Too Country And Proud Of It!

REVIEW: The American Cowboy - A Rodeo Album of Champions
(Bluegrass)

Music by the Cowboy, For the Cowboy

"The American Cowboy" is a celebration of the rodeo and the brave (perhaps mildly insane) men and women who love it and dedicate their lives to it.  Recorded by a collection of rodeo riders and champions, "The American Cowboy" takes a look at the rodeo from within by those who love it most, and is dedicated to the fallen.        

There's none who can deny the cowboy holds a special place in the hearts of most Americans.  Even if they aren't lovers of westerns, even if you never tried to out-draw Matt Dillon on a Saturday night, and even if you've never seen a rodeo live and in-the-flesh, you just can't deny the romantic image of the true American Western Hero.  They are, indeed, a "fast-livin', slow-dyin' breed."        

This disc contains the singing debuts of a number of international rodeo champions, the gals and the guys, from bullriders to bronc busters to team ropers to barrel racers, they're all here, flexing their vocal chords for themselves and a bunch of friends - the listeners - just to celebrate their beloved rodeo careers, and to raise their hats to the memory of lost cowboy Lane Frost (the subject of the movie "8 Seconds"), who was fatally injured during a Cheyenne bull ride in 1989.  The song that captures his heroism is "He Didn't Hear The Thunder," a beautiful tune sung by Larry Mahan and Ronnie Twist.        

The disc is more than just good old cowboy music from some real cowboys, as well; a percentage of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which is said to be "a national fund established by the Justin Boot Company to aid rodeo professionals in times of need."        

The songs are not your standard, polished, Nashville fare.  These are talented amateurs singing songs they like about something they like.  It's rough and honest and altogether wonderful to listen to.

Buy a copy, help the cowboys out, and enjoy the listen around the fire.  Then the next time the rodeo's in town, check it out.  You'll enjoy watching them do what they do best even more than you'll enjoy hearing them sing.  It's worth it all the way around.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back February 2003