The Touch of Roy and Dale

The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Influence, As Only Their Fans Could Tell It

When author Tricia Spencer acquired 40,000 pieces of fan mail from the Rogers' estate, she discovered much more than typical fan adulation. Nestled amidst never-before-seen photos, poetry, art and songs were amazing personal Roy and Dale stories. The 1990s letters were written when Roy and Dale began facing health challenges, and in spite of it being nearly a half a century beyond their Hollywood heyday, fans rallied to express just how much their American heroes had influenced and altered the paths of their lives. Additionally, Ms. Spencer invited Roy and Dale's children, family friends, western silver screen stars, western authors, and others to pen their own personal essays for the book. Elton John and Bernie Taupin's Roy Rogers song, the sketch art of stuntman and famed western artist, Walt LaRue, and memories shared by celebrity friends blend seamlessly with the expression and imaginative artistic creations of Roy and Dale's cherished fans. Many words have been devoted to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, but never before have those words been gathered into the revelation that is The Touch of Roy and Dale. A book for all generations, it easily answers the question: What is a hero? Roy and Dale's greatest accomplishment was never their celebrity. As the collective voices of this book so poignantly, sometimes humorously, sometimes rawly, reveal, it was their uncommon and generous humanity that made them heroes. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits Roy and Dale's charity, The Happy Trails Children's Foundation.