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This is another in the series celebrating one singer-songwriter
"On the Banks of the Sunny San Juan"
A Centennial Tribute to Eddie Dean
One of the last and best of the old-time singing cowboys was Eddie Dean.
Here is a fine summary of his career:
One of the true "good guys" of Western entertainment was lost when Eddie Dean passed away March 4, 1999 at the ripe old age of 91. By all accounts, the golden-voice "Golden Cowboy" of 1940s movie renown lived by the Golden Rule, saying in a 1953 interview for Cowboy Songs magazine tha his philosophy of life was simply "to spread happiness by helping others less fortunate." Eddie said his lucky number was seven. No wonder: Eddie Dean Glossop was the seventh son of a seventh son, born in Posey, Texas during July (the seventh month) of 1907...Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Rex Allen may have attained greater financial success and notoriety, and all had fine voices in their own right, but they all envied Eddie's voice as much as the rest of us.
-- by "Jellystone" from the enjoyable CD which includes a rare recording of the title song...
Eddie Dean - "On the Banks of the Sunny San Juan" (26 songs)
Beginning in 1938, he appeared in over 30 western movies, including some with Gene Autry. He made a bunch of westerns for Republic, Monogram, PRC and other studios.
He also did some Hopalong Cassidy westerns.
Here are his "lucky seven" roles in Hoppy films:
THE RENEGADE TRAIL (1939) - Eddie plays "Red" and sings "Lazy Rolls the Rio Grande" and "Hi Thar, Stranger!" with The King's Men quartet.
RANGE WAR (1939) - Eddie plays "Pete"
LAW OF THE PAMPAS (1939) - Eddie plays "Curley Naples"
SANTA FE MARSHAL (1940) - Eddie plays "Town Marshal"
THE SHOWDOWN (1940) - Eddie plays "Marshal"
HIDDEN GOLD (1940) - Eddie plays "Logan"
STAGECOACH WAR (1940) - Eddie plays "Tom"
In an interview with Bobby J. Copeland, Eddie Dean said he knew that William Boyd didn't like singing in his westerns so Eddie told him he wouldn't sing anymore -- at least in the Hopalong Cassidy westerns. Fortunately he did sing in his own western movies.
Eddie was also a popular songwriter who co-wrote such songs as: "(I Dreamed of a) Hillbilly Heaven"; "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)"; and "On the Banks of the Sunny San Juan." You can hear these hit songs plus others on this recommended CD taken from Shasta Masters:
EDDIE DEAN - THE VERY BEST (16 songs)
So on the centennial of his birth on July 9, 1907, here's a big tip of the hat to the great singing cowboy and B-western star, Eddie Dean!
Though he is now gone, we can still enjoy listening to Eddie with his smooth and pleasing baritone voice.
He sure deserves that title of "Golden Cowboy."
-- Roger Hall
Favorite Cowboy Stars
There is an illustrated eBook on CD-ROM by Roger Hall, with a story about his memories growing up with Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Tex Ritter, and Roy Rogers.
It includes many photos and songs or narration by these cowboy stars.
The eBook is available only for a limited time and titled:
"Dream World" -- Songs, Poems and Stories
Related Links
"Back in the Saddle Again" -- A Centennial Tribute to Gene Autry"Dust" -- Song Sung by Roy Rogers
"The Last Round-Up" -- A Tribute to Billy Hill
"River of No Return" -- A Centennial Tribute to Ken Darby
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