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| Riders In the Sky Friday, March 28, 2008, 7:30 p.m. Performing Arts Center General Admission: $15, Students $5 With 29-plus years and well over 5,000 performances under their collective cowboy belt, Riders In The Sky, the multi Grammy Award winning Western music group whose music is firmly grounded in the rich American music traditions of such legendary cowboys singers as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and the Sons of the Pioneers-and whose fun-filled performances have enchanted audiences of all ages-are themselves the stuff of legend. Indeed, the Riders-Ranger Doug (Idol of American Youth), Woody Paul (King of the Cowboy Fiddlers), Too Slim ("a Righteous Tater"), and Joey (the CowPolka King)-have single-handedly revived and revitalized an entire music genre since they formed in 1977. With their recent induction into the prestigious Walk of Western Stars in Newhall, California, they've only added more luster to an extraordinary career that long ago placed them rightfully alongside the all-time greats as the world's premiere Western recording and touring band. Foremost on their list of achievements are their Grammy albums: "Woody's Roundup featuring Riders In The Sky" was a "companion album" for the soundtrack of the 1999 Walt Disney/Pixar animated classic "Toy Story 2," which contained their delightful version of "Woody's Roundup." The album won the Grammy for Best Musical Album for Children for 2001-an honor the Riders received again two years later for their Walt Disney Records release "Monster's Inc.-Scream Factory Favorites"-another animated film classic musical tie-in. As real-life characters, the Riders continue to record seasonal episodes of Riders Radio Theatre, a radio program that's been broadcast by over 170 public and commercial stations since 1989. They've also starred in their own Saturday morning children's TV series, "Riders In The Sky," for CBS; hosted another one, "Tumbleweed Theater," for TNN; appeared regularly on "Austin City Limits"; and served as spokesmen for the National Park Service, Opryland, and such varied products as Levis, Taco Bell, Budweiser, Coke, and Cheer. Additionally, the group performed in "Sweet Dreams," the acclaimed Patsy Cline biopic starring Jessica Lange, and the Kenny Rogers made-for-TV movie "Wild Horses." Of greatest significance, however, is that in 1982, Riders In The Sky became the first exclusively Western music artist to join the Grand Ole Opry. Coming two years after the release of their first album "Three On the Trail," their Opry induction recognized the then trio's instantly-earned stature, not only as the foremost custodians of America's great Western music heritage, but as among country music's leading entertainers. |
