Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Who sings "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" better than Gene Autry? Nobody. He made that song one of the best-selling singles of all time. I think he might have even been the mastermind behind the "Like a light bulb!" backup. During his career, the Singing Cowboy appeared in 94 feature films and made more than 600 recordings. He has five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—more than any other entertainer—for radio, records, film, TV and live theatrical performance. Autry's recordings earned him more than a dozen gold records, two platinum records and an Academy Award nomination. These are the credentials of a man who deserves to have a museum built in his name and a bronze statue made in his likeness. And he already has both. So, let's throw him a festival in celebration of the day of his birth. Friday, Saturday and Sunday saddle up and make the drive out to Southfork Ranch (3700 Hogge Road in Parker) for the 6th Annual Gene Autry Festival and Gala. Snack at the Chuck Wagon cook-off, see a horse whisperer in action, watch a gun fight, wrangle rattlesnakes, win the chicken-flying contest, ride a stage coach, eat some birthday cake, take your picture with a longhorn steer named Buckwheat and hum "Back in the Saddle" to yourself the entire time. Tickets are $10 for adults, children 12 and under get in free. Parking is $5. Ten-gallon hat and boots not required but strongly recommended. Call 940-437-1110 or visit geneautryfestival.info/festival.shtml.
Fri., Oct. 6; Sat., Oct. 7; Sun., Oct. 8