Riders in the Sky has recorded over 40 albums and toured across the world, including all 50 states.
Ranger Doug is the guitarist who yodels and sings lead and baritone vocals. Too Slim is the upright “bunkhouse” bassist. Woody Paul is the “King of the Cowboy Fiddlers,” and sings lead and tenor vocals. Last is Joey the “CowPolka King” who plays this accordion.
Ranger Doug said the Grammy Award-winning act started in 1977 with a desire to perform Western music.
“We felt that it was a wonderful, vibrant style, it had been relegated to the nostalgia bin," Ranger Doug said. "We felt that if we could create new Western music, play the classics and have a lot of fun on stage, we might be able to make a little career of it.”
Ranger Doug describes their show as Sons of the Pioneers meets Monty Python. It’s a sort of comedy musical that brings viewers back to the Old West.
About one-third of their songs are original and another third are classics people love.
“Another third are obscurities that we've found through the years that [are] wonderful Western tunes that have been forgotten, and we bring them back,” Ranger Doug said.
The group was also on a TV Show called Tumbleweed Theater. In each episode, the band would present a “B-Western” film from the 1930s and 40s and then perform songs and sketches.
Ranger Doug said a Pixar producer was a fan of the show which helped them get the gig of performing “Woody’s Roundup” in Toy Story 2.
The Riders in the Sky will perform at the Egyptian Theater on Main Street from Thursday, Jan. 4 through Sunday, Jan. 7.