Eugene Rogers (March 23, 1917 - November 23, 1993), known professionally as Smokey Rogers, was an American Western swing musician and songwriter active during the 1940s and 50s on the West Coast.
Born in McMinnville, Tennessee, Rogers joined Spade Cooley's band in the 1940s (who gave Rogers his stage name). Tex Williams, Rogers and other members of Cooley's band formed a group called The Western Caravan. Both groups featured Rogers on vocals for novelty songs.[1]
Rogers co-wrote "Spanish Fandango" with Bob Wills, released in 1947. In 1949, he had a modest hit with "A Little Bird Told Me". Rogers is best known for writing the ballad "Gone", first recorded by Ferlin Husky 1952. When Husky re-recorded the song in 1956, it reached No. 1 on the country chart. It remained there for ten weeks and crossed over to the pop chart.[2] He also wrote "My Chickashay Gal", popularized by Roy Rogers.
From 1947 - 50, Eugene Rogers appeared in at least 22 of Universal Studios' "musical featurettes" with Tex Williams. In 1950, he bought the Bostonia Ballroom in El Cajon, California near San Diego and started a daily live TV show from the facility. In 1958, he was also doing a radio show on 50,000 watt X.E.R.B. in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. He programmed both sides of a Zane Ashton (aka Bill Aken) record of 'The Wind Running Through" with the flip side being the same song in Spanish and called "El Viento." The resulting sales in Mexico gave Ashton his first gold record.
Rogers and his first wife, Madelene, had 6 children; Laura Jo, Carl, Harold, Ruth-Ann, and twin sons, Roy and Rex Rogers. Rogers and his second wife lived in Apple Valley, California for several years where he was a local radio personality and performed regularly at the Branding Iron Restaurant. He died in San Diego on November 23, 1993 at age 76.[3]
| Year | Part # | Titles | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Star Records | ||||
| 1945 | 1019 | Shame On You // Please Give Me One More Chance | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Four Star Rangers' | |
| 1945 | 1020 | What It Means To Be Blue // Blues In My Mind | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Four Star Rangers' | |
| 1946 | 1067 | Don't Try To Pretend // Turn My Picture Upside Down | as 'Buck Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1946 | 1068 | Are You Somebody's Darlin' // Double Trouble | as 'Buck Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1946 | 1136 | No Vacancy // I Let My Wife Support Me | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1946 | 1137 | Tho' I Tried (I Can't Forget You) // Texas Tornado | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1947 | 1153 | Seven Come Eleven // Huggin' And Chalkin' | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1947 | 1154 | Why, Oh Why, Did I Ever Leave Wyoming // I Ain't Gonna Cry No More | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1947 | 1157 | Possum Song // I Can't Help The Way You Feel | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1947 | 1158 | No She Don't – Yes She Does // Carry Me To Tucumcari | as 'Smokey (Buck) Rogers & His Texans' | |
| 1947 | 1182 | Chime Bells (v: Texie Holle) // Flying Saucers [duet] | as 'Texie Holle & Smokey Rogers' | |
| 1947 | 1183 | How Lonely Can Yo Get (v: Texie Holle) // Goin' Down The Road [duet] | as 'Texie Holle & Smokey Rogers' | |
| Capitol Records | ||||
| 1948 | 40080 | Spanish Fandango // Drinkin' And A-Thinkin' | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1948 | 40098 | Chickashay Gal // Slap 'Er Down Agin, Paw | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1948 | 40123 | Don't Come Cryin' To Me // Blue Bonnet Polka | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1948 | 15217 | Hair Of Gold, Eyes Of Blue (with The McCall Twins) // Ball Of Fire | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1948 | 15326 | A Little Bird Told Me // Baby Me, Baby | as 'Smokey Rogers' | |
| 1949 | 15406 | Sui Sin Fa // Ten More Miles | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1949 | 40199 | A Kiss To Remember // The Spelling Song (I L-O-V-E U) | as 'Smokey Rogers' | |
| 1949 | 40230 | Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief // Make Believe Heart | as 'Smokey Rogers with Tex Williams' Western Caravan' | |
| 1950 | 40284 | (Without Your) Wedding Ring // Dimples Or Dumplin's | as 'Smokey Rogers' | |
| 1950 | F864 | Bloodshot Eyes [duet] // Doin' Fine (v: Ann Jones) | as 'Ann Jones & Smokey Rogers' | |
| 1950 | F986 | Rubber Knuckle Sam (v: Smokey Rogers) // The Dipsy Doodle | as 'Cliffie Stone & His Hometown Jamboree Gang' | |
| Coral Records | ||||
| 1950 | 64052 | Nine-Tenths Of The Tennessee River (Are The Tears I Shed Over You) // New Panhandle Rag | as 'Smokey Rogers & His String Band' | |
| 1950 | 64057 | The Texas Song // Trouble Then Satisfaction (v: Jimmy Widener) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His String Band' | |
| 1950 | 64063 | Lose Your Blues (v: Ferlin Husky) // Tamburitza Boogie | as 'Smokey Rogers & His String Band' | |
| 1951 | 64077 | Catch Me Cheatin' // Oh How I Cry About You (v: Dean Eacker) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His String Band' | |
| 1951 | 64088 | Irma Is The Name Of My Baby // Tulsa Trot (with Joaquin Murphey) | as 'Smokey Rogers & The Western Caravan' | |
| 1951 | 64092 | Steel Guitar Jubilee (instrumental) (with Joaquin Murphey) // Wear My Ribbon | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| Western Caravan Records | ||||
| 1952 | 901 | Gone // Blue | as 'Smokey Rogers & The Western Caravan' | |
| 1953 | 902 | Long Lost Love // Ragtime Accordion Joe (instrumental) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| 1953 | 903 | Goodnight (with The Meyers Sisters) // John's Boogie (instrumental) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| 1954 | 105 | Right Out of My Heart (v: Slim Dossy) // That's All (I Can't Forget You) (v: Slim Dossy) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| 1954 | 106 | Even Tho' // Dissatisfied | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| 1955 | 108 | Waltz of Texas (v: Bill Pray) // When (v: Bill Pray) | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| 1955 | 109 | The Chicago Song, Pt. 1 // The Chicago Song, Pt. 2 | as 'Smokey Rogers & His Western Caravan' | |
| Caravan Records | ||||
| 1957 | 1957 | I Want My Gal // The Day You Left Me | as 'Tommy Duncan with Smokey Rogers & His Band' | |