By ALLISON MORGAN

News Entertainment Editor

One of Ponca City's finest performers will soon be awarded with an induction into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Les Gilliam, the official "Oklahoma Balladeer," will join three other musicians at the 14th annual Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 4, at the Muskogee Civic Center.

A native of the small town of Gene Autry in Carter County, a town formerly named Berwyn, Gilliam grew up listening to Gene Autry's weekly radio show, "Melody Ranch."

"We didn't have a television back then so we listened to a lot of radio." Gilliam said. "Gene had great music, comedies, sound effects and even a short cowboy drama skit. I absolutely loved it."

Gilliam had even more appreciation for Autry's music and radio show because he knew "the singing cowboy" personally.

"When I was a boy, my family shared a back fence with Gene Autry's ranch." Gilliam said. "He would come visit often and it was always such a great thrill."

The story behind his hometown is no less intriguing. Originally named Berwyn, it was renamed Gene Autry on Nov. 16, 1941, and was attended by Gene Autry himself, who broadcast his radio show live on-site. According to newspaper reports, over 35,000 people attended the ceremonies. One reporter was quoted as saying "you couldn't see the town for all the people."

Autry had high hopes for the small town and at the time was hopeful he could turn it into "the Cowboy Capital of America," where Western movies could be made in authentic surroundings rather than an ordinary Hollywood backlot. Unfortunately this dream never came to pass. Three weeks after the town's ceremony, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Autry, following his own "cowboy code," became a patriot and joined the U.S. Army, serving as a flight officer from 1942 to 1946.

After his military service, Autry was offered a weekly television show that was to be filmed in California. Times had changed and Autry sold his rodeo stock and abandoned his dreams for a "Hollywood of the East" as he set his sights on television success.

The town never forgot Autry's dream and now is home to one of the largest collections of Western and singing cowboy memorabilia in the world, as well as an annual Gene Autry Film and Music Festival, which Gilliam regularly attends.

In his career, Gilliam has recorded 16 albums and two videos. Of all his work, one of Gilliam's personal favorites was his album titled "Memories of TV Westerns," a collection of various hits from both Hollywood and radio Western songs, including the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans classic "Happy Trails," as well as "Bonanza," "Rawhide" and of course, the Gene Autry hit "Back in The Saddle."

His other personal favorite was an album he composed as a tribute to Autry, the greatest of all singing cowboys. "I Remember Gene" contains many of the Autry favorites, such as "Mexicali Rose" and "Yellow Rose of Texas." His favorite Gene Autry song is "Blue Canadian Rockies."

Gilliam cites his upcoming induction as one of the highlights of his career but he is no stranger to winning awards. In 2005 Gilliam was awarded the coveted "Wrangler" award, the most prestigious award in Western music, for his album "It's Time to Sing a Song." In 2006 he earned a nomination to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame as well as the Governor's Arts Award. In 2008 he earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Gene Autry Museum in his hometown and his picture and profile are listed in the book "Distinguished Oklahomans" by Victoria Lee.

He has performed at many noteworthy locations such as The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., the Gene Autry Film and Music Festival in Gene Autry, Rex Allen Days in Wilcox, Ariz., the Bakersfield Opry in California, the Western Music Festival in Tucson, Ariz., the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, the International Music Festival in Vienna, Austria and right here in Ponca's own Poncan Theatre.

Gilliam and his band, The Silver Lake Band, travel a lot and on average perform about 100 shows a year.

"We stay pretty busy." Gilliam said. "Fortunately my wife and I love to travel."

Locally, Gilliam has also lent a hand in helping several Ponca City businesses, namely The Poncan Theatre. Upon the theatre's grand reopening, Les produced the first two fundraising shows. He organized a Dixieland Band, a barbershop quartet and his own band. Both times they played to a sold out crowd.

"I feel so privileged to have been a part of the first two shows that reopened The Poncan." He said. "My wife and I have been in Ponca City for 49 years and we love it and have no plans to leave. This city's been good to us."

When inducted, Gilliam will join a line of past inductees, including Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Merle Haggard, Leona Mitchell, Roy Clark, Woodie Guthrie, Carrie Underwood and Gilliam's own Western inspiration, Gene Autry. The other three members of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2010 include Sam Harris, Jamie Oldaker and Jean Shepard.

Gilliam's performances are known for their wonderful mix of cowboy, Western swing, country and gospel music, along with fascinating stories about the songs and the artists that performed them. He includes original songs and humorous material and always adds a touch of nostalgia and patriotism.

Les Gilliam will perform at the Poncan Opry at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept.11, at the Poncan Theare. For tickets or more information, call 765-0943.

As for the future and what it might have in store for Gilliam and his band, he'll continue to perform as long as he has an audience.

"I guess I'll just keep entertaining as long as someone wants me to." He said. Considering his awards and success, it is almost certain he will always have a captivated audience.