Born in Tioga, Texas, Autry was raised in Texas and Oklahoma. Discovered by humorist Will Rogers, in 1929 Autry was billed as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy" at KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He gained a popular following, a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1929, and soon after, performed on the "National Barn Dance" for radio station WLS in Chicago. Autry first appeared on screen in 1934 and up to 1953 popularized the musical Western and starred in 93 feature films. In 1940 theater exhibitors of America voted Autry the fourth biggest box office attraction, behind Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, and Spencer Tracy.
While best known today as the singer of such holiday fare as Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane), Frosty The Snowman, Peter Cottontail, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the second all-time best selling Christmas single of all time, Autry made 640 recordings, including more than 300 songs written or co-written by him. His records are reputed to have sold more than 100 million copies. His recording of That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine is reputed to have sold more than 5 million copies. Autry's other significant recordings include:
* You Are My Sunshine (1931)
* A Face I See at Evening (1931)
* The Last Roundup (1933)
* Cowboy's Heaven (1934)
* South of the Border (1934)
* Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935)
* Mexicali Rose (1935)
* Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle (1935)
* Gold Mine in the Sky (1937)
* Back in the Saddle Again (1939)
* Blueberry Hill (1941)
* Be Honest With Me (1946)
* Ghost Riders in the Sky (1949)
* Nobody's Darlin' but Mine (1957)
From 1940 to 1956 Autry hosted the weekly Melody Ranch radio show over the CBS Radio Network, featuring Autry's trademark theme song Back In The Saddle Again. In addition, Autry's popularity was apparent during his personal appearance tours. Claimed to have been the first performer to sell out Madison Square Garden, his concert and rodeo appearances throughout the United States and Europe served as a model for other performers. Autry often did two shows a day, seven days a week, for 65 to 85 days at a stretch.
In 1950, Autry became one of the first major movie stars to turn to television. For the next five years he produced and starred in 91 half-hour episodes of The Gene Autry Show for CBS Television. This success lead him to produce such popular TV series as Annie Oakley, The Range Rider, Buffalo Bill Jr., The Adventures Of Champion as well as the first 39 episodes of Death Valley Days.
He carried his love for entertaining and sharp business sense into broadcasting, where, under the Golden West Broadcasters banner, he owned a chain of radio and television stations throughout the Western United States, including KMPC and KTLA in Los Angeles and KSFO in San Francisco until the late 1980's. His other business interests included the Gene Autry Hotel in Palm Springs, and several other properties. He ranked for many years on the Forbes magazine list of the 400 richest Americans, before he fell in 1995 to the magazine's "near miss" category with an estimated net worth of $320 million.
Autry's broadcasting interests that led him in 1960 to acquire the then expansion Los Angeles Angels American League baseball franchise (later the California Angels). After his retirement from performing in the mid-1960's, much of Autry's time was spent unsuccessfully attempting to win a World Series' championship for his Angels. When he became the first country musician to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said that there's "only one day that will be bigger than this one for me, and that's when we win the World Series." Autry was a fixture at Angels' games for the rest of his life.
Autry's long-cherished dream came true with the opening in November 1988 of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum, since acclaimed as one of the finest museums on the history and mythology of the West.
Among the many hundreds of honors and awards Autry has received were induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame; the American Academy of Achievement Award, the Los Angeles Area Governor's Emmy from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; and the Board of Directors Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Achievement in Arts Foundation. Autry was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, The National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and he received The Songwriters Guild Life Achievement Award. He was also honored by his songwriting peers with a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP.
Gene Autry died at his home in Studio City, California on October 2, 1998 at the age of 91.
Red River Valley
Gene Autry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our pathways a while.
Do you think of the valley you're leaving
Oh how lonely and dreary it will be?
Do you think of the fond heart you're breaking
For a long time my dear I've been waiting
For the words that you never would say
And alas my poor heart you are breaking
For they tell me you're going away
As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged mid the flowers
Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the one who has loved you so true.
Gene Autry's song Red River Valley is a ballad about a man who is bidding farewell to his loved one who is leaving the Red River Valley. The song expresses the sadness and heartbreak that the singer feels knowing that his loved one is leaving with the sunshine that brightened their path for a while. The singer questions if his loved one thinks of the valley that they are leaving, and how it will be lonely and dreary without them. He further questions if his loved one has considered the sadness she has cast over him, knowing fully well that his fond heart is breaking.
The singer laments over the fact that he has been waiting for a long time for his loved one to say the words that she never uttered. He sadly reveals that his heart is breaking because they are telling him his loved one is leaving. He wishes her well as she goes to her home by the ocean, but pleads with her to remember the sweet hours that they spent together in the Red River Valley and the love they exchanged amidst the flowers. He asks her to sit by his side if she indeed loves him and not to haste in bidding him farewell as he hopes she will always remember him.
Overall, the song is a touching and emotional portrayal of a man's love for a woman, and his deep sadness knowing that she will be leaving him.
Line by Line Meaning
From this valley they say you are going
It has been said that you are leaving this valley
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
I will miss the way you light up this place with your presence
For they say you are taking the sunshine
It is believed that you are taking away the happiness and joy we have been experiencing
That has brightened our pathways a while.
The happiness you brought into our lives will be a memory of the past
Do you think of the valley you're leaving
Have you considered the pain and sorrow you will cause by leaving this place
Oh how lonely and dreary it will be?
This place will feel bleak and lifeless without you around
Do you think of the fond heart you're breaking
Have you thought about the hurt and pain you are causing me
And the sadness you cast over me.
You have left me with a feeling of sadness and despair
For a long time my dear I've been waiting
I have been waiting for you to express your love for a long time now
For the words that you never would say
The words of love that I have been longing to hear have never left your lips
And alas my poor heart you are breaking
Your decision to leave me has shattered my heart into pieces
For they tell me you're going away
The news of your departure has come to me from different sources
As you go to your home by the ocean
While you journey to the ocean where your home is
May you never forget those sweet hours
I hope that you will always have fond memories of the times we shared together
That we spent in the Red River Valley
These sweet memories were formed when we were in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged mid the flowers
We shared a love that blossomed like the flowers in the valley
Come and sit by my side if you love me
If you truly love me, come sit by my side
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
Do not rush to say goodbye to me
But remember the Red River Valley
Remember the happy times we spent in the Red River Valley
And the one who has loved you so true.
Remember the one who has always loved you truly and deeply
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carl Cotner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nbenefiel
My mom passed 30 years ago but I can still hear her singing this. She grew up on a North Dakota farm, met my dad inLA during WWII.
@Little-She-Devil
This song makes me think of the long road of life my mother walked her whole life until she died at the age of 60 because of cancer .
Now I’m walking that road with my brother sister and my dad
Without my mother.
And one day my road wil end and my family wil continue that road without me.
@tillabezuidenhout6460
So nostalgic for me.
@patsalas5170
I used to sing this song with my grandpa..how is it I remember the words 67 years later...😆❤❤
@joshuawalton5052
An old man in the nursing home wanted to hear this song.he sang it for me then I played it for him on the piano. This song is still bringing joy for the old
@kateallsop6572
Another of his beautiful songs with lovely words and a devoted man ,
@claudezambelli4033
my dads favorite we are playing this song tomorrow at his funeral💜
@jimmartin7881
Sorry Claude, this'll be my first Thanksgiving without my pop, somehow I thought he'd live forever. It doesn't seem real and the hurt hasn't gone away one bit. Hopefully our dad's are sitting somewhere nice listening to this and relaxing, stay safe, be well and my condolences to you and yours.
@claudezambelli4033
thanks your kind thoughts.
@lando6420
@jim martin .