County of marker: Harding County
Location of marker: Canam Hwy (US-85/SD-20), Centennial Park, Buffalo
Marker erected: July 3, 2009
Marker erected by: Harding County Chamber of Commerce
Marker text:
Tex Fletcher was a singing cowboy with credits as a recording artist, Broadway and movie actor, night club performer, and radio and television personality.
As a young man he lived in Buffalo, South Dakota, where he picked up some real cowboy skills including riding a horse and handling cattle. He also learned to sing and play a pretty good guitar. While living in Buffalo he soaked up "cowboy lore and campfire sings" which influenced his music.
Fletcher became a prolific songwriter, having penned the cowboy classics, "The Lord is in the Saddle Tonight", Tipperary (The Great Outlaw Horse", "My Harding County Home," the closing theme to CBS television's "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickock," and many others. His songs were covered by such greats as Gene Autry, Ernest Tubb, Lawrence Welk, etc. He was featured in Ripley's "Believe it or Not" as having the ability to recall from memory more than 4,000 songs. He recorded for numerous labels and released his last album, "Holiday Hootenanny" in 1964 on his own Dakota imprint.
Throughout his life, he never lost his love for Harding County and the people who lived there. He honored the people of the area with his sing writing ability. Three of the songs he wrote about this area wee titled: "My Harding County Home", Tipperary" (The Great Outlaw Horse, and "Grand River Hymn."
Tex was inducted into the New York State Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
Tex, who [sic] real name was Geremino "Jerry" Bisceglia, was born January 17, 1909, in Harrison, NY, the 5th of 8 children born to Michael and Josephine Bisceglia, Italian immigrant.
Fletcher entered the US Army reaching the rank of Sergeant, while serving during WWII. At the end of the war, he married Ada Mae Henkel of Yonkers, NY and stated a family of 5 children: Robert, Jayne, Kathy, George and Michael.
He returned to radio, nightclubs, television, song writing and recording studios.
He died March 14, 1987, in Newburgh, NY.
TIPPERARY
"The Great Outlaw Horse
Words and Music by Tex Fletcher
(Dedicated to cowboy Walter Blume of Buffalo, SD
who was a part of the era of this great horse.)
Way out in old South Dakota
Where flows the ole River Grand
Once roamed the greatest bronco
Who was known all over the land.
CHORUS
His name was old TIPPERARY, TIPPERARY of rodeo fame
he greatest of all the bronc riders
Will never forget the great name.
The grandstand at Belle Fourche was crowded
'T'was on the Fourth of July
TIPPERARY, the king of the Outlaws
Came out of the chute on the fly
CHORUS
He went to frog walkin' and buckin'
And then did an old Spanish dance
With a Be Bopp thrown in for good measure
And a quadrille imported from France
CHORUS
His rider was nearly unloaded
That Buster was sure badly shook
And when he came back down from heaven
Tipperary was back in Camp Crook
CHORUS
His fame has spread over the nation
From Buffalo on the banks of the Grande
To Nome and the big eastern cities
And the Bighorns up in Montan'
CHORUS
The Grand River Hymn
Words and Music by Tex Fletcher
(Dedicated to Father Don Murray, Buffalo, SD
In the west the sun is sinkin', Soon the stars will be a twinklin'
As I ride the Black Hills trail that leads to home,
And the Mission bells are tollin', where the Ole Grand River's flowin'
and their chimes are callin' sinners to atone.
CHORUS
I can hear the Padre prayin' to the Big Boss great and fair
Askin' Him to burn our brands in His tally book up there
When I cross the Ole Grand River, then I;ll know my journeys over
and the Mission bells have called a wanderer home.
Like and angel chorus singin', My silver spurs are jinglin'
to the rhythm of the hoofbeats in the night
South Dakota stars are shinin', while the Mission bells are chimin'
the word of God out through the pale moonlight
CHORUS
"MY Harding County Home"
Words and Music by Tex Fletcher
(dedicated to the People of Harding County, SD.)
Not so many years ago, I left old Buffalo
The place that I have always loved the best.
Where antelope, they play, I'm yearning today
For MY HARDING COUNTY HOME out in the west
CHORUS
I can see a mustang band grazing by the River Grand
I see the range where white-faced cattle roam
And the lights in Buffalo, will guide me back I known
Guide me back to MY Harding County Home
As I wander down Broadway, my memory does stray
To the buttes that reach like mountains to the sky
I can hear the coyote wail as he roams along the trail
"Come back to your prairie home", in his cry.
CHORUS