Known for being a "musician's musician", Rusty began his long career at the age of 11 when he picked up the guitar and began playing and singing with his father, Pop, a drummer and his brother, Jesse, who played fiddle and bass. He then formed is own band called The Songbillies and played all around Oklahoma.   At the age of 17 a band leader in Oklahoma City heard Rusty singing and hired him to be the lead vocalist.   In 1940 at the age of 20, Rusty moved to Dallas to join the Callahan Brothers who performed live on KRLD radio and on stages all around Texas and Oklahoma.  In 1945 the group traveled to Hollywood to appear in the movie “Springtime In Texas” which starred Jimmie Wakely.    He then joined the famous Light Crust Doughboys as their lead singer and toured around the country.    In 1948 Rusty went on tour with Al "Pistol Packin Mama" Dexter. That led to joining Tex Ritter in 1949 on a tour that featured Rusty's singing in front of huge crowds at places like the famous Hipadrome Theater in Baltimore, the Capitol Theater in Washington D.C. and the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis.  Then, in 1950, Bob Wills convinced Rusty to join him on tour as his lead vocalist for the Texas Playboys.  It was during this time when the song "Faded Love" was recorded with Rusty as the lead vocalist.  It became one of their biggest hits and remains a classic country song to this day.  In the 80’s it was also selected as Oklahoma’s state country music song.  The band also recorded several songs Rusty had written including "I Didn't Realize" and "Dotting Each I With A Teardrop".  In 1951 Rusty rejoined Tex Ritter and his show on tour through the Dakotas, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.  That's when a man named Fleming Allen heard Rusty and signed him to a contract on Intro Records. They had several recording sessions in Los Angeles that produced songs like "You Got The Right Number", "Remember To Say Goodbye", "Baby Sittin Boogie", "Silver and Gold", "Don't Say I'm Sorry Anymore", "Silver and Gold", "Long Lost Love" and "Call Operator 210".  Rusty then rejoined Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys in 1954 for a tour of the western states.                                                                               During most of his career Rusty's home base was the Southern Club in Lawton, Oklahoma, his hometown, with what he called one of the best bands he had ever put together, The Southernairs. He continued his career as a solo artist through the late 60's and 70's, performing all around the country.  In the early 70's Rusty released an album of classic songs that proved to be very popular.  It was called "The Amazing Rusty McDonald".                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Rusty was born in southwest Oklahoma on Octobrer 10, 1921.   In  June 1979 Rusty passed away from a long illness.   But his music lives on.   Rusty has a grandson who is also a very talented musician.  Colin McDonald, along with his beautiful wife Breanna, are based in the Austin, Texas area and are making some terrific music.  You can check that out here.