Roy Rogers

The original multimedia cowboy star, Roy Rogers was a hugely popular public figure on records and radio, in films, and on television throughout the 1940s and '50s. He formed the cowboy singing group Sons of the Pioneers in the '30s, and they enjoyed major success with hits like “Tumblin' Tumbleweeds” and “Cool Water.” A few years later, Rogers began appearing in films as a singing cowboy, and the die was cast. His recording, TV, and radio careers spun off from his film success and made him one of the most ubiquitous celebrities of his era.