Music legend’s widow lives in Sisters

Over the years, Sisters residents have become accustomed to having celebrities as neighbors or visitors to the area. Retired and active professional sports figures, musicians, politicians, and others who have been in and out of the public eye all come to Sisters for the same reasons as everyone else — the scenery, the climate and the laid-back lifestyle.

Many residents have become acquainted with Karl Farr, Jr., son of one and nephew of another of the original five members of the Sons of the Pioneers. In 1933, Karl and his wife, Pat, left their hometown of Sacramento after 33 years and built their home in Crossroads.

Three years ago, another member of the Farr family moved to Sisters. Mae Farr, mother of Karl, Jr. and now 95 years old, has lived here with her son and daughter-in-law. Mae is the widow of Karl Sr., the first of the original members of the Western group to pass away. Her husband died of a heart attack in 1961 while performing with the Pioneers in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

“She is one of only two widows of the original Pioneers still living,” Karl Jr. said. “Both she and Tim Spencer’s widow, Velma, were the only non-smokers in the group.”

“And non-drinkers,” Mae Farr quickly added.

“The Pioneers did travel a lot,” Mae recalls, although she stayed at home most of the time to take care of Karl, Jr.

However, her husband’s work did bring her into contact with many musicians, such as Rex Allen, Sr., Western movie star and the voice of Walt Disney’s nature programs.

“Rex attended our 25th wedding anniversary party,” Mae recalls.

When asked how she liked living in Sisters, Mae responded, “It gets too cold here.”

Karl Sr. and his brothers, Hugh and Glen, were born in Texas into a musical family. Karl began playing a hand-me-down mandolin at the age of seven. The family moved to California when Karl was 16 and settled in the Bakersfield area. One of the odd jobs he later worked at was picking cotton for a local ranch owner. A fringe benefit of that job was meeting the owner’s daughter, whom he married. Karl Jr. was born in Bakersfield — their only child.

For the next few years, the three Farr brothers performed as a musical trio at a number of local events and for radio stations. Eventually, Glen left the group and the other brothers worked in several small bands. Hugh left in 1934 to join the Pioneer Trio, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer and Leonard Slye (later better known as Roy Rogers).

“They wanted a fiddle player so they got my uncle,” Karl Jr. recalls. “Then, they needed a guitar player and so they got my dad. That made five in the group, they changed their name to Sons of the Pioneers, and things started to pop then.

“They got into movies and made three with Gene Autry and about 28 with Charles Starrett, the Durango Kid. Then they went on to make about 40 pictures with Roy Rogers, plus many recordings.”

Mae Farr remembers that her young son would ride his bicycle over to Columbia Pictures to watch the Pioneers making movies.

“I was one of the very few kids that was allowed on the set because I would sit in the corner and be quiet,” Karl recalls.

For over 60 years, the Sons of the Pioneers have remained one of the top Western groups in the nation.