going with the flow in medora, north dakota
When a highway-blocking railroad incident forced the cancellation of the Burning Hills Live! festival outside Medora, North Dakota we were sad to miss the opportunity to perform, especially since we knew that there were fans who had driven a long way to see us. Fortunately the quick-thinking organizers of the festival pulled off a near miracle and managed to get a sound system set up at an outdoor area in downtown Medora in record time. We played a show for an enthusiastic (but perhaps slightly chilly) crowd, and a great time was had by all. Thank you, Medora!
“Cool Water” never looked better than it did at our impromptu concert in downtown Medora, ND.
Photo courtesy of Carol Tessen Mauser.
Our new gospel recording is here!
Now available on our Shop page!
“It’s been 60 years since the Pioneers’ last full gospel album, so, hey, we figured it was time,” says Tommy Nallie, the group’s trail boss.
The album, which includes four songs composed by famous founding members Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer, offers longtime favorite hymns such as How Great Thou Art and The Old Rugged Cross and colorful cowboy spirituals such as Will There Be Sagebrush in Heaven and The Boss Is Hanging Out a Rainbow.
As any Pioneer fan would expect, all songs are wrapped in the group’s lush, signature harmonies. The album revisits songs that were recorded by earlier Pioneers, most in the 1940s and ‘50s. The new album’s three- and four-part vocal arrangements stay true to those earlier recordings, showcasing the enduring nature not only of the songs but also of the famed “Pioneer sound” itself.
celebrating MORE THAN 91 Years in the Saddle!
Kick up your boot heels and jangle your spurs with us! This year, the Sons of the Pioneers celebrate an unparalleled milestone: more than 91 unbroken years of best-in-the-West entertainment. It’s enough to make our heads spin like we’re trying to stay on ol’ Skyball Paint.
In late 1933, three talented musicians (including the man who would soon become Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys) were introduced on a Los Angeles radio station as the Sons of the Pioneers. Little did those young men know they were launching a juggernaut that would somehow survive the Great Depression, World War II, the advent of television, space travel, Elvis’s hips and rock ‘n’ roll, the Internet, the tech revolution, and a global pandemic.
Over the years the group’s myriad achievements in radio, movies, television, recordings, and on stage have been fueled by a steady rotation of now more than 40 talented musicians. The current group—Tommy Nallie, Ken Lattimore, John Fullerton, Paul Elliott, and Chuck Ervin—are proud to continue the Pioneer tradition and don’t take the responsibility lightly.
Tommy, who first signed on in 1983 and is now the group’s fourth trail boss, is committed to keeping those signature Pioneer harmonies pure and the musicianship top-notch. Most important, he says, is keeping the Pioneers’ musical campfire burning bright for years to come. “Ninety years is a mighty good run, but I’m betting 100 is gonna be even better!”
Meet the Sons of the pioneers
In this short video we talk a little bit about how this music developed, what makes it unique, and what this legacy means to us. Enjoy!
Connect with us!
Stop by our Facebook page and say howdy, follow us on Instagram, listen up on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp, or catch a couple of videos on our YouTube channel.
“The Sons of the Pioneers are American icons known around the world for their trademark harmonies and haunting lyrics that tell the story of the American West.”
“A Living Legend in their own time... an American institution.”
“The world’s premier cowboy singing group.”