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Born in Vernon, Texas about 15 miles from Doan's crossing on the Red River where the Western Trail of the famous Chisholm Trail crossed the river going north to cattle markets in Kansas.
His music began in California singing for tourists at Chuck Ryaan's Double CCR movie ranch and becoming a member of Chuck Ryaan's stage show as guitar player and backup with the Double CCR 'Ranch Boys.' This soon lead to strapping on six guns and wearing big hats and becoming part of the wild west show. That consisted of getting shot at a lot and falling down.
Getting shot at didn't hurt much but falling down usually did.
The show went on the road some too. Next thing was going before the movie camera as a cowboy. Finley worked with the 'All American Cowboy - Chuck Ryaan' in movies and performing Western Music.
The work was fun and Finley met a lot of wonderful people doing it.
Finley's movies were: 'The All American Cowboy,' 'At trails end,' 'Riders of the rough shod trail,' 'One for the devil' and a few others.
While all that was going on he finished broadcasting school in Hollywood and passed all the FCC tests and got a license.
Well, that sat on the shelf for a while. Until God was ready.
Finley did a gospel music program for a lady named 'Lois Gibbons' and she said she would like to start a gospel music record show, but didn't have a 'disk jockey.' That was the start of his gospel music career. The Radio program 'Gospel Favorites' was well received in California.
Finley is a BMI songwriter and has several songs recorded and published.
Finley has recorded with New River Records, Gulf Stream Records and Love Records has recorded five albums and has ten radio single releases.
As Western music and the cowboy scene faded Finley became more involved in gospel music as a performer, working with most of the west cost groups.
Traveling for a while with 'The Crownsmen' who were with Hal Spenser's, Manna Music label, in Los Angeles.
Finley has since moved to Texas and lives in Houston and continues to stay active in the preservation of the Singing Cowboy and Western movie traditions and is an advisory board member of 'The Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall Of Fame.' |
