The Sons of the Pioneers have become a tradition. Since its inception in 1933 with Roy Rogers – back when he was still known as Leonard Slye – it has become one of the longest running western vocal groups in the world. They played in Yorkton as part of one of the first Saskatchewan tours the group has undertaken.
Tommy Nallie is the oldest member of the group, but when he first joined in 1983 he was one of the youngest, and he says this is how the group has continued to live over eighty years, a constant rotation. Young members learn the songs, get experienced with the group and eventually, when they’re the senior members, teach the songs to the new talent. There are members in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, Nallie says, and that was the case when he joined, the difference is that he’s the member in his 60s today.
The group is about keeping the music alive, and keep the tradition going. Nallie says that it’s an art that the group wants to keep alive.
“The one thing about this type of music that a lot of the older people remember is that back in the ‘40s and ‘50s when they were growing up, and maybe even earlier, they remember these songs being on the radio, and they remember that warm, fuzzy feeling they had when they were kids, mom and dad were there and there were no worries in the world. It brings them back there, and it makes us feel so good that we are doing that for them.”
The sound is most defined by the harmonies, and Nallie says that it’s a sound that’s hard to copy because of the way the sounds are arranged.
“You sing where your range is, so if the melody of the line, then the tenor singer sings it, and if the melody drops down, even in the same song, then the next guy sings and the tenor is singing harmony. That’s why we tell them to keep the mics even and the same, don’t think the guy in the middle is singing the lead and the next guy is singing backup... They didn’t plan it that way, it just happened that way.”
Ken Lattimore, who joined the group in 1998 after a successful audition the year before, says that playing in Saskatchewan has been a long time in coming for the group, because the province has the same rural heritage. Some of the most famous songs for the group were written by a Canadian, Bob Nolan, and he says that it’s not that different from home in Texas, apart from the temperature.
“People who live in rural areas like this, they really love western music, they love the really pure western music, and the music they heard with Roy Rogers in the
movies so far,” Lattimore says.
“Country music is inside and western music is outside. We sing about the prairies and the stars and the green fields, horses and coyotes,” Nallie adds.
It is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Lattimore, who has been a life-long fan of the group and says it was about getting the chance to get to sing great songs, written by great songwriters in the group that originated.
“Imagine the group you like the best, and actually joining them, that’s what it was like for me.”
Given that the tour has gone well, both men hope to get back to Canada soon, and Lattimore adds that he has found it to be a beautiful province with wonderful people, and wants the chance to explore it again.
