Riders In The Sky
A Centennial Salute to the Music of Gene Autry
Rounder - 0593
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also available on amazon
These ‘new’ benchmark standard bearers of the grand vistas of the Western Music that Gene Autry and others made popular in the Western Movies of the 1940s and ‘50s,carry on in the tradition and with the style that Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and their counterparts set. They took this occasion that would have been the 100th birthday of “The Singing Cowboy,” to re-release their 1996 edition of Public Cowboy #1 (with the addition of 4 bonus songs). This group has always been deeply rooted in the style and Way of the Cowboy; one of their favorite rhetorical questions is, “Is that the cowboy way?”
Don’t think these hands are are fresh born calves, they are all skilled musicians and have multiple Grammy Awards to prove it, they have been around as a trio since 1977; they started with guitarist Ranger Doug, Too Slim on upright bass, and fiddler Woody Paul (King of The Cowboy Fiddlers), and in the 90’s added Joey, The CowPolka King” on accordion. Though they
play Western Music they are also accomplished comedians and performers. This is one of those band you should see live, their shows are ripe with all kinds of comedy and comment, and i have a feeling they are some of the most intelligent of performers around.
These are the songs that are closely associated with Gene; Back In The Saddle Again, the great blues influenced “Can’t Shake The Sands of Texas from My Boots,” and Mexicali Rose,” to name just a few of them. A solid disc that shows off their versatility, tight musicianship, and stunning vocal harmonies, not to mention the wonderful yodeling that comes into play.