Founded in the 1980s, the comic music group Riders in the Sky still remain influent in American entertainment, their great artistic contribution being recognized by the granting of two Grammies for the performance in animation films. At first, Riders in the Sky had only three members, Tom Slim (Fred LaBour, Woody Paul (Paul Woodrow Chrisman) and Ranger Doug (Douglas Green). The group was joined by Joey the Cowpolka King (Joey Miskulin, in the 90s, and he became the accordion player. The Riders in the Sky put great energy in their performances over the years, and their impact on the public has not diminished, on the contrary, respect and popularity just added up to their fame.
The Riders in the Sky stand out not only by their artistic skills but also by the superior education level of the group members: Ranger Doug has a Master degree in literature, Too Slim in Wildlife Management and Woody Paul a PhD in theoretical plasma Physics. If that is not an impressive array of diplomas, then what is?That really is great academic education! Even so, Riders in the Sky built personal professional lives not many other groups can boast with; in their twenty-five year history, they have taken part to more than 300 television shows, 5,200 live performances, 200 radio acts and marked more than 700 Grand Ole Opry participations, not to mention the making of the three TV series in which they appeared. Add thirty albums to the list and you get the summary of a lifetime dedicated to art.
Riders in the Sky also hosted the Saturday morning shows at CBS from 1991 to 1992 as well as dozens of winter holiday events organized for television purposes. As for their music, Riders in the Sky remain authentic and faithful to the cowboy and Western songs they perform. On different occasions they have crossed the line between music and comedy, getting into parody representations of great quality. Wit, music talent and respect for the old American spirit are the values to have kept their popularity high for so many years.
The tours and general agenda of the Riders in the Sky are posted on the web page of the group for fans to consult. You can also consult the biographic outline and check with their awesome hall of fame. After all, Riders in the Sky did win the title of Entertainers of the Years seven times as well as Traditional Group of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year on multiple occasions too. These being said, it is explainable why Billboard magazine considers them a major event in the history of American music.
