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Oklahoma is the land of ‘Rogers’: Will Rogers from eastern Oklahoma and Roger Williams from western Oklahoma.

Will Rogers was born of a Cherokee Nation family in the Indian Territory later to become the state of Oklahoma. In the ’20s and ’30s he became well-known as a cowboy, social commentator, humorist, writer, vaudeville performer and movie actor. He was a world traveler back in the day, back in his day.

Rogers was known for turning a phrase:

“I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat.”

&

When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: “I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I dident [sic] like.” I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.

Rogers died tragically in a small plane crash with aviator Wiley Post.

Roger Miller of ‘Dang Me’ and ‘King of the Road’ fame grew up in western Oklahoma, Enick, Oklahoma, during the Depression. After his father’s death his mother, unable to support the family of three young boys, sent each one to live with a different uncle. Williams grew up ‘dirt poor’ on his uncles farm.

The story goes “When he was 17, he stole a guitar out of desperation to write songs; however, he turned himself in the next day. He chose to enlist in the Army to avoid jail. He later quipped, “My education was Korea, Clash of ’52.” “

Williams became a Nashville regular, a song writer and performer of Grammy caliber.

The end of a long day of driving found us leaving Oklahoma behind for the Lone Star State of Texas. We found ourselves climbing imperceptibly onto the Llano Estacado or ‘Staked Plain’ at dusk as the sun set and the horizon was afire!!!  The traffic on I-40 did not allow for photography: instead it will remain one of those images in the mind’s eye.

🙂

Tomorrow a day off from driving. Hiking and photography in Palo Duro State Park, the Grand Canyon of Texas.