Cowboy Church #5

Happy Sunday my friends and welcome back to Cowboy Church.

Again we begin our musical portion off with a song from Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' 1959 gospel album Jesus Loves Me, today it is a delightful song called The Lord is Counting on You. Next up comes The Carter Family with their 1934 recording of I'm Working on a Building. Next is Pasty Cline's 1959 recording of a gospel classic Life's Railway to Heaven. Here she is backed by the Jordanaires, who also backed many of Elvis Presley's great gospel recordings. George Hamilton IV once said about Pasty Cline singing this song "I'd never heard it sung with so much power and authority" and I can't disagree with that assessment. Though Hank Williams wrote the gospel song I'm Gonna Sing, he never released the song. Instead he gave it to Charlie Monroe (Bill's brother) to record in 1950. However Hank did perform the song on a 1951 episode (May 17th episode to be exact) of the Mother's Best Flour radio show and that version is what we are going to enjoy here. Next is Johnny Cash with a 1994 live recording of A Cowboy's Prayer. Last up is Charley Pride with the title track off his 1971 gospel album Did You Think to Pray.

Here is an 1963 article from American Cinematographer about the Disney feature length western, Savage Sam (1963). This movie was a sequel to the studio's huge hit Old Yeller (1957). Interestingly the studio only made two feature length sequels during Walt's life and both were released in 1963, the other one being Son of Flubber (1963) a sequel to The Absent-Minded Professor (1957). Savage Sam was much more of a traditional western than Old Yeller.





Next we have a silent short film starring the movie's first cowboy star, Broncho Billy Anderson. This short is lovely in its simplicity. It is more sentimental than one may except from a silent western, but it is genuinely touching. So enjoy Broncho Billy's Fatal Joke (1914).



But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

-Michael J. Ruhland