Remembering Cowboy Slim Rinehart, One of the First 'Singing Cowboys'

The pioneering Texas country music performer who shaped Ernest Tubb's career was born on this day in 1911.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 10:18pm

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Nolan Arthur "Cowboy Slim" Rinehart, one of the earliest singing cowboys in country music, was born on March 11, 1911, in Comanche County, Texas. Despite never recording a single record, Rinehart left a lasting impact on the industry, pioneering the Texas country music scene and greatly influencing honky-tonk superstar Ernest Tubb.

Why it matters

Rinehart was part of the 'border radio' movement, performing hillbilly songs on powerful Mexican radio stations that reached audiences across North America. He helped mold the careers of other notable musicians like 'Big Bill' Lister and Ernest Tubb, though he himself turned down record deals and Hollywood opportunities, preferring to keep his 'Cowboy Slim' persona.

The details

Born Nolan Arthur Rinehart, the singer gained fame as the 'King of Border Radio' for his performances on XEPN, a powerful 'outlaw' radio station in Piedras Negras, Mexico. Rinehart was part of the Good Neighbor Get-Together, a group that included other pioneering country acts like Patsy Montana and the original Carter Family. In 1948, Rinehart finally agreed to record an album, but tragically died in a car crash while en route to the studio session.

  • Cowboy Slim Rinehart was born on March 11, 1911 in Comanche County, Texas.
  • Rinehart performed on the 'border blaster' radio station XEPN in Piedras Negras, Mexico in the 1930s and 1940s.
  • In October 1948, Rinehart was killed in a car crash while traveling to a recording studio in Michigan.

The players

Nolan Arthur "Cowboy Slim" Rinehart

One of the earliest 'singing cowboys' in country music, Rinehart was known as the 'King of Border Radio' for his performances on powerful Mexican radio stations that reached audiences across North America.

Ernest Tubb

The honky-tonk superstar whose career was greatly influenced by Rinehart, though Tubb was unable to convince Rinehart to sign a record deal.

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What they’re saying

“[Among] the cowboy singers, none was as great as Cowboy Slim Rinehart, as I keep telling you. He was my idol and the one and only true king of border radio.”

— Dallas 'Slim Nevada Turner'

The takeaway

Cowboy Slim Rinehart's pioneering work on 'border radio' stations and his influence on other country music legends like Ernest Tubb cement his legacy as one of the original 'singing cowboys' who helped shape the early days of the genre.