Memories from the Homestead: Cactus Mack, the ‘Cowboy's Night-Herd Song’ and a talent show

      As a singing cowboy now for a little over 30 years, there is one particular song that has been really good to me. It was born in the depths of the Great Depression. Some, including Roy Rogers, called it "The Nightguard." Written by New Mexico native Cactus Mack (Taylor Curtis McPeters), the song had a unique yodel, which Roy Rogers would customize, and Roy's versions of the song are the only ones known to exist.

The O-Bar-O Cowboys, June 1933, Roswell, New Mexico: Cyclone, Len Slye, Uncle Joe, Tim Spencer, Slumber Nichols (Photo courtesy of the Sons of the Pioneers Museum)

Cactus Mack was born near the New Mexico and Texas line in Weed, New Mexico, August 8, 1899. He came from a performing family, worked as a cowboy at the O-Bar-O Ranch near Willcox, Arizona, and was remembered as a talented musician, versatile with several instruments, guitar and fiddle in particular. In June of 1933, he and a small band ensemble, later calling themselves the O-Bar-O Cowboys, took off from southern California for what would be a disaster—a road trip through the Southwest.

The performers in this five-piece group with Cactus Mack included a vocal trio featuring Len Slye (the future Roy Rogers) along with Tim Spencer and Slumber Nichols. This trio had been together in two other groups over the past year and a half, but they were struggling. A promoter with radio station KRKD in Los Angeles known as "Uncle Joe" organized this particular trip, going ahead of the group to arrange bookings at radio stations, organize dance events and so on.  

Traveling in a 1923 Pontiac owned by the fiddler Cyclone (no one could remember his real name), they played in Yuma and Miami, Arizona, and by the time they reached Safford, "we had earned $4.00 each," Roy Rogers remembered. Going onward, the band made it to Willcox, Arizona, which Cactus Mack considered his hometown. The community went wild for McPeters like he was a hometown hero. They played a dance until two in the morning. Hardly any pay came out of it, and Cactus Mac decided to stay in Willcox, while the other four continued to Roswell, New Mexico.  

The only positives out of this unsuccessful road event were the fact that both Roy and Tim Spencer would meet their future wives on the trip. Roy met Grace Arline Wilkins in Roswell. They married on June 14, 1936. Tim met Velma Blanton in Lubbock, Texas, at the end of the trip, and they were married on August 10, 1934.

Heading back home to Los Angeles in September 1933, Roy gave the vocal trio idea one more try and a month later, with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer, they formed the Pioneer Trio and success soon came.  

In the summer of 1934, now known as the Sons of the Pioneers, Roy did a solo feature of Cactus Mack's composition, the "Cowboy's Night-Herd Song." It took me years to find this recording, but first I found the studio version from 1937 on a cassette at Branson's Ernest Tubb Record Shop in 1993.

On October 28, 1937, the Sons of the Pioneers were in the American Record Corporation studio in Los Angeles. The four numbers they recorded were done as a publicity boost to market Roy Rogers as he had just signed his movie contract two weeks prior.

"Cowboy's Night-Herd Song" was the first up, and after two takes, Roy and the fellas recorded three more numbers. I would later discover that out of these four songs, only two of them were released. "Cowboy's Night-Herd Song" stayed on the shelf until 1982, and the alternate take wasn't released until 2009.

I absolutely fell in love with this song while in high-school. I worked really hard to perfect Roy's yodel style and phrasing. Going into my senior year in 1995, I continued with regular rehearsals, driving my parents and sister nuts. Mom couldn't stand it anymore and was known to send me outside as my hours-long yodeling rehearsals were a constant distraction. By the end of 1995, I was really comfortable with the song and decided to enter the Branson High School talent show with it.

After Christmas break in January 1996, auditions for the talent show were held after school one Tuesday afternoon. My Psychology teacher, Hariet List (Howdy to you if you're reading this) conducted the auditions and after performing "Cowboy Jubilee" with the Roy Rogers’ 1944 yodel, I was told I had made the cut and to be prepared for the talent show, scheduled for March 4, 1996, yes—30 years ago this week.

The talent show by this time was such a popular school event; it was held at the Thunderbird Theater, which no longer stands. I was dressed in my best Sons of the Pioneers style suit and scarf tie, and saddled up my new 1995 Jumbo 200 guitar. I was scheduled as the final act of the talent show! My stomach was in my throat all night long as I patiently waited in my dressing room back stage. Some fifteen acts were featured, and finally it was my turn. With my vocal mic and guitar mic in place, I showed the audience what a 1930s’ cowboy sound was all about. The crowd roared as the last note of the yodel faded away. I took a bow and tipped my hat as I witnessed my first ever standing ovation!

A few nervous moments went by as I headed back stage, and suddenly I was selected to come back onstage for an encore!

The judges had left the room to go make their decision for the top three finalists. So, I brought up our long-time track coach and Science instructor, Mr. Mark DeVore, and we duet yodeled a tune.

Some ten minutes later the judges returned with their decision of the winners, announcing third place and second place. I was standing with all the acts behind the curtain at stage right, and all I can remember was hearing my name as I was suddenly pushed onto the stage to accept first place! Wow, what a night! For my first-place winnings, I received $100 cash, plus a guest appearance on Jim Stafford's Show.  

The "Cowboy's Night-Herd Song" will always be super special to me. Last year I taught it to the current Sons of the Pioneers, complete with Roy's rhythm guitar kickoff just like the unreleased 1937 recording.

Cactus Mack would go on to work with several other legendary performers and co-starred in a massive amount of Western films and television shows. He passed away on April 17, 1962, and was also a cousin to Rex Allen and Glenn Strange.

Happy trails, everyone!