Leonard Franklin Slye formed the "Pioneer Trio" in 1933 and renamed it the "Sons of the Pioneers" in 1935.
He subsequently became the biggest box office draw for Republic Pictures and may have even forced Gene Autry over to the Columbia studios.
He died in 1998 and his museum moved to Branson, Missouri, in 2003 but was forced to close a couple months ago because of declining attendance.
Some of the museum stuff has been sold at auction and his original guitar went for $460,000.