Larry Hopper, 2008

The recording of “Blue Prairie” was a demo made to introduce Tommy Doss to Roy Rogers and the active members of the Sons of the Pioneers. Various contributing factors; the coming end of both the RCA-Victor recording contract and that with Republic films, plus Bob Nolan’s increasing dislike of road tours, all played a part in Bob’s coming split with the Pioneers. He was not alone in his desire to step out. Tim Spencer had also voiced a desire for personal change but was not as vocal or erratically behaved.

Knowing of this growing disharmony Hi Busse, of the Frontiersmen, listened with intense interest to the band singer at Henry’s 97th Street Corral Club and the “Nolanesque” qualities about his voice. The band singer was Tommy Doss, known as “Spike.” The band he was probably with was Ole Rasmussen’s Nebraska Cornhuskers and was no stranger to Western Swing.

Tommy’s earliest recordings were on the Tiffany Transcriptions in May of 1947 with Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys while Tommy Duncan was still with the group. Two months later he recorded with Bob’s brother Luke and his Rhythm Busters for Victor but the four sides produced did not find favor with the execs “because he sounded too much like someone else we had.” August 18, 1947 found Tommy on one more Tiffany with Bob but nothing was to come of it immediately.

A year later, August 1948, a growing situation within the Playboys came to a head, driven by Bob’s drinking. Tommy Duncan made a remark. Bob fired him and hired Tommy Doss. Tommy worked a few weeks with Bob until he turned Tommy over to Luke’s band where he worked with them until November of 1948 when Luke’s band went on tour and Tommy didn’t. He remained at the 97th St. Corral and worked with Ole Rasmussen and his Cornhuskers (a Wills’ clone group if ever there was one).

Once again Tommy recorded, this time with Ole Rasmussen on the obscure local Crystal label. They boasted artists like Tex Terry’s Sons of the Purple Sage, Brad King and his Dude Ranch Gang, Casey Simmons and his Night Riders, and Carolina Cotton. Success as a recording artist eluded Tommy.

Then Hi Busse walked in one evening.

After spending some time listening he approached Tommy, telling him the Frontiersmen were scheduled for a record session the next day and asked if he would be interested in cutting a demo to “pitch to the Pioneers.” The next morning, fighting a cold, Tommy joined the Frontiersmen; Hi Busse, Don Poole, Eddie Martin, Shorty Scott and George Morris who provided the Pioneers style harmony backing, and recorded “Blue Prairie”.

When Hi played the disc for Roy Rogers, co-founder and voting member of the Pioneers, he played it eight times with Roy exclaiming, “I can’t believe it… I just can’t believe it!!”

In the meantime Bob Nolan had given his notice and Tim Spencer called Tommy asking if he would be interested in joining the Sons of the Pioneers. Following this call Hugh Farr dropped by the club to listen and then get Tommy’s answer directly. This would have been in June of 1949. With that response Lloyd Perryman stepped in with the solid offer and the contract. Tommy replaced Bob Nolan in Helena, Montana July 15, 1949.

Despite his newfound position with the Sons of the Pioneers his recording career with them was truncated by the Victor execs that wanted Nolan on their recordings. A contract was made for Bob to make the studio recordings and Tommy made the personal appearances.

Though there are many commercial recordings and transcriptions of both Bob Nolan and Tommy Doss, including one where they perform together on “A Hillbilly Wedding in June” this is the rarity not made for distribution; the Tommy Doss’ demo of “Blue Prairie” that put his feet in the Pioneer’s boots. Enjoy

SOURCES
Huff, Rick. Liner notes to Hi Busse CD “Hi Pardner”
Griffis, Ken. Hear My Song, the Story of the Sons of the Pioneers
Townsend, Charles. San Antonio Rose: Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys
Bear Family Records discography. Luke Wills & His Rhythm Busters
Bob Wills & Texas Playboys. Tiffany Transcriptions

It has been said of Lawrence Hopper: “He is an American intellectual gadfly. He knows more about more than most and less about little than many.” He is the author of Bob Nolan: A Biographical Guide and Annotations to the Lyric Archive. Hopper has been an invaluable contributor to this site for many years. He lives in New Jersey.

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