April 20: Wills Point’s Lee ‘Lasses’ White was a movie cowboy in the 1940s

Published 5:00 am Monday, April 20, 2020

Wills Point native Lee “Lasses” White starred in a series of singing cowboy movies in the 1940s with co-star Jimmy Wakely. 

On this date in 1941, White, who was born Lee Roy White, and Wakely were featured in “West of the Alamo.”

He was in dozens of movies including “Song of the Range, “Rainbow Over the Rockies” and “Klondike Kate.”

White performed in vaudeville acts and sang on radio shows before launching a movie career.

In the Spotlight

— 2015: Lindale native Miranda Lambert appears on “Entertainment Tonight.” 

— 2013: Palestine native Gene Watson is a guest on “The Marty Stuart Show.”

— 2011: At the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards:

• Grand Saline native Chris Tomlin wins Worship Song of the Year (“Our God”) and Special Event Album of the Year (“Passion: Awakening”) and is a nominee for Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year (“Our God”);
• MercyMe, a band once based in Greenville, is a nominee for Group of the Year and Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (“All of Creation”);
• The Oak Ridge Boys, featuring Lamar County native Duane Allen, are a nominee for Southern Gospel Song of the Year (“Live With Jesus”), Country Song of the Year (“God’s Goin’ to Ease My Troublin’ Mind”) and Long Video of the Year (“An Inconvenient Christmas”);
• David Crowder Band, featuring Texarkana native David Crowder, wins Short Video of the Year (“SMS – Shine”). 

— 2010: Lindale native Miranda Lambert is a guest on “The Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”

— 2007: Journalist Bill Moyers, who grew up in Marshall, is a guest on “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

— 2000: At the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, The Cathedrals, led by Glen Payne, of Royse City, win Southern Gospel Song (“Healing”).

— 1998: Irma P. Hall, a graduate of Texas College in Tyler, has a guest role on “Getting Personal.”

— 1996: “You Gotta Love That,” a song by Neal McCoy, of Longview, hits No. 3. on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

— 1992: The self-titled debut album by Henderson native Ricky Lynn Gregg is released and later peaks at No. 37 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.  It produces his Top 40 single “If I had a Cheating Heart.”

— 1974: ”l Never Go Around Mirrors” by Corsicana native Lefty Frizzell reaches No. 25 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

— 1959: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson has a guest role on “The Texan.”

— 1958: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson performs in a comedy sketch on “The Jack Benny Program.”

— 1956: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson appears in an episode of “Chevron Hall of Stars.”

— 1946: Posey native Eddie Dean stars in “The Caravan Trail.”

— 1944: Kosse native Bob Wills and his band, the Texas Playboys, perform in “Wyoming Hurricane.”

— 1935: Smith County native Everett Brown plays a prisoner in “Les Miserables.”

— 1934: Smith County native Everett Brown appears in “Tarzan and his Mate.”