Many of you may already know that Gene Autry joined U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. During this time as well as his regular military duties, he recorded an episode of his radio show a week. The radio show would be retitled Sgt. Gene Autry. Earlier episodes of his radio show would have a mixture of some musical performances and a western story. Around this time the western story was replaced with stories of the war. His movie career went on hold during the war though and Republic Pictures (who produced Gene's films) promoted Roy Rogers as the new "King of the Cowboys."
Here is a 1942 article from Modern Screen Magazine about Autry's entry into the military. If you have trouble reading it click on the pages below and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here.
Now here is a vintage Gene Autry recording, Wildcat Mama Blues. Gene Autry receives a songwriting credit for this song. Gene recorded this song on November 16, 1931, and is backed by Roy Smeck on banjo. Other songs he recorded the same day were I'm a Railroad Man (Waiting on a Weary Train), Under the old Apple Tree and There's a Good Girl in the Mountains. All these songs featured backing by Roy Smeck. (Source: Public Cowboy no.1 by Holly George-Warren)
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