TexasCharley
New member
Elmer Kelton of San Angelo, Texaa, considered by Western Writers of America to be the best western writer ever to work in ghe genre, died this past Saturday at his home. Elmer was the author of some 40 western novels, including THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED, the best novel ever written about Texas.
He was awarded WWA's Spur for Best Novel of the West 7 times--more than any other writer. By contrast, Louis L'Amour won only one Spur, for HONDO. He was also awarded the Saddleman Trophy in recognition of his outstanding career as a western writer. He received 4 Western Heritage Wrangler awarde from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Elmer was born in 1928 at Horse Camp in Andrews County, Texas. His father R. W. 'Buck' Kelton was a ranch foreman. Elmer grew up on the McElroy Ranch in Upton and Crane Counties, where his father worked as ranch foreman. He served in the US Army from `1944 to 1946. He returned to Austria as a civilian in 1947 to marry Anna Lipp, a girl he met while serving with the occupation forces.
Elmer took a degree in journalism at UT when the only one was in Austin. He began a career as an agricultural journalist with the San Angelo Standard-Times in 1949. In 1963 he was hired to edit Sheep & Goat Raiser magazine. In 1968 he became editor of Livestock Weekly. He retired in 1990. In addition to 40 novels, Elmer wrote literally hundred of articles on ranching and West Texas, an almost-uncountable number of short stories in the pulp-magazine era, and several non-fiction books. One of his novels, THE GOOD OLE BOYS, was a Turner Network made for TV movie directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones.
He was awarded WWA's Spur for Best Novel of the West 7 times--more than any other writer. By contrast, Louis L'Amour won only one Spur, for HONDO. He was also awarded the Saddleman Trophy in recognition of his outstanding career as a western writer. He received 4 Western Heritage Wrangler awarde from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Elmer was born in 1928 at Horse Camp in Andrews County, Texas. His father R. W. 'Buck' Kelton was a ranch foreman. Elmer grew up on the McElroy Ranch in Upton and Crane Counties, where his father worked as ranch foreman. He served in the US Army from `1944 to 1946. He returned to Austria as a civilian in 1947 to marry Anna Lipp, a girl he met while serving with the occupation forces.
Elmer took a degree in journalism at UT when the only one was in Austin. He began a career as an agricultural journalist with the San Angelo Standard-Times in 1949. In 1963 he was hired to edit Sheep & Goat Raiser magazine. In 1968 he became editor of Livestock Weekly. He retired in 1990. In addition to 40 novels, Elmer wrote literally hundred of articles on ranching and West Texas, an almost-uncountable number of short stories in the pulp-magazine era, and several non-fiction books. One of his novels, THE GOOD OLE BOYS, was a Turner Network made for TV movie directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones.