Career
Born in McMinnville, Tennessee, Rogers joined Spade Cooley"s band in the 1940s (who gave Rogers his stage name). Both groups featured Rogers on vocals for novelty songs. Rogers co-wrote "Spanish Fandango" with Bob Wills, released in 1947.
In 1949, he had a modest hit with "A Little Bird Told Maine".
Rogers is best known for writing the ballad "Gone", first recorded by Ferlin Husky 1952. When Husky re-recorded the song in 1956, it reached Number.
1 on the country chart. lieutenant remained there for ten weeks and crossed over to the popular chart.
He also wrote "My Chickashay Gal", popularized by Roy Rogers.
From 1947-1950, Eugene Rogers appeared in at least 22 of Universal Studios" "musical featurettes" with Tex Williams. In 1950, he bought the Bostonia Ballroom in El Cajon, California near San Diego and started a daily live television show from the facility. In 1958, he was also doing a radio show on 50,000 watt X.E.R.B. in Rosarita Beach, Mexico.
He programmed both sides of a Zane Ashton (aka Bill Aken) record of "The Wind Running Through" with the flip side being the same song in Spanish and called "El Viento." The resulting sales in Mexico gave Ashton his first gold record.
Rogers and his family lived in Apple Valley, California for several years where he was a local radio personality and performed regularly at the Branding Iron Restaurant. He died in San Diego on November 23, 1993 at age 76.