Best of the West

 (8 customer reviews)

Back before people were writing "country" songs about pickup trucks, airplanes, "just when you need me the most, so does the coast" (yecch!), etc., C/W music sounded like Riders in the Sky.For the uninitiated, "Riders" consists of "Too Slim" on upright bass, "Woody Paul" on fiddle, and "Ranger Doug, 'The Idol of American Youth,'" on guitar. <grin> All of them sing, tight harmonies reminiscent of Sons of the Pioneers, but more "minimal." Very pure stuff.They approach the task at hand with a perfect blend of reverence (no question they LOVE this music) and good humor that is truly engaging. (In "real life," I've heard that all three Riders are very well-educated engineer-types, but who would know?)"Best of the West" is a greatest-hits collection of sorts. (Riders in the Sky? Greatest hits?!? Funny, huh?) It contains classic cowboy songs (Don't Fence Me In, Tumbling...Read more

Howdy, buckaroos and Buckarettes! If you are a fan of cowboy music, Riders In The Sky are the leading practioners of the genre. Riders In The Sky recorded five albums for the Rounder Label before moving on to greener pastures at MCA in the late Eighties. This CD offers a generous hour-long sampling from their years at Rounder. [I'm not sure what some reviewers are listening to. The twenty-two tracks listed is exactly what you get and the vocals and instrumentation are mixed just fine. And all three members are excellent musicians.]About half of these songs are originals--most by "Ranger Doug" Green--including "That's How the Yodel Was Born," a humorous number that, of course, features Green's marvelous yodeling technique. "Woody Paul" Chrisman penned the ballads "Soon As the Roundup's Through" and "Cowboy Song." These originals blend in beautifully with standards like "Ghost Riders In the Sky," "Don't Fence...Read more

This was my first exposure to Riders in the Sky, and it was WAY back in 1981, just as I got out of the Army and was working at an electronics store while putting myself through college. We had a deal worked with the record store next door to us in the mall that they would loan us albums, and we would play them on our stereos. (We sold stereos, they sold albums.)

My wife and I were both Army musicians, so most pop music, including Country Western, just isn't my cup of tea. I was getting pretty sick of playing George Jones, but it sold stereos.

One evening I went next door to get some fresh music and they suggested this album, which had just been released. While I wasn't all that impressed with the album cover, I took it back next door into our store and put it on while I went to straighten up stock.

Within the third track, I had the album cover in my hands and was reading it. "Who are these guys?" I was hooked. 25 years, a gazillion albums of...Read more