Attractions
Red Lyon & Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company
By Judy Wade
From Madison Square Garden in New York City to the Tex Rickard Arena in Henrietta, Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company produced top-notch rodeos across the country in the 1930s and 1940s.
Ask any rodeo old-timer if they knew Kyle Powson Lyon, and they will probably give you a puzzled look and answer, “No.” But ask if they remember “Red” Lyon, and their faces will light up with memories of days gone by.
Red’s dad was from New York, and his mother came from England to Ontario. After they married, they moved to Colorado, where Red was born in Steamboat Springs, Aug. 9, 1886. His dad worked in the syrup fields, copper mines and did some farming. Later the family moved to Texas in a covered wagon. The family also included son Bill, a daughter Mildred and a daughter who died at age two and is buried in Montague.
They eventually moved to Byers, Texas, where the dad worked for Lone Star Gas, and the family lived at the pump station on Dobbs Creek Road.
Red and Bill began rodeoing on the weekends during the depression to make money. Entry fees were 25 cents per event. Red had even been a bronc rider in Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok’s Wild West Shows.
The brothers began buying cattle and horses when they had enough money and eventually had enough stock to form Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company.
Red had met Ruby Chumley at a rodeo in Bowie, and they were soon married. By the time the rodeo company was formed, they had two children, Delbert and Kyle, Jr. Bill also married and had three daughters, Lorraine, Betty and Mary Margaret.
To read more pick up a copy of the July 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
Bob Brown, Bill’s son-in-law, rides one of the Lyon Brothers’ broncs. (Courtesy of Delnita Lyon Bray)
Red on “Old Pal” with Ruby at his side. (Courtesy of Delnita Lyon Bray)
It’s already March and the smell of springtime parties and special events is in the air.
Everybody knows in order to have a great party, you’ve got to have the right music.
Well, that’s where my friend Katie Dieter comes to the rescue.
Katie, aka DJ KD “The Spinner,” has been spinning the right mix for parties and special events throughout North Texas for years now. Her passion for music helps to make your special event one your friends will never forget. Whether you’re planning a wedding, banquet, school event or just a backyard get-together with friends, DJ KD “The Spinner” is the right call for you.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Seems lately these days Texas is becoming the envy of musicians from around the world.
With the overwhelming response to “Yellowstone,” the television series, Texas once again finds itself under the microscope of the world, much like the late 1980’s TV series know to all around the globe as “Dallas.”
With that said, the musician population in Texas is beginning to grow as many aspiring performers turn their sights on Texas instead of Nashville. Meet my newly-found friend and fellow musician Grace Partridge. This youthful 19 year old has recently made Texas her new home. She began fiddling at age four in Rigby, Idaho. Grace worked her way through the National Fiddle championships in Weiser, Idaho, becoming a five-time national champion. She’s even played on the Grand Ole Opry. Still yet, her desire to become a true Texas Fiddler has brought her to the Lone Star State. I’m pretty sure we can thank Bob Wills for that.
To read more, pick up a copy of the January 2024 issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
On Nov. 4, 2023, the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra will present an evening of Texas Cowboy, Country and Western Swing with yours truly, Dave Alexander and the fabulous Quebe Sisters.
Enjoy the music of Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, Gene Autry and many more of your Texas Music favorites performed with a full symphony orchestra. We also will feature music from my latest CD, “From The Saddle To Symphony Hall,” along with some of my own compositions. It is guaranteed to be a night to remember.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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