Glenn Spencer
(1900 - 1970)
Tim Spencer's brother, Glenn, has become something of a mystery over the years although his music is still being played and recorded by modern western artists. He was an important extension of the Sons of the Pioneers although he was never a member of the group. Tim and Glenn wrote together and separately for the Pioneers and, from 1937 on, Glenn wrote for the movies. Glenn also wrote the words to the theme for TV's "Gunsmoke", a song called "Old Trail".
Biography by Lois (Chet) Spencer
Glenn Spencer: A Biography by Lois Spencer
My dad died when I was 12 and, when I married Chet, Glenn said that not only did I have a husband, I gained a father. He was a father to me from that moment until he died. I miss him still. It has been a joy to compile this story.
Glenn Joseph Spencer was born to Edgar and Laura Alice Spencer on August 16, 1900 in Webb City, Missouri. Glenn died in Simi Valley California December 19, 1970. There were eight boys and two girls in the Spencer family. The girls' were Eva and Buniece. The boys were Raymond, Forbes, Leo, Glenn, Ociola, Vern (Tim), Kenneth, and Dean. It was a very musical family. Their dad, Edgar was a musician. The brothers sang at church socials and civic events. Glenn played the violin and piano and sang.
The stories of Tim (one of the original members of the Sons of the Pioneers) and Glenn Spencer are closely intertwined. The brothers worked closely together for all of their adult life. The entire family stayed close with most of them ending up in Long Beach, California. Several of the brothers owned a hardware and paint store called “Spencer Brothers”.
The family got together occasionally for picnics. Because of the size of the family the picnics often took place at a park in Long Beach. There often were over 200 family members there.
Many people have asked how Glenn received the injury to his hand that was rumored to have kept him from a career as a classical pianist. Here is the story as it was told to me by Glenn. When Glenn and Tim were kids, Tim was playing with a lit dynamite cap from one of the nearby mines. Glenn, who was the older brother. rushed to grab it from Tim and throw it away from them. Before he could dispose of it, the cap exploded in his right hand and he lost the tip of his index finger and thumb.
Glenn met Wanda Ruth Mott in Picher, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of John and Emma Mott. John owned a grocery store in Picher and he was also the minister of a small church. Wanda played the piano in the church and she and Glenn met there. Wanda and Glenn were married in Miami, Oklahoma, on August 12 1924. Glenn was 23 and Wanda was 18. Wanda’s best friend Jewel married Glen’s brother, Ciola. They also eventually moved to California. In 1924 Wanda accompanied the Spencer brother, Glenn, Tim and Ciola as they sang on their very first radio broadcast from Joplin, Missouri.
Glenn’s movements back and forth between Picher, Oklahoma and Los Angeles were punctuated by the birth of his nine children. They showed the clear pattern of movement between the two states. The migration of the family took place against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the exodus from Oklahoma and the surrounding states due to an extended drought and the Dust Bowl. Glenn and Wanda had a large family. There are nine children. Seven boys and two girls: Jean, Paul, Bob, Vic, Rachel, Chet, Glenn Jr., Dick and Jim. All of his children are still living. The older three children were born in Oklahoma. Victor was born in California. Rachel and Chet were born in Picher when the family returned to Oklahoma. The family moved backed to Los Angeles when Chet was seven months old. Glenn, Dick and Jim were born in Los Angeles. All the children are still living.
Their house in Hollywood on Ardmore was a lively place. It was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow. Imagine getting all of those kids off to school! They loved the summertime when Tim’s children, Loretta and Harold, came to stay overnight.
This is a current photo of Glenn's home in Hollywood on Ardmore where he lived when the kids were young. The boys have told me many stories of the Pioneers practicing there. They have fond memories of Bob Nolan from that time when Glenn did music arrangements for the Sons of the Pioneers. All of the children remember various times when the Sons of The Pioneers practiced here.
While Glenn worked at many different jobs in his lifetime, he always described himself as a Composer and Arranger. Music was his passion. It has been noted by many family members that when he was driving, the car always lurched forward. It was the family’s contention that he was tapping his foot on the accelerator in time to the music playing in his head. His son, Chet, had an early morning paper route and recalls getting up early and finding his dad at 4:00 am sitting at his piano writing songs and doing arrangements. Glenn worked for "Spencer Brothers" in Long Beach for a time.
He was a machinist by trade and while in Picher worked in the Mines. He also worked as a machinist in Hollywood and for a time worked at Lambert Paints. He also worked as a “Dollar a Year Man” at Lockheed during WWII. This essentially meant that he volunteered his services as a machinist to the War effort. When he first came to LA, Glenn worked in the Federal Music Project and sang in the chorus of the Opera, Mikado. His son Paul attended one of the performances. The Federal Music Project was a government-funded project to keep Music artists employed during the Depression. He also worked for Safeway during that time.
His son Jim, the youngest, spent many happy hours with his dad while Glenn helped local Hollywood church choirs with their musical arrangements. The following are some of Jim's memories:
"Spencer Brothers Equipment and Supply was owned by Ray and, at one time or another, most of the brothers worked there. Dad also worked at Lambert Co. LTD. It was a very large store with a lot of warehouse space. Dad worked in the Paint Department. I remember that people would bring in paint samples in the form of paint chips, pieces of wood, etc. Dad had the knack of being able to mix colors to come up with an exact match. I know this because I, on occasion, worked there, too.
"Dad Worked on The Dr. Pepper show, the 10-2-4 Ranch, on radio. Glenn Jr. still has the transcriptions of the show. Some of the shows are also available on the net. Dad was also involved with The Beverly Hillbillies on radio. When CBS was about to release the TV series, they first had to deal with dad and the radio show cast. My understanding is that dad copywrited the name "Beverly Hillbillies". Dad was in the control room at CBS radio with Ken Darby (whom he worked with a lot on Choirs) on December 7,1941, when word of the [Pearl Harbor] attack came in.
"Dad had the ability to listen to a large group of singers and polish their abilities. I watched him do that once. He moved the singers around until the voices were blended. He next worked on their enunciation. He started out with a group that you could not understand and ended with a group that sounded almost as one. It, of course, took more than one session, but I saw the finished product later. This is what he did when he worked with Ken Darby.
"One day I came home from Hollywood High and George Montgomery was in our livingroom. Dad was playing piano and Mr. Montgomery was doing scales. At this time Variety Shows were very popular. I found out later that Mr. Montgomery's wife, Dinah Shore, wanted him to make an appearance. Dad was working with him to find a song or songs he could sing without sounding like a fool. Dad did so, and did the same thing for others. I met Johnny Western who sang the theme to "Have Gun Will Travel" in our living room on Carlos Ave.
"I remember living in a duplex apartment in Long Beach (mom, dad and I). I had gone from having a large family to being alone most of the time. Suddenly, in my first week in high school, things changed. We moved back to Hollywood and I went to Hollywood High. Later I was to find out that "Gunsmoke" caused the change. The royalties were enough to change our lives."
Laura Hogan Spencer, mother of Tim and Glenn, at the grave of her husband, Edgar.
May 30, 1942.
(Calin Coburn Collection)
This Dr. Pepper fanzine contains a rare photo of Glenn at the piano. The caption under it reads:
HE TEACHES TUNES FANCY TRICKS - Glenn Spencer, music arranger, takes tunes that are "plain vanilla" and gives them that "something added," to make 'em sparkle like a gay dessert with classy trimmings. He's never seen nor heard, but he's highly important to fine music.
This web page contains a listing of his music along with others he co-wrote with his brother Tim. He [and Tim] wrote a song called “Roses” which was recorded by Billy Eckstine and Jim Reeves. It was popular when Chet was at Le Conte Junior High School. He was President of the Student body and President of the Student Council and helped choose the music played over the public address system during lunch and loved playing the version by Billy Eckstein. The proof of the enduring quality of Glenn’s music is that both versions are available on iTunes today.
He also wrote chorale music, some of which has been sung in the Hollywood Bowl. Glenn also wrote music for TV and movies.
1943
Back: Hugh Farr,
Ken Carson, Tim & Glenn Spencer, ??, Bob Nolan, Pat Brady
Seated: the only one I recognize there is Velma Spencer on the right.
Photo courtesy of Rachel Spencer Osborne
You can see Glenn fourth from the left, next to Uncle Tim. As far as anyone remembers, this picture was taken in a Mexican restaurant that they went to often, "Casa Toluca" in Toluca Lake, not far from Warner Bros.
Glenn and Wanda Spencer at Hollywood Presbyterian Church.
This photo is taken in the '50s. A rare one with all of the family members present.
Standing: Vic, Bob, Jean and Paul.
On the couch:
Rachel, Wanda, Glenn and Chet
Front
row: Jim, Dick and Glenn Jr.
Lois, Glenn and Wanda 1958
Wanda and Glenn 1968
For permission to reprint either the text or the photos, contact Mrs. Spencer.
Songs written or co-written by GLENN SPENCER (from the BMI and ASCAP lists)
Key: G = Glenn Spencer, T = Tim Spencer, G/T = Glenn Spencer with Tim.
AMERICA FOREVER G AND A BUTTERFLY BRAIN G/T
APACHE ROSE CUES BABY I AIN T GONNA CRY NO MORE G/T BENEATH A UTAH SKY G BLOW WIND BLOW G BLUE BONNET GIRL G BLUE EYES G/T BLUE MOUNTAIN SWEETHEART G BOUND FOR THE ROLLING RANGE G CATTLE CALL RONDOLET G CHEROKEE STRIP G/T CHRISTMAS COWBOY G/T (& Red Rowe) COME AND GET IT G/T COWBOY S SWEETHEART A G/T DADDY S LITTLE COWBOY G/T (R Rowe) DO YOU LOVE ME HUH G/T DON JUAN G/T DOWN THE TRAIL G/T ECHO VALLEY G FINE PRINT G (& Sam Allen) FRIENDLY LITTLE COWTOWN
GHOST TOWN JAMBOREE G GOD BLESS MY DARLING G/T GOLDEN MEMORIES G GRASSHOPPER HEART G/T
GUNSMOKE HEADIN FOR THE VALLEY OF TOMORROW G/etc HI HO LITTLE DOGIES G HILL COUNTRY G HONOLULU BOOGIE G/T I BELONG TO THE RANGE G I LL GO TO WORK AND CRY G/T I LOVE THE PRAIRIE COUNTRY G I M GONNA SEE MY GAL IN TENNESSEE G/T/Rowe I M LOST WITHOUT YOU G I M TOO YOUNG TO DIE G/T I PAID MY TAXES IN TEXAS G (Lestrang) IF YOU RE LOVABLE G/T IN A FRIENDLY LITTLE COW TOWN G IT S A COWBOY LIFE FOR ME G JUBILATION JAMBOREE G
LET NOT ONE BE LOST G LET S FOLLOW THE TRAIL TO THE G LET S SAIL AWAY TO HEAVEN G/T LITTLE WHITE CROSS LITTLE WHITE CROSS ON A HILL LONG ABOUT SUNDOWN G/T LOVE AT THE COUNTY FAIR G/T MAN FROM RAINBOW VALLEY CUES MEAN AGE IN BETWEEN AGE BLUES MIDNIGHT TRAIN OF LONESOME VALLEY G MIGHTY ROCK G MISSION BELLS OF SAN FERNANDO G MOONLIGHT MELODY G MY DARLIN FROM NASHVILLE TENNESSEE G/T MY MADONNA OF THE TRAIL G (OTHERS) MY PAN AMERICAN PLAN G (R Lestrang) MY SECRET WISH G MY SWEET WILD FLOWER G/T/Rowe MY WISH FOR YOU NEW CHISHOLM TRAIL THE G NEXT DOOR TO HEAVEN G NIGHTTIME IN NEVADA CUES ONE LOVE G PLEASE DON T BE UNFAIR G (w Wilkins) PRAIRIE SINGS A LULLABY THE G PRETTY PLEASE LOVE ME G (w Sam Allen) RED LIPS WALTZ G/T (w OTHERS) RIGHT FROM MY HEART G (w OTHERS) RODEO JOE G ROLL ALONG LITTLE OLE BUCKSKIN G ROLL ON WITH THE TEXAS EXPRESS G/T ROSES G/T SAGEBRUSH SYMPHONY G SANTA FE NEW MEXICO G SANTA MONICA BALLROOM DANCE G/T SLEEPY HILLS G SO LONG TO THE RED RIVER VALLEY G SONG OF THE PRODIGAL G STEPPIN OUT G/T (wMcDonald) SURELY I CAN BELIEVE SWANNEE RHYTHM G SWEET HEARTACHE G/T TAKE YOUR TIME TIME NOR TIDE G (w Wilkins) TUMBLIN ON TUMBLEWEED CHRISTMAS TREE UKULELE POLKA G/T WALTZ OF THE ROSES THE G/T WE RE HEADIN FOR THE HOME CORRAL G/T WEST OF THE PECOS G WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS G /T/Rowe WHEN I SAID GOODBYE TO YOU G WHEN THE PRAIRIE SUN CLIMBS OUT OF THE HAY G/T WHEN WE GET OLD AND GRAY G WIGWAM SONG THE G WITH SOMEONE LIKE YOU G YIPPI YI YIPPI YO (aka "Born to the Saddle") G YIPPI YI YOUR TROUBLES AWAY G/T
The music was written by Rex Koury as thematic material, but Hollywood music publisher Max Herman saw its possibilities as a song. His friend, Glenn Spencer, supplied words for the theme. Originally published under the title "Old Trail," the song was written for the CBS radio show "Gunsmoke," which aired for the first time in the spring of 1952. When the popular radio show moved to television in 1955, the title of the theme song was changed to "Gunsmoke", lines were altered or rearranged and eighth notes were inserted to accommodate the added syllable required when the words "Old Trail" were replaced by "Gunsmoke trail." The TV show ran from 1955 to 1975. (p. 287 "For a Cowboy Has to Sing" by Jim Bob Tinsley.)
Gunsmoke Trail sung by Tex Ritter, 1955
A beautiful rendition of this song was recorded more recently by Don Edwards on a Rich O’Brien CD accompanied by Rich on the guitar.
Song of the Prodigal with Bob Nolan & the Sons of the Pioneers
"Little White Cross" (Invocation) sung by Ken Curtis & The Sons of the Pioneers
.jpg)
.jpg)
Santa Fe, New Mexico sung by The Sons of the Pioneers
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Copyright information courtesy of Laurence Zwisohn. (Co-writers are on the right.)
Blue Bonnet Girl 5/1/36
My Madonna of the Trail (m) 9/21/37 Leo Spencer (m) - Harry MacPherson (w)
Democracy Forever 4/2/41 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Aloha Moon 7/17/41 Ida Clarice Gowan
Headin’ for the Valley of Tomorrow 3/26/42 Ekko Whelan
There’s Only One Love for Me 3/26/42, 10/16/44 Ekko Whelan
Cherokee Strip 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
Come and Get It 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
A Cowboy’s Sweetheart 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
Don Juan 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
Down the Trail 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
‘Long About Sundown 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
Roll On With the Texas Express 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
We’re Headin’ for the Home Corral 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
When the Prairie Sun Climbs Out of the Hay 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
Yippi Yi Your Troubles Away 5/31/43 Tim Spencer
There’s Only One Love for Me 10/16/44 Ekko Whelan
Wigwam Song (Wug Wug) 12/1/44
Please Don’t Be Unfair 8/6/45 Charlie Wilkins aka Nat Vincent
Time Nor Tide 8/6/45, 12/30/48 Charlie Wilkins aka Nat Vincent
Invocation: To a White Cross 12/30/46 Ivan Ditmars
The Midnight Train (of Lonesome Valley)10/21/47
Time Nor Tide 12/30/48 Charlie Wilkins
Rockin’ Horse Rodeo (w) 8/10/49 Don George (m)
Santa Fe, New Mexico 12/28/49
Love at the County Fair 1/17/50,2/23/50 Tim Spencer
Roses 1/30/50, 4/10/50, 4/18/50 Tim Spencer
Jesus, Wonderful Jesus (based on Roses) 4/10/50, 8/10/54 Tim Spencer
Pretty Please, Love Me 5/18/50 Sam Allen
Red Lips Waltz (English lyric) 2/17/50, 6/16/50 Dutch lyric: Henry d’Albert -
music: Eddy Christiani - Frans Poptie - English lyric: Tim Spencer
I Ain’t Gonna Cry No More 8/28/50, 1/27/51 Tim Spencer
Let’s Sail Away to Heaven 8/28/50 Tim Spencer
Baby I Ain’t Gonna Cry No More 10/3/50, 1/27/51 Tim Spencer
Honolulu Boogie 10/3/50 Tim Spencer
A Grasshopper Heart and a Butterfly Brain 1/26/51, 2/21/51 Tim Spencer
Baby I Ain’t Gonna Cry No More 1/27/51 Tim Spencer
America Forever 5/18/51 Tim Spencer
Daddy’s Little Cowboy 5/21/51, 5/19/52 Tim Spencer - Red Rowe
Little White Cross (An Invocation) (w) 5/28/51 Tim Spencer (w) - Ivan Ditmars (m)
My Sweet Wild Flower 1/24/52 Tim Spencer - Red Rowe
The Waltz of the Roses 1/24/52 Tim Spencer
Daddy’s Little Cowboy 5/19/52 Tim Spencer - Red Rowe
Steppin’ Out 5/19/52 Tim Spencer - Colin MacDonald
Paper Flowers 12/19/52 Red Rowe
I Gotta Go 1/12/53
Love Don’t Ever Bother Me 1/12/53
Old Trail (w) (previously 1/12/53, 9/15/53 published as Gunsmoke)
Gunsmoke (w) (previously published as Old Trail) 1/28/53, 9/15/53, 10/1/53 Rex Koury (m)
Elizabeth 6/18/53
Mean Age In Between Age Blues 9/11/53, 11/3/53 Jack Rollins
Idaho Red 1/8/54 Frank Kauzlaric - Larry Sullivan
Jesus, Wonderful Jesus (based on Roses) 8/12/54 Tim Spencer
When You’re Making Love to Me 10/27/54, 12/23/54 Nat Vincent
The Tumbleweed Christmas Tree 11/5/54
Come What May 11/15/54
You’re So Lovable and
You Must Be Loved (m) 12/14/54 Virginia Richmond (w)
Say a Prayer for Me 1/10/55
Seruban 1/14/55
Eavesdropping 2/14/55
My Wish for You 2/14/55
Everything 2/21/55
The Master’s Voice 2/24/55
Epidemic 3/15/55
Mighty Rock 5/13/55
Satisfied 5/15/55
Beneath a Utah Sky 5/16/55
Blue Mountain Sweetheart 5/16/55
Cattle Call Rondolet 5/16/55
Friendly Little Cowtown 5/16/55
Hi Ho Little Doggies 5/16/55
If Someone Told You a Story (w) 5/16/55 Rex Koury (m)
I’m Glad the Roundup’s Over 5/16/55
Jubilation Jamboree 5/16/55
Prairie Lullaby 5/16/55
So Close to You 5/16/55 Virginia Richmond
Sunset Serenade 5/16/55
Supposing 5/16/55 Virginia Richmond
Take Your Time 5/16/55
West of the Pecos 5/16/55
When We Get Old and Gray 5/16/55
With Someone Like You 5/16/55
You, Just You 5/16/55
Lonesome Cowboy 6/16/55
Blow Wind, Blow 7/11/55
Blue Rain Drops 7/11/55 Dick Hakins
I Belong to the Range 7/11/55
Montana Moon 7/11/55
Funny Money 7/15/55
Careless Kisses 7/28/55 Virginia Richmond
Ghost Town Jamboree 7/28/55
Huckleberry Dumplin’s 7/28/55 Virginia Richmond
Pretty Little Stinker 7/28/55 Virginia Richmond
When I Grow Up 7/28/55 Virginia Richmond
Eliza 8/29/55 Virginia Richmond
Christmas Cowboy (based on Daddy’s Little Cowboy) 10/13/55 Tim Spencer - Red Rowe
Boy, Boy, Boy 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
Cuddle-Buggin’ Fever 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
Hep-Cap Hi Ho 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
Let Me In 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
My Johnny 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
One Hotfoot Muchacha 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
One White Lie 12/5/55 Virginia Richmond
Bonnie Dundee 3/22/56 Tim Spencer ?????
The Wanderer 3/22/56 Tim Spencer ???
Song of the Prodigal 4/5/56 Tim Spencer
Pretty Car Hop 5/2/58 Richard Talbot Hakins
The Girl I Left Behind 9/25/58 Richard T. Hakins
Caroline 3/22/61
Crossroads 7/11/61
Children’s Prayer 7/28/61
To All Generations (from Psalm 100) 7/28/61, 12/4/61
Surely, I Can Believe 8/3/61, 12/4/61