fork full of hay. 1t came
nut in a sort Of singsong, showing
ong practice, but not to any particular
une. I thought for a minute he was
rofno IN f19rr the Walls nf hfq urrath