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June 1939. Big Horn County, Montana. "Cowhands singing after day's work. Quarter Circle U Ranch roundup." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Nice article with more photos and history of this and other Montana ranches.
That's an interesting guitar that Preston Cronkite is playing. It's a 12-fretter (the body join is at that fret rather than the 14th fret that is more often seen nowadays) tenor guitar. Doesn't look like a Martin to me, as the soundhole rosette is fancier than the top binding would dictate. Maybe a Harmony. No pickguard.
I've owned a couple of old tenor guitars and never could decide how to tune the darned things. His is likely tuned as a regular guitar (EADG strings only), as he seems to be fingering a G chord. Most players tuned them like a tenor banjo (CGDA), I believe.
The fellow on the left may be playing harp, so let's call him Harpo.
Walter Cronkite.
[I see Preston Foster. -tterrace]
It even appears to be further concealed with propped-up firewood. And I bet everyone but the harmonica player was vision impaired for the rest of the evening!
That means that Harry Carey is sitting just to his left. Maybe it's a Ford Production.
[Harry Carey Jr., maybe. -tterrace]
Indeed, my error!
that's not Gary Cooper in the center.
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