Ken Maynard

America's first singing cowboy, Ken Maynard starred in over 300 films and though his recorded legacy is far less overwhelming, he did appear on several sides for Columbia. Born in tiny Vevay, Indiana (he later claimed a Texas birthplace), Maynard was a rodeo champion and trick rider for both Buffalo Bill and the Ringling Brothers Wild West shows. He came to Hollywood in 1923 and became popular quite soon, appearing in more than 20 films by the end of the decade. By 1929, Maynard became the first cowboy crooner (on 1929's The Wagon Master), and he entered Columbia studios in Lo...