Billy Venero chords by Marty Robbins

Key: C

Intro:

G      C


Verse 1:
      C
In an Arizona town one day
       F
Bill Venero heard them say
       G
That a band of Apache Indians
                       C
Were on the trail that way
           C
Heard them tell of murder done
          F
Three men killed at Rocky Run
            G
"They're in danger at the cow ranch"
                      C
Said Venero under his breath!

Verse 2:
       C
Nearly forty miles away
      F
Was a little place that lay
     G
In a deep and shady valley
                    C
In the mighty wilderness
       C
Half a score of homes were there
       F
And in one a maiden fair
         G
Held the heart of Bill Venero
                C
Venero's little Bess


Verse 3:
      C
So no wonder he grew pale
        F
When he heard the cowboy's tale
       G
Of the men that he'd seen murdered
               C
There at Rocky Run
        C
Sure as there's a God above
       F
I will save the girl I love
        G
By that love I hold for Bessie
                           C
I will see that somethin's done!


Verse 4:
        C
Not one minute he delayed
          F
When this brave resolve was made
      G
"But, man," his comrades told him
                           C
When they heard his daring plan
         C
"You are riding straight to death!"
       F
But he answered, "Save your breath
      G
I may never reach the cow ranch
                       C
But I'll do the best I can."


Verse 5:
      C
As he crossed the alkali
        F
All his thoughts flew on ahead
       G
To the little band at Cow Ranch
                      C
Thinking not a danger near
         C
With his quirt's unceasing whirl
        F
And the jingle of his spurs
       G
Little Chapo bore the cowboy
                      C
O'er the far away frontier


Verse 6:
          C
Sharp and clear a rifle shot
         F
Woke the echoes of the spot
      G
"I am wounded," cried Venero
      C
As he swayed from side to side
               C
"While there's life there's always hope
       F
Slowly onward I will lope
      G
If we fail to reach the Cow Ranch
                       C
Bessie Lee will know I tried."


Verse 7:
        C
Then at dusk a horse of brown
         F
Wet with sweat came panting down
    G
The little lane at Cow Ranch
                             C
Stopped in front of Bessie's door
        C
But the cowboy was asleep
        F
And his slumber was so deep
       G
Little Bess could never wake him
                         C
Though she tried forever more


Verse 8:
         C
You have heard this story told
       F
By the young and by the old
        G
How the Indians killed Venero
                    C
On his way to Rocky Run
     C
Many years have passed away
        F
And the maiden's hair is gray
    G
But still she places roses
                 C
On Bill Venero's grave