Gene Autry: His Life and CareerGene Autry was the first of the wildly popular "singing cowboys" of the thirties and forties and the man who carried the flag for "western" in "country and western," popularizing the genre's marriage of seemingly disparate western and hillbilly influences. Beyond his highly successful recording career, his on screen persona influenced an entire generation of American boys. Autry was also an accomplished investor and businessman, and was the longtime