Ralph Compton

Ralph Compton (April 11, 1934 – September 16, 1998) was an American writer of western fiction.

A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton stood six-foot-eight without his boots.

He worked as a musician, a radio announcer, a songwriter, and a newspaper columnist.

Mr. Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel".

He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series.

In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.

Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64.

Since his death, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David L. Robbins, under Compton's byline.

Trail Drive books written by other authors under Compton's byline:

Sundown Riders books written by other authors under Compton's byline:

The following novels were written by a variety of authors under Compton's byline and published by the Ralph Compton Estate (not including the Trail Drive Series or Sundown Riders Series, which are already listed above).

In every one of these books, the first chapter is preceded by Compton's five-paragraph eulogy to "The Immortal Cowboy" which begins with: "This is respectfully dedicated to the 'American cowboy.' His was the saga sparked by the turmoil that followed the Civil War, and the passing of more than a century has by no means diminished the flame."

John Edward Ames:

Ralph Cotton:

Marcus Galloway:

Tony Healey:

Jackson Lowry:

Matthew P. Mayo:

Terrence McCauley:

Robert J. Randisi:

Dusty Richards

David L. Robbins:

Jeff Rovin:

John Shirley:

Carlton Stowers

Robert Vaughan:

Joseph A. West: