Riders In The Sky Christmas The Cowboy Way CD

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.

With Christmas the Cowboy Way, the modern torchbearers of the cowboy singing tradition, Riders in the Sky, deliver an interesting mix of the sublime and the goofy. "Corn, Water and Wood" is a sweet and touching adaptation of the story of the Advent, in which three cowboys bring regionally appropriate gifts to the newborn babe. Ranger Doug's "Virgen Maria" is also very affecting. On the lighter side, there's a great swing arrangement of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" that segues into "The Last Christmas Medley You'll Ever Need," which incorporates the first lines of about 20 Christmas songs. The group's cowboy adaptation of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is also lots of fun. But "Side Meat's Christmas Stew" and "The Prairie Dog's Christmas Ball" are both just a bit too hokey, even though the hokiness is obviously part of the joke. Fans will definitely want this one, but newcomers may want to begin elsewhere. ~ Rick Anderson

Includes liner notes by Ranger Doug.

Riders In The Sky: Ranger Doug (vocals, guitar); Woody Paul (vocals, fiddle); Too Slim (vocals, bass).

Additional personnel: Joey The Cowpolka King (vocals, accordion, keyboards); Richard O'Brien, David Hungate (guitar); Jonathan Yudkin (tenor saxophone); Bob Mater (drums, percussion); Bob Warren (percussion).

CMJ (12/20/99, p.27) - "...[They] inject their special brand of humorous cowboy music into the holiday season....refreshing..."
Dirty Linen (12/99-1/00, p.53) - "...brings their trademark humor into a mix of old standards and modern tunes. The breadth of the music is impressive....celebrates the Mexican influence on western music..."