Rusty Richards
(songwriter and member of the Son of the Pioneers from 1963-1984)
"He gave us songs worth singing, about a world worth singing about."
•The Jenny Richards Memorial Voice Scholarship
I know that I will always owe a debt of gratitude to Bob, as well as to the other members of the Sons of the Pioneers. The group was forming the year I was born and took the name "Sons of the Pioneers" the following year, 1934, as you know. Therefore, there has never been a time for me when there was not a Sons of the Pioneers. Bob's music has been as much a part of my world as grass, trees, horses, cattle, fresh air, and sunshine.
I can't honestly say I never dreamed that I'd one day become a member of the group because that's exactly what I did do, and at a very early age.
I will never forget the first time I stood before a large audience having just sung the opening theme "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and in response to tremendous applause, heard Lloyd say, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are the Sons of the Pioneers...." There was no doubt in my mind that everyone else on stage were the Sons of the Pioneers - Lloyd, Dale, Roy and Pat. But me? Well, there I was, and no one came up and said, "Get off the stage." As a matter of fact, the audience was great to me as they have been ever since.
Needless, to say, I'm proud of every member of the Sons, past and present. And I'm grateful to all of them for enriching my life with the music I love. Bob's contribution to the success of the group was enormous. Not only for writing so much of the music, but also for the winning sound he gave the group with his unique voice.
I realize more as I write this brief letter that, even if I continue to write until my letter became as thick as the phone book, I would surely not be able to describe all the ways that Bob has affected my life.
But the ways would include such things as my young wife, Amy, putting a stack of Pioneer albums (given to me by Tim Spencer) on to play while our first baby, Jenny, napped or listened quietly. Either she or I continued to do this for each of our next three children, Jason, Molly and Amy Jo, as well.
Or sitting in a motel room someplace with some good friends like Dick Goodman, Joanie Hall, Hi Busse and Pete Logan, and marveling at the great lyrics and beautiful melodies that Bob wrote as we tried our best to sound like the Pioneers.
Or looking at a Robert Wagoner painting and feeling a love of nature and the West that Bob's music did so much to inspire.
Or, driving down a highway somewhere in Canada in Roy Lanhams' bus as he rode shotgun, Pat Brady cooked some lunch on the stove and Lloyd Perryman and Dale Warren patiently taught me my part to "A Summer Night's Rain".
Or, way back back before I joined the Pioneers, going to see the Dodgers play the Mets with Ken Curtis and, as people passed all around us, Ken stood with one hand on my shoulder and the other on Amy's and sang so only we could hear, "The Mystery of His Way". What a way to hear the song for the first time! It was marvelous!
The list of memories and friends goes on and on. There's no way of placing a value on these things as they are priceless. How do you put a price on the great feeling I've had so many times, as Roy Rogers said, "These guys are more like brothers to me," as he introduced us.
Yes, I have a lot to be grateful for and a great deal of the gratitude I owe to Bob Nolan. I know my debt to him will never be fully paid but perhaps I can begin by pledging to do my part in seeing to it that, as Dale [Warren] has said so many times since Bob's passing, "His songs will live forever."
He gave us
songs worth singing, about a world worth singing about. (Pioneer News No. 10-13,
Page 3)
Left: Bob Nolan, Bill Bowen and Rusty Richards with a Robert Wagoner painting titled "Following the Stream" after Nolan's song, "I Follow the Stream". Rusty and his wife, Amy, have the painting.
Right: Bob introduces "Three Friends Have I" to Rusty.
September 30, 2006
Hi Elizabeth,
I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for the wonderful
work you have done to honor our friend the late great Bob Nolan.
Hugh McLennan sent me a CD of Spirit of the West, part one, and I
played it yesterday and it is wonderful. The Memories that Dick Goodman shared
are terrific and I loved reading them also. I treasure the times I spent with
Bob and love the great legacy of western songs he wrote. He was a great source
of inspiration for me.
Thank you again Elizabeth.
My best,
Rusty Richards
First Annual Jenny
Richards Memorial Benefit Recital
The First Annual Jenny Richards
Memorial Benefit Recital was held at Irvine Valley College on February 7 2009, to raise funds
for the endowment of the Scholarship in Jenny's name––The
Jenny Richards Memorial Voice Scholarship––for
vocal students at Irvine Valley College.
For those unable to attend, we would like to
encourage you to send a donation, no matter how small, to Irvine Valley College
5500 Irvine Center Drive, CA 92618. Your donation should
be made out to The Jenny Richards Memorial Voice Scholars hip Fund. it would be
greatly appreciated by all of us who love her and appreciate all that she did
with her talent!
Irvine Valley College main phone number: (949) 451-5100
Jenny attended Irvine Valley College where she graduated with high honors and
received a substantial scholarship to Chapman University where she graduated
with honors and a bachelor's degree in music. Some of her beloved teachers at
Irvine Valley College, notably Jan Wyma, and Frank Pangborn, saw fit to honor
her with this Memorial Vocal Scholarship. There are only two student
Scholarships at Irvine Valley College; and Jenny's is the only vocal
scholarship. We are so very grateful for this tribute to Jenny.
Amy and Rusty Richards
The song you are listening to is "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" featuring Rusty Richards and the American Cowboys:
I was digging through some old rehearsal tapes from 1986 featuring Rusty Richards, Bob Wagoner, and me and came across these two songs. This was a trio we put together especially for an annual Western film festival being held in Ogden, Utah back in the '80s. Rusty had been appearing there previously conducting seminars on the songs that were used in Roy's movies. His seminars were so well received that he asked Bob and me to join him at the 1986 event with some three-part harmony. (Dick Goodman)
