Dale Warren
(1925 - 2008)
Dale Henry Warren was born June 1, 1925, in Rockford, Illinois into the musical family of Henry ("Uncle Henry" of the Kentucky Mountaineers) Green and Wava Adams Warren. Dale debuted early, standing on a box to play his bass fiddle for their radio programs, and grew up performing. (Read his full story in "Hear My Song" by Ken Griffis.)
Dale married Margie DeVere also known as "Fiddlin' Kate", a talented musician and composer. They appeared on various television programs and recorded with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage. But it was when he joined the Sons of the Pioneers at the end of 1952 that he found his niche. When Lloyd Perryman died in 1977, Dale became the leader of the Sons of the Pioneers. Dale Warren remained with the group for 56 years until his death in 2008.
"Bob Nolan was in the studio [during his first recording session with the Sons of the Pioneers] and I guess he sensed that I was a bit nervous. Nolan called me over to the side and said, 'Dale, don't worry about being nervous. I never got over being nervous, whether it was on stage or on a recording session and don't concern yourself about not being good enough. Just be yourself and you'll do fine.' I've always remembered those kind words and at the time they meant a great deal to me." (p. 161 Hear My Song, 1994)
Recordings with the Sons of the Pioneers
PHOTO GALLERY under construction
Dale
Warren was crooning ballads with his warm, soothing voice, years before Jim
Reeves and a couple of others changed their styles to “smooth” and made
millions. One wonders what would have been in store for Dale if he had decided
to become a country cross-over artist, rather than sticking with Western music.
Instead, he devoted his career, and his life, to Western music and to keeping
the music of the Sons of the Pioneers alive.
As a result, he was a member of the
Sons of the Pioneers, and their leader, longer than any other member. After
working for about a year with Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage,
Dale joined the Pioneers in Dec.1952. He became the leader in 1977 and continued
until his death in 2008. The Sons of the Pioneers are now the longest-running
singing group in history.
The big record companies began to
ignore Western music in the 1970s, but under Dale’s leadership, the Pioneers’
personal appearances with Roy Rogers and on their own began to pick up
considerably. A large fan club was formed and their popularity soared once
again. They made a number of appearances on national TV in the late 1970s
through the 80s, and were popular at major rodeos, huge arenas like the
Astrodome, and venues like Las Vegas and Reno. They received the Pioneer Award
from the Academy of Country Music (1978), were inducted into the Country Music
Hall of Fame (1980) and were honored by the Smithsonian (1979). In 1989, they
became the first group to be inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame.
The group continued to travel
extensively, especially as long as Roy Rogers continued to perform on TV and the
road. But in the 1990s, as the road became more tiring, both Roy and the
Pioneers began to think about how to continue to bring their music to interested
audiences without the heavy strain of extensive travel. Dale made arrangements
for the Sons of the Pioneers to find a home, at least for the winter months, at
the Triple C Chuck Wagon in Tucson. Later, they set up shop in Branson, where
they still play today to enthusiastic crowds at their theater.
Through numerous changes in
personnel, Dale had to adjust the part he sang from lead to baritone (or bass)
to accommodate the voices of new members. It was difficult, but it worked, and
the Pioneers “sound” has been maintained through the years.
The Sons of the Pioneers are widely
recognized as the most important group in the history of Western music. After
Lloyd Perryman died, the Sons of the Pioneers didn’t fade away. Dale Warren kept
the group going and he brought the sound of the Sons of the Pioneers into the
21st Century. Thanks to his talent and his dedication to the legacy of Sons of
the Pioneers, their legend lives on for modern-day audiences to enjoy
“in-person.” (O.J. Sikes)