[78-L] Is this Bob Nolan that Bob Nolan?

[Cary Ginell]

In 1927, the Sons of the Pioneers' Bob Nolan was "riding the rods" as a hobo. His real name was Robert Clarence Nobles, born in New Brunswick, Canada on April 1, 1908. Nolan was enamored with the American Southwest, which inspired all of his compositions that he wrote for the Pioneers. He attended school at the University of Arizona at Tucson. He arrived in Los Angeles in 1929. His first role in entertainment was with a Chatauqua show, but when that didn't work out, he got a job as a lifeguard. He didn't think about becoming a professional singer until he answered an ad in the Los Angeles Herald for a yodeler. This was in 1931. The young man conducting the audition was a 20-year-old from Duck Run, Ohio named Leonard Slye. Slye (who would later become Roy Rogers) and Nolan formed a trio called the Rocky Mountaineers with friend Bill Nichols. This was the start of the Sons of the Pioneers.
 
Do not assume facts about a person just because they share the same name. Nolan's biography shows that not only was he in the wrong part of the country to participate in a dance band recording session, it was entirely opposite his nature to do so. Nolan was an outdoorsman and a naturalist through and through. His voice is very distinctive; one of the most easily recognizable in country music. The only person to approximate his voice was Tommy Doss, who was in the Pioneers in the 1940s after Nolan had left. 
 
Cary Ginell
 
> From: bowiebks at isomedia.com
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 08:21:21 -0700
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Is this Bob Nolan that Bob Nolan?
> 
> Cary,
> 
> I had always assumed that the Bob Nolan who sang with the Ray Miller Orch 
> around 1928-29 was the SOTP guy, but is he in fact the same one who was 
> with Steele in 1927?
> 
> 
> Taylor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cary Ginell" <soundthink at live.com>
> To: <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 6:44 AM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Is this Bob Nolan that Bob Nolan?
> 
> 
> >
> > It is not the same Nolan. And the Blue Steele sides are probably 1927, not 
> > 1937. The SOTP Nolan would never have sung in a dance band. It just wasn't 
> > in his nature. He was a cowboy singer, through and through.
> >
> > Cary Ginell
> >
> >> Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 08:50:20 +0100
> >> From: julianvein at blueyonder.co.uk
> >> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> >> Subject: Re: [78-L] Is this Bob Nolan that Bob Nolan?
> >>
> >> Dennis Flannigan wrote:
> >> > Have Victor 21068, Blue Steele and his Orchestra (7/13/37). Vocal 
> >> > refrain on
> >> > both sides by Bob Nolan. Sons of the Pioneers, or just another Bob
> >> > bob-bobbing along?
> >> >
> >> > df
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> This has been discussed before. I think the consensus was that they
> >> weren't the same.
> >>
> >> Julian Vein
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
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