The Current-Story Dec. 2008

Riders In The Sky

By Regan Henson

Keifer Sutherland and Woody Harrelson tried it. Bobby Brown and Sebastian Bach gave it a whirl. Heck, these days even Jessica Simpson has thrown her ten gallon hats into the ring. But nobody, and I mean nobody has truly lived life “the cowboy way” better than Riders In The Sky. For over thirty years these rootin’ tootin’ bronc’ bustin’ pistol twirlin’ western swingin’ cow pokes have been making audiences dance, sing and laugh out loud, playing nearly 200 shows yearly in all 50 states and around the world. With their unique combination of straight ahead western standards and wacky cowboy comedy, these dudes have found quite a niche for themselves with their family-friendly performances and 35 albums, two of which have won Grammys. This December you can check out the fun for yourself when Riders In The Sky bring their Christmas show to Miami’s Coleman Theatre.

Riders In The Sky began their long career in the late 70s as a trio which included guitarist and singer Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green), bassist Too Slim (Fred LaBour) and fiddler Woody Paul (Paul Chrisman). With their shared love of classic western music and technical virtuosity with their instruments, combined with fine comic timing and onstage chemistry, the trio immediately developed a following. The lineup was cemented later when Polka Hall of Fame member Joey (The CowPolka King) Miskulin was added on accordion. Over the years the group refined their stage show to include comedic skits and music parodies in addition to their fine renditions of standards and originals. They also earned a reputation as one of the hardest working acts in show business by expanding their reach into television, motion pictures and radio. And before you decide to dismiss these boys as simple country bumpkins, bear in mind that aside from Miskulin’s hall of fame credentials, Green has a Master’s degree in Literature, LaBour a Master’s degree in Wildlife Management and Chrisman carries a PhD in theoretical plasma physics from MIT. These boys are definitely smarter than the average bear. And Jessica Simpson? Well, she still has her ten gallon hats.

Be sure to make it up to the beautiful Coleman Theatre in Miami on Tuesday, December 2 when the boys bring their Christmas the Cowboy Way tour to town and continue their 30 year crusade to “bring good beef to hungry people wherever they may be.” The fun begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are$20 for adults, $16 for seniors and $12 for students 18 and under and can be purchased by calling (918)540-2425. The Coleman Theatre is located at 103 N. Main St. in Miami, OK.