The Sons of the Pioneers is a Western Harmony group founded in 1934 by Len Slye in Hollywood, along with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer. The group had hits with "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." In 1938 Slye was working on a picture with Gene Autry when Autry walked off the picture. Slye took the name Roy Rogers and the lead in Under Western Stars. As Rogers spent more time with his film career other performers were added through the years. Ken Curtis, best known as TV Gunsmokes's Festus, sang with the group from 1949-53.