Otto Gray & His Oklahoma Cowboys, Part 1 (1929)

Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys were the first nationally famous cowboy band, and the first cowboy band to appear on the cover of Billboard (June 6, 1931).

Formed in Ripley, Oklahoma in the early 1920s, the band was first known as McGinty's Oklahoma Cowboy Band, for the leader, Billy McGinty, a well-known cowboy, former Rough Rider, and world champion rider with Buffalo Bill's show.

The band members were authentic cowboys from ranches in and around Ripley. Their first promoter, George Youngblood, introduced them saying, "I wish to say of this bunch of cowboys that they are not only good fiddlers, but can ride or rope anything that has horns, hide or hair." After McGinty left to become the post master at Ripley, Otto Gray (1884-1967), took over as bandleader as well as manager. With the extensive traveling generated from their popularity, the original band member dropped out to stay with their jobs and families. Gray filled their places with professional musicians willing to spend most of their time on the road.

Playing on the vaudeville circuits in the Midwest and Northeast, and nationwide over some 130 radio stations, they played the first cowboy music most Americans outside of the West had ever heard....

The band lasted until the early 1930s when economic situations led them to disband.

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[OldMojoDT]

My grandfather was the road manager for Otto. He met my grandmother at a show in Stillwater.

Bob Wills is still the King, but Otto was a Crown Prince.

[mashtones]

Watch the Cumberland Ridge Runners- Goofus video for another variation on this kind of act. Thanks for your post.

[2reeler]

This is great! "Fingerin one instrument while playing another" is amazing!  What a great early country act! They must have been a big hit on Vaudeville. Thanks for posting !