This is the first volume in an ambitious four-disc series documenting some 70 years of cowboy song on record. Compiled and annotated by Douglas Green (Ranger Doug of the singing group, Riders in the Sky), this 14-track collection provides a most interesting opening salvo. Bursting with classics (Patsy Montana's "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart," Tex Ritter's "Rye Whiskey," Tex Owens' "Cattle Call," and Carson Robinson's "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie") as well as genre perfect examples of the form (Ken Maynard's ...
Read More
This is the first volume in an ambitious four-disc series documenting some 70 years of cowboy song on record. Compiled and annotated by Douglas Green (Ranger Doug of the singing group, Riders in the Sky), this 14-track collection provides a most interesting opening salvo. Bursting with classics (Patsy Montana's "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart," Tex Ritter's "Rye Whiskey," Tex Owens' "Cattle Call," and Carson Robinson's "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie") as well as genre perfect examples of the form (Ken Maynard's "Lone Star Trail," Jimmie Rodgers' "When the Cactus Is in Bloom," Carl T. Sprague's ghostly sounding "When the Work's All Done This Fall," and Powder River Jack and Kitty Lee's "Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail"), this compilation goes a long way toward illuminating the roots of cowboy music. You really couldn't call any of the tracks less than seminal, and Green's track selection -- and sequencing -- is impeccable. Highly recommended. ~ Cub Koda, Rovi
Read Less
