During the golden age of popular song Tin Pan Alley published a large number of songs that were ostensibly themed around Western images. Among the songs published were many with traditional cowboy and Indian (Native American) themes, including “Pony Boy, “My Western Rose”, “Santa Fe”, and “Snow Deer”..  “Silver Bell” was written in 1910 by Percy Wenrich (music) and Edward Madden (lyrics), in an attempt to cash in on the huge popularity of another Indian song, “Red Wing”, which had been written in 1907. In the 1940’s, it was performed and recorded by Bill Monroe, and so has become a bluegrass fiddle tune standard.