Notes from Brad McPeters: My dad Rex Ree
McPeters isn't the singer, Rex Allen,
although
they grew up together in Arizona.
I believe
Rex Allen's dad married a distant
cousin
(I'm not positive on this one.)
I remember
going to Uncle Cactus's house in
North Hollywood
with my parents and Rex Allen, Glenn
Strange
and Curtis would play & sing
for us.
It was great. Uncle Curtis had a
band way
back when. It was called "Cactus
Mac
& the Arizona Sun". They
played
at rodeos and such. They later became
the
"Sons of the Pioneers".
Not all
were the same members, though. Cactus
played
for a while with them. Also Festus",
Ken Curtis, played with the "Sons".
He was not a relative, though. He
lived up
here about 30 miles from in Clovis,
California.
He passed away a few years back.
They have
a statue of him there in Clovis.
Boy!, could
that guy sing. You would never of
thought
it by his voice on "Gunsmoke".
Curtis Taylor McPeters went by the
name Taylor
McPeters. When he was in the movies
his stage
name was Cactus Mack.
Harvey Taylor "Curtis" McPeeters
and his cousin Glen Strange joined a western band know as the Arizona Wranglers. They toured the country playing at rodeos
and other functions. The site above shows
John Wayne with George Glenn Strange and
his cousin Harvey Taylor "Curtis"
McPeeters. It is said that George Glenn Stange
voice was dubbed in when John Wayne made
his singing debut. I cant find out where
this story got started. Curtis also did various
bits and minor supporting roles in westerns
and serials. You'll find some further info
on Cactus Mack, albeit brief, in the Old
Corral section on the singers and singin'
groups called Music Mountain. He did some
early TV work and is in a couple of the CISCO
KID and GUNSMOKE episodes as late as 1961.
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