I love writing and learning new things in order to better educate those in need. I also enjoy hackathons and adventures around the world.
Foy Willing
Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share
Sign in
Birth name
Foy Willingham
Name
Foy Willing
Genres
Country, Western music
Years active
1940–78
Albums
Cowboy
Instruments
Vocals
Spouse
Sharon Lee (m. 1960)
Occupation(s)
Musician, actor
Role
Singer
Born
May 14, 1914Bosque County, Texas, United States (
1914-05-14
)
Died
July 14, 1978, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Similar People
Jimmy Wakely, Monte Hale, Dave Dudley, New Riders of the Purpl, Dale Evans
Foy willing cool water
Foy Willing (May 14, 1914 – July 14, 1978) was a singer, songwriter, musician, and bandleader who performed Western music and appeared in Western movies. He formed the Western band Riders of the Purple Sage.
Foy Willingham was born May 14, 1914 in Bosque County, Texas. He began his career while attending high school in Texas by working at a local radio station. In 1933, he traveled to New York City to further his radio career. In 1940 he moved to Oklahoma, and in 1942 to California where he became popular during the Golden Age of Radio.
Riders of the Purple Sage
In 1942, Willing co-founded Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage with Missouri musician Al Sloey. The band included Patti Page on vocals, fiddler Johnny Paul, and accordionist Ken Coopern. The band's first hit, "Texas Blues", was written by Willing. They grew in fame and over their ten-year career, performed as the musical group backing up Monte Hale and Roy Rogers for Republic Studios.
Willing and his band appeared as performers in many Western movies in the 1940s and early 1950s with Charles Starrett, Monte Hale, and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The Willing-led Riders of the Purple Sage disbanded in 1952.
Later years
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage occasionally reunited to record and perform, and Willing went on to appear at Western festivals during the 1970s. Willing also traveled with Gene Autry during Autry's North American tour. In 1966, Willing married Sharon Lee.
Willing died on July 24, 1978 in Nashville, Tennessee of a heart attack.
Discography
2007 Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Varese Sarabande)
2005 And the Riders of the Purple Sage (BACM)
2005 Timber Trail (Cattle)
2005 Trail Herdin' Cowboy
2003 Sagebrush Swing (Collectors' Choice Music)
1999 Cowboy/New Sound of American Folk (DRG)
1998 Collectors Edition (Pickwick)
1962 The New Sound of American Folk
1958 Cowboy
1950 Riders of the Purple Sage
Filmography
Actor
1951
Texas Carnival as
Band Leader Foy Willing (as Foy Willing and His Orchestra)
1951
Disc Jockey as
Foy Willing
1951
Heart of the Rockies as
Fiddle Player
1951
Spoilers of the Plains as
Singer, Oil Co. Worker
1950
Trail of Robin Hood as
Foy
1950
North of the Great Divide as
Foy Willing
1950
Sunset in the West as
Foy Willing
1950
Trigger, Jr. as
Foy
1950
Twilight in the Sierras as
Foy Willing
1950
Bells of Coronado as
Foy
1949
The Golden Stallion as
Foy
1949
Down Dakota Way as
Foy
1949
Susanna Pass as
Foy - Guitar Player
1948
The Far Frontier as
Foy
1948
Grand Canyon Trail as
Singer / Rancher
1948
The Timber Trail as
Guitar Player Foy - Riders of the Purple Sage
1948
California Firebrand as
Foy Willing - Guitar Player
1947
Under Colorado Skies as
Guitar Player Foy Willing
1947
Along the Oregon Trail as
Guitar Player / Singer
1947
Last Frontier Uprising as
Singing Ranch Hand
1946
Out California Way as
Foy
1946
Throw a Saddle on a Star as
Foy Willing
1945
Saddle Serenade as
Guitar Player
1945
Sing Me a Song of Texas as
Guitar Player Jim
1944
Cyclone Prairie Rangers as
Guitar Player (uncredited)
1944
Cowboy from Lonesome River as
Musician Red (as Foy Willingham)
1944
Swing in the Saddle as
Member Jimmy Wakely and His Oklahoma Cowboys (uncredited)
1944
Twilight on the Prairie as
Foy Willing
1944
Sundown Valley as
Guitarist / Denton Cowhand (uncredited)
1944
Cowboy Canteen as
Guitar Player - Saddle Pal (uncredited)
1943
Cowboy in the Clouds as
Foy, Musician with Jimmy Wakely's Saddle Pals
1941
The Royal Mounted Patrol as
RCMP Mountie / Singer (uncredited)
Music Department
1945
Saddle Serenade (composer: song "A Cowboy's Life is the Life For Me")
Soundtrack
2017
Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)
- Riders In The Sky (2017) - (writer: "Happy Trails")
2005
Down in the Valley (writer: "No One To Cry To")
1999
Riders in the Sky: Live at the Sarsaparilla Saloon (Video) (writer: "Happy Trails")
Spoilers of the Plains (writer: "Happy Trails in Sunshine Valley" - uncredited)
1950
Trail of Robin Hood (: (uncredited" - (writer: "Home Town Jubilee", uncredited)
1950
Sunset in the West (writer: "Sunset In The West")
1950
Trigger, Jr. (writer: "Stampede", "The Big Rodeo" - uncredited)
1950
Twilight in the Sierras (writer: "Pancho's Rancho", "Twilight in the Sierras", "It's One Wonderful Day")
1950
Bells of Coronado (writer: "Save a Smile For a Rainy Day", "Got No Time For the Blues", "Bells of Coronado")
1949
Lawless Code (writer: "I'll Be A Cowboy 'Till I Die")
1949
The Golden Stallion (writer: "The Golden Stallion", "There's Always Time For A Song")
1949
Down Dakota Way (writer: "The ABC Song")
1949
Susanna Pass (performer: "Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes", "A Good, Good Mornin'", "Susanna Pass") / (writer: "A Good, Good Mornin'")
1949
Gun Law Justice (writer: "Rose Of Old Santa Fe")
1948
The Far Frontier (writer: "I Still Love the West" - uncredited)
1948
Grand Canyon Trail (performer: "Everything's Going My Way") / (writer: "Everything's Going My Way")
1948
The Timber Trail (performer: "The Timber Trail", "Nelly Bly" (uncredited), "When Your Heart's on Easy Street" (uncredited))
1948
California Firebrand (lyrics: "Cindy") / (performer: "Trail To California", "Gonna Have a Big Time Tonight", "Cindy", "When the Work is all Done This Fall", "Cowboy Jack", "All Day on the Prairie") / (writer: "Trail To California", "Gonna Have a Big Time Tonight")
1948
Lightnin' in the Forest (lyrics: "Cindy") / (writer: "Trail to California", "Gonna Have a Big Time Tonight")
1947
Under Colorado Skies (writer: "Holiday for the Blues")
1947
Along the Oregon Trail (writer: "Oregon", "Along the Wagon Trail")
1947
Last Frontier Uprising (performer: "The Song of the Trail", "That's Why I Love Texas", "Press Along Cowboy (To the Big Corral)", "So Long to the Red River Valley")
1946
Out California Way (performer: "Hello, Monte") / (writer: "Hello, Monte", "Rose of Santa Fe")
1946
Throw a Saddle on a Star (performer: "The Strawberry Blonde on the Strawberry Roan", "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" (uncredited), "There's a Rainbow Over the Range")
1945
Saddle Serenade (writer: "I'll Be A Cowboy 'Till I Die')
1945
Sing Me a Song of Texas (performer: "Purple on the Hills", "She Never Said a Solitary Word") / (writer: "Purple on the Hills")
1944
Twilight on the Prairie (performer: "No Letter Today", "Song of the Prairie") / (writer: "Song of the Prairie")
1944
Oklahoma Raiders (writer: "I'll Be a Cowboy 'Till I Die")
1941
Prairie Stranger (writer: "I'll Be A Cowboy 'till I Die", "Doin' It Right", "It's Just a Small Town")
1938
Billy the Kid Returns (writer: "Save a Smile for a Rainy Day")