W. M. "Tex" Ritter 1905-1974
Western singing star Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter was born in Panola County Texas. He grew up in Nederland and after attending college, began singing cowboy ballads on a Houston radio station in 1928. He advanced to Broadway where he was nicknamed "Tex" and in 1936 began a series of popular western movies. Ritter performed later for television and the Grand Ole Opry and was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame. His best known recording is the title song from the film "High Noon".