In the mid-season premiere of Yellowstone, the episode was dedicated "In Loving Memory of Billy Klapper". But who is Billy Klapper? Well, if you watched the mid-season premiere then you saw him.
In the episode, Rip (Cole Hauser) stops by a local loriner in Pampa, Texas, to pick up a bit for Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith). While there, Rip notices the artistry of the loriner's work, admiring a set of spurs made from a single piece of metal. That real-life loriner was Billy Klapper, well known in cowboying and ranching circles for his craftsmanship and handiwork.
The real-life Klapper died at age 87 on Sept. 10, after he had filmed his guest appearance on Yellowstone. Survived by his daughters and grandchildren, Klapper made his first set of spurs back in 1966, learning much of the trade from spending time with famed spur maker Adolph Bayers. Klapper quit working as a cowboy and began making gear full time in 1968. He had learned a bit of metalsmithing from Bayers, gleaning knowledge from him on how to make spurs from a single piece of metal instead of welding pieces together. Klapper's work became much sought after-in fact, the bit that Rip was picking up for Lloyd was the "27," one of Klapper's most popular bits.
Working as a loriner for almost 50 years, Klapper has created almost 900 bit designs and almost 800 spur designs, all drawn in spiral notebooks that sit in a desk drawer in his shop.
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This isn't the first time Yellowstone has featured IRL cowboys or dedicated episodes to those known in the cowboying or ranching circles. In "Under a Blanket of Red," the fifth episode in Season 4, viewers got to meet legendary horse trainer Buster Welch. Northern Exposure actor Barry Corbin was also featured in the episode. Corbin is not only an actor but an experienced cowboy himself, having won several cutting horse competitions.
Related: Yellowstone Cowboy and Legendary Horse Trainer Buster Welch Dies
Also in Season 4, another episode was dedicated to John Prine. While the country folk songwriter did not appear in the third episode of the season that was dedicated to him, his music can be heard closing out the episode.
Next, Who Was John Prine? Why Did Yellowstone Dedicate Episode to Songwriter?