Riders In The Sky continue to celebrate their 25th anniversary of performing with the launch of their “Silver Jubilee Tour” on January 10 in Mobile, Alabama. The quartet, known as the world’s premier comedic western group, carries the torch passed on by artists like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry while adding their own brand of wacky humor and western wit. Recently named The Western Music Association’s “Entertainers of the Year,” the Riders are excited to hit the road for their “Silver Jubilee Tour.”
"The best part of it is that it has still stayed so much fun,” says author, and ethnomusicologist Ranger Doug, “How great to be preserving a piece of Americana, while still having the time of our lives!"
"People often ask us how we keep it fresh, night after night", adds bespectacled bass player Too Slim. "I always think about the cowboy following the herd…the view is always different, and always the same!"
Over the years the Riders have played close to 4,700 shows, logged over 2.8 million miles on the road, made appearances in all 50 United States and in nine countries. They’ve driven seven vehicles past the point of recognition, used over 210,000 gallons of fuel, spent over 6,000 hours on stage, received an average of 49 yucks per show, yodeled over 35,000 times, signed over 815,000 autographs and left Too Slim behind seven times.
As members of Riders In The Sky, Ranger Doug (Idol of American Youth), Woody Paul (King of the Cowboy Fiddlers), Too Slim (Licensed Driver) and Joey (the Cowpolka King) have enjoyed an unbelievable career. Throughout the last 25 years, they have seen the release of 30 albums, membership into the Grand Ole Opry, a Grammy Award (“Best Musical Album for Children” 2001), their own cable and network TV series (TNN and CBS), national commercials (Levi’s 501 Jeans, Taco Bell), movie appearances (Sweet Dreams), soundtracks (“Toy Story 2”), their own NPR radio show (“Riders Radio Theatre”), almost 300 national television appearances, over 800 radio shows and roughly 4600 live performances.
The Silver Jubilee celebration kicked off in Las Vegas last month with a roast and tribute in their honor at the 14th Annual Western Music Association Festival & Awards Show. The roast was highlighted by appearances from Tommy Smothers, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel and original Dixie Chick Laura Lynch, video greetings from Penn & Teller, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith and Little Jimmy Dickens and a letter sent by President George Bush. In addition to winning the “Entertainer of the Year” honor at the awards ceremony, the group was also recognized for their album “Riders In The Sky Present A Pair Of Kings” winning “Traditional Western Album Of The Year” and Joey was named “Instrumentalist of the Year.” Currently the Riders are working on a new two-CD box set featuring 25 brand new arrangements of classic Riders In The Sky songs along with a handful of new offerings.
Riders In The Sky itinerary:
January 10 Mobile, Alabama Saenger Theatre
January 11 Panama City, Florida Ocean Opry
January 14 Denver, Colorado Country Dinner Playhouse
January 17 Santa Fe, New Mexico Lensic Performing Arts Center
January 24 Hinckley, Minnesota Grand Casino
February 5 Cary, North Carolina Herb Young Community Center
February 6 Alexandria, Virginia The Birchmere
February 8 Arlington, Massachusetts Regent Theater
February 9 Rochester, New Hampshire Rochester Opera House
February 13 Franklin, Kentucky Goodnight Auditorium
February 15 Newberry, South Carolina Newberry Opera House
February 23 Nashville, Tennessee BENEFIT for Gilda's Club and Cooperative Child Care
March 2 Stoughton, Wisconsin Stoughton Opera House
March 4-5 Des Moines, Iowa Ingersoll Dinner Theatre
March 6 Rock Island, Illinois Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse
March 8 Cincinnati, Ohio Taft Theater – taping for Riders Radio Theater
March 9 New Bremen, Ohio Lock One Community Arts
March 17-18 Benton, Kansas Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper
March 19 Lincoln, Nebraska Lied Center for the Performing Arts
March 20 Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas Spirit of America Tour
March 26 Tucson, Arizona Rialto Theatre
March 27 Phoenix, Arizona Celebrity Theatre
March 29 Santa Clarita, California Cowboy Music and Poetry Festival Melody Ranch Theatre
April 4 – 5 Colorado Springs, Colorado Pikes Peak Ctr. w/ the Colorado Springs Symphony
April 11 Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania FM Kirby Center w/ the Wilkes Barre Symphony
April 12 Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton Cultural Center
April 26 Nashville, Indiana Little Nashville Opry
May 16-18 San Antonio, Texas Majestic Theatre w/ the San Antonio Symphony
June 14 Little Rock, Arkansas Cabe Theater
June 19 Fort Worth, Texas Bass Performance Hall
June 21 Belton, Texas Bell County Expo Center
June 23 Bryant, Indiana Bear Creek Farms
July 11 Van Wert, Ohio Fountain Park Summer Music Series
July 12 Benton, Kentucky Kentucky Opry
July 18 Lakeside, Ohio Lakeside Chautauqua Hoover Auditorium
July 19-20 Blowing Rock, North Carolina Tweetsie Railroad Park
July 23 Rexburg, Idaho BYU – Rexburg
July 26 Wellsville, Utah Festival of the American West
August 6 Grass Valley, California Nevada County Fair
August 11 Des Moines, Iowa Iowa State Fair: Riley Stage
August 23 Kanab, Utah Kanab High School Auditorium
August 29 Woodstown, New Jersey Salem County Fairgrounds
September 12-13 Woodstock, Illinois Woodstock Opera House
September 14 Baraboo, Wisconsin Wisconsin Opry
September 27 Wichita, Kansas Century II Convention Hall w/ the Wichita Symphony Orch.
October 10 Prescott, Arizona Yavapai College
October 12 Hobbs, New Mexico Hobbs High Campus w/Southwest Symphony
October 15-20 Kumamoto, Japan
November 1 Escondido, California California Center For The Arts
November 29-30 Winter Haven, Florida Cypress Gardens
