Don Fields And His Pony Boys

Don Fields (4) (1913-1983) was a hillbilly/cowboy fiddler and dixieland saxophonist based in Vermont. Born in Montreal and growing up in Waterbury, VT, Fields began playing at age 5 and was educated classically. His musical education was terminated at age 15 due to the death of his father and the resulting financial hardship to the family. Working odd jobs and eventually settling as an announcer for Waterbury's radio station WDEV, Fields played local kitchen tunks and junkets (rural square-dances, grange hall shows, and barn dances, and similar social events with music) throughout the 20s and early 30s when a wave of New England cowboy bands began to gain in popularity. Impressed by the showmanship and musicality of Otto Gray's Oklahoma Cowboys, Fields spoke with WDEV owner Lloyd Squier and Squier's friend Harry Whitehill (a friend from Squier's newspaper days), and Fields was given a spot as the radio station's first musical program. In 1935, Fields formed Don Fields & The Pony Boys. The composition of the Pony Boys would vary as musicians joined the band and left the band, however the band would continue playing hillbilly and later Western swing music until the late 50s. The band wore western clothes and emphasized the Nashville sound that was popular at the time. The band became quite popular, earning Fields the epithet "King of the Vermont Cowboys". At their peak, The Pony Boys were performing daily and weekly on WDEV, WJOY, WCAX, and WNBX, and the band played evening gigs in addition. By the 1960s, The Pony Boys had disbanded, however they would briefly come together for a few farewell performances on WDEV during the 1970s. By this point Fields was living in Duxbury and he performed once again in the mid 1980s, collaborating with former-Pony Boys, Smokey and Lois Carey, for Mark Greenberg (4)'s "Historic WDEV Broadcasts And Last Sessions" release. Members of The Pony Boys at various times included: •Lois Carey •Mort "Smokey" Carey •Felix Conti •Chickie Corelli •Chuck Donnelly •Carl Durgin •Bernie Gladden •Bob Preavy •Ray Preavy •Bill Robie •Caddy Small •Sheldon "Buddy" Truax •Hartwell Weber •Andrew "Zeke" Zelonis