Born in Warroad, Minnesota in 1914, Enright August (“Hi-Pockets”) Busse was accordionist for Jack Dalton’s Riders of the Purple Sage on KFI (1933), the first band so-named. Dalton awarded “Hi” the nickname. Hi joined the Texas Ramblers and Buster Fite & The Saddletramps (with whom he appeared in movies backing Buck Jones, Smith Ballew, and later with different musicians Monte Hale). Hi also cut syndicated radio transcriptions with Rex Allen’s cousin “Cactus Mack.” Later using some Saddletramp players Hi founded The Frontiersmen (1938) to back Len “Roy Rogers” Slye in his first live performance using the name (Dallas 1938). In 1945, through band member Eddie Martin, The Frontiersmen helped introduce steel guitar into Western Music. Touring with Roy Rogers, Hi and Ray Whitley introduced “Dust,” “Along the Navajo Trail” and “Don’t Fence Me In.” Over time Hi created the comedy contingents 3 Shif’less Skonks and The Simp-Phonies (appearing with Charles Starrett among others). The band itself was known variously as The Frontiersmen, The Frontiersmen Hi, Wayne & Hal (first Western group to wear bespangled Nudie suits), The Frontiersmen & Joanie (seen in episodes of “The Red Foley Show,” “Stoney Burke” and “The Joey Bishop Show” among others) and The Frontiersmen Family. As The Frontiersmen & Joanie (Hall), the band backed Rex Allen, Jr. in his first live performance of “Can You Hear Those Pioneers.” With Eddie Dean, Hi & The Frontiersmen recorded the first hit versions of “One Has My Name…” and “Hillbilly Heaven” (literally ‘dreamed’ by Frontiersmen band member Hal Southern). In addition to Western movies and recording, Hi did commercial jingles (including “Conoco, Hottest Brand Going”), radio programs including two years on Roy & Dale’s ABC radio show and weekly TV (notably two and a half years as the house band for NBC’s first color telecast “Doye O’Dell’s Western Varieties). The Frontiersmen toured with Tex Ritter, Tex Williams, Rex Allen, Duncan Renaldo, the casts of Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Big Valley, and dozens more at fairs, rodeos and stage shows. Additionally Hi was responsible for Ray Price’s career helping to underwrite and performing on his first four Country sides (reissued by Bear Family). Hi introduced Rex Allen to The Reinsmen, Tommy Doss to The Sons of the Pioneers and he helped enable Ken Curtis’ long run on Gunsmoke.
Starting in 1986 Hi Busse hosted the Western Music radio feature “Song and Story” created with Rick Huff, the video “Ghosts Of New Mexico” and his career was profiled in the PBS Special “High Pockets Busse & The Frontiersmen,” narrated by Huff. The program remains available for viewing online. In it the final incarnation of The Frontiersmen can be seen and appreciated. He passed away July 13, 1997. Riders In The Sky’s Ranger Doug Green wrote of them: “The Frontiersmen and Hi Busse were a profound influence on our group.” Don Edwards added “The world should know Hi Busse, one of the true pioneers of Western Music.”
Awards:
- 1993 Hall of Fame Inductees