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367:, in which he played the part of "Luke Jones.” Gene Autry heard it and bought the song for a reported $ 200, making it his theme song. Whitley and Autry changed the order of the verse and chorus, and made a very slight change in the melody, resulting in the present popular version. It is one of the most recognized and recorded Western tunes in history.
260:. While working as a steelworker, he heard of an audition at a local radio station. He was hired as a pop singer and learned a few chords on a guitar to back himself. Soon he was backed by professional musicians, including the Frank Luther Trio. He formed "The Range Ramblers" and began to broadcast on
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acoustic guitar, which was initially known as the "Super Jumbo". Whitley used his own time and money to design a guitar, which he took to Gibson. He explained the features and merits of the instrument, suggesting that by presenting them to other stars of the day, would result in really putting the
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Gibson name on the musical instrument map. As a result, Whitley was the first performer to own a Gibson SJ-200, which is on display in the
Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. The SJ-200 has since become an American icon, and has been played by hundreds of different guitarists over the years.
413:." This highly esteemed guitar was marketed only in 1939, and featured the signature of Mr. Whitley on the headstock. 235 of these were made in mahogany, and 235 in rosewood. One of these instruments was the preferred guitar of American composer
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Total of 147 – RK Ray
Whitley Model No. 1027 (Rosewood back & sides, "bat wing" shaped bridge) Total of 170 – RK Ray Whitley Model No. 1028 (Mahogany back & sides, plain rectangle-style bridge)
264:. He then traveled with the World's Championship Rodeo organization, under the ownership of Colonel Johnson, renaming his band "Ray Whitley and The Six Bar Cowboys." Whitley was skilled in the use of the
417:, who recorded extensively on the instrument from 1969 until the mid-1970s. Fahey destroyed the guitar during a fight with his girl friend and replaced it with a
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First shipment of 1027s – January 23, 1939 – Last: February 27, 1940, First shipment of 1028s – June 23, 1939 – Last: June 13, 1940
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320:. RKO also gave Whitley a starring series of his own: 18 two-reel musical short subjects, produced between 1937 and 1942.
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Gibson
Shipping Ledgers show the following totals for the Montgomery Ward – Recording King Ray Whitley Jumbo Models:
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375:
Ray
Whitley died on February 21, 1979, while en route to a fishing trip to Mexico with his son-in-law, Hal Bracken.
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Breaks down like this: 143 No. 1027s shipped in 1939 Only 4 No. 1027s shipped in 1940
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and could remove a cigarette from a man's lips with a single stroke, using either hand.
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Whitley also endorsed another Gibson made guitar, sold by the mail order house
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115 No. 1028s were shipped in 1939 55 No. 1028s shipped in 1940
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as a specialty performer in the studio's "B" westerns starring
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Short subjects, starring Ray
Whitley and His Six Bar Cowboys
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Ray
Whitley's original Gibson SJ-200 is on display at the
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singer, songwriter, and actor, best known for writing the
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in 1930. He had traveled to New York where he became a
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Whitley recorded for several record labels, including
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in 1981 and, in 1996, Whitley was inducted into the
1393:"Article about rebuilding the Fahey Recording King"
323:In the late 1950s, Whitley made appearances on the
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62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
327:TV specials, he also appeared in the feature film
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1081:All produced and released by RKO Radio Pictures
244:, United States. He began his singing career in
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358:. The song was first performed by him in the
205:(December 5, 1901 – February 21, 1979) was a
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122:Learn how and when to remove this message
1481:20th-century American singer-songwriters
1414:The Guinness Who's Who Of Country Music
1328:The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music
14:
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395:Western Music Association Hall of Fame
446:Feature films, featuring Ray Whitley
71:"Ray Whitley" singer-songwriter
60:adding citations to reliable sources
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1466:American country singer-songwriters
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1491:20th-century American male singers
1375:"National Music Museum | USD"
529:The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen
391:Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
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193:Singer-songwriter, musician, actor
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1476:20th-century American male actors
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291:In 1937, Whitley had worked with
1486:Male Western (genre) film actors
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287:Development of the Gibson SJ-200
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308:In 1937, Whitley was signed by
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1416:. Guinness Publishing, 1993.
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232:Singing and live performance
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995:Renegades of the Rio Grande
389:. He was inducted into the
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380:Country Music Hall of Fame
348:Whitley wrote the classic
316:, and O'Brien's successor
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409:, under the house brand "
295:on the production of the
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495:Hopalong Cassidy Returns
355:Back in the Saddle Again
258:George Washington Bridge
220:Back in the Saddle Again
1471:Vee-Jay Records artists
1224:Red Skins and Red Heads
1194:Corralling a Schoolmarm
685:Racketeers of the Range
927:Riders of the Santa Fe
837:Land of the Open Range
587:Gehrig Party Guitarist
1164:Cupid Rides the Range
564:Where the West Begins
546:The Old Wyoming Trail
254:Empire State Building
1184:Molly Cures a Cowboy
1114:A Buckaroo Broadcast
916:Barton, Cattle Buyer
767:Cyclone on Horseback
753:Robbers of the Range
736:Along the Rio Grande
236:Whitley was born in
203:Raymond Otis Whitley
138:Raymond Otis Whitley
56:improve this article
18:Raymond Otis Whitley
1333:Guinness Publishing
1174:Bandits and Ballads
1032:Ray – Guitar Player
943:The Old Texas Trail
651:The Renegade Ranger
250:construction worker
1331:(First ed.).
1244:California or Bust
1234:The Musical Bandit
1154:Sagebrush Serenade
960:Hollywood and Vine
668:Trouble in Sundown
310:RKO Radio Pictures
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112:February 2020
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1408:Bibliography
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1323:Colin Larkin
1274:Range Rhythm
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173:(1979-02-21)
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54:Please help
49:verification
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29:
1456:1979 deaths
1451:1901 births
1433:Ray Whitley
1053:Uncredited
1035:Uncredited
1017:Keno Wilson
968:Uncredited
931:Deputy Hank
809:Dude Cowboy
702:Wagon Train
690:Ray Whitley
590:Uncredited
572:Uncredited
554:Uncredited
485:Uncredited
441:Filmography
419:Martin D-76
401:Instruments
339:Rock Hudson
190:Occupations
1445:Categories
1282:References
1050:Minor Role
983:Dan Muncie
622:Luke Jones
415:John Fahey
343:James Dean
325:Roy Rogers
150:1901-12-05
82:newspapers
1000:Tex Henry
605:Sam McGee
387:Tennessee
384:Nashville
333:starring
217:classic
948:Amarillo
318:Tim Holt
266:bullwhip
256:and the
1379:Usd.edu
600:Gun Law
582:Rawhide
350:Western
252:on the
242:Georgia
238:Atlanta
215:Western
211:western
207:country
184:Country
161:Georgia
157:Atlanta
96:scholar
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1095:Title
901:Gilroy
724:Johnny
482:Singer
467:Notes
461:Title
341:, and
293:Gibson
227:Career
180:Genres
163:, U.S.
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1092:Year
1087:Film
1068:Watts
1063:Giant
656:Happy
639:Steve
500:Davis
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458:Year
453:Film
352:tune
330:Giant
281:Decca
103:JSTOR
89:books
1437:IMDb
1418:ISBN
1337:ISBN
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663:1939
646:1938
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577:1938
559:1938
541:1937
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490:1936
472:1936
279:and
273:Okeh
262:WMCA
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168:Died
144:Born
75:news
1435:at
965:Tex
707:Ned
382:in
58:by
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1290:^
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