EDDIE DEAN: THE GOLDEN COWBOY (paperback)
Singing cowboy star Eddie Dean rode high, wide, and handsome on the movie screens in the 1940s. The Texas-born wrangler galloped through 55 films, starring in 20 of them and was voted one of the most popular Western stars of his time. He was the first to have his own series of Western movies filmed in color. The singing cowpuncher with the rich baritone voice was known as “The Golden Cowboy” and enjoyed a recording, stage, and club popularity long after his movie career ended.
Dean also helped to compose a pair of hit songs that have since become staples in the Country-Western music world. His talents and gifted abilities were many, some claiming it was due to the fact that he was born a seventh son, of a seventh son, of a seventh son.
Eddie Dean’s long-awaited life story has now been told, detailing his struggles to “pay his dues” in the business to coming out on top as one of the most beloved and illustrious Western stars in America.
Stephen Fratallone is an award-winner writer, author and former publisher of Jazz Connection, an on-line magazine about jazz and Big Band music. He has co-authored three published books on Big Band Era musicians: Hey! The Band's Too Loud by Del Courtney, Band Singer by Garry Stevens, and From Harlem to Hollywood by Van Alexander.
"Would that every book on our B Western heroes be as thoroughly researched as EDDIE DEAN, THE GOLDEN COWBOY. Working with family members, audio tapes saved by Eddie and people who knew Eddie well (Andy Parker’s son Joe, Marilyn Tuttle, and others) you can clearly hear Eddie’s rich golden voice on every
page. With amazing detail author Stephen Fratallone traces Eddie
and brother Jimmie’s lives from inception, through Eddie’s lean
years, his many varied radio and singing jobs until he at
last connected in Hollywood for 19 starrers at PRC.
Complimenting Eddie’s story is the rich background and
anecdotal detail Fratallone provides on nearly everyone
Eddie came in contact with—Virgil Stamps, Wayne King,
Foy Willing, Johnny Sloan, Lulu Belle and Scotty, Max
Terhune, Hoosier Hotshots, Sunshine Boys, Art
Satherly, Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, Ken Darby, Fred
Rose, Johnny Bond, Judy Canova, Les Paul and Mary
Ford, on and on. Radio, personal appearances, recordings,
movies—all are lovingly detailed."
—Western Clippings