View source for Riders in the Sky (band)

{{Short description|American Western music and comedy group}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2010}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = Riders in the Sky
| image             = Riders in the Sky in Ponca City.jpg
| caption           = Riders in the Sky appearing at the Ponca Theatre in Ponca City, Oklahoma on September 29, 2007 at a concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of [[Gene Autry]]. From left to right are Joey the Cow Polka King, Woody Paul, Ranger Doug and Too Slim.
| image_size        = 
| landscape         = Yes
| background        = group_or_band
| alias             = 
| origin            = [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], TN
| genre             = {{Hlist|[[Western swing]]|[[Children's music|children's]]|[[Country music|country]] | [[cowboy music]]}}
| years_active      = 1977–present
| label             = [[Rounder Records|Rounder]], [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]], [[CBS]], [[Epic Records|Epic]], [[Walt Disney Records|Walt Disney]], [[Rykodisc]]
| website           = {{URL|http://www.ridersinthesky.com/}}
| current_members   = [[Douglas B. Green]]<br />[[Woody Paul]]<br />[[Fred LaBour]]<br />[[Joey Miskulin]]
| past_members      = "Windy Bill" Collins<br/>Tumbleweed Tommy
}}

'''Riders in the Sky''' is an American [[Western swing|Western music]] and comedy group which began performing in 1977.<ref>[http://webcast.msc.uky.edu/woodsongs-189.wmv Show 189] of the [[WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour]]. The answer to when they first began performing is November 11, 1977 (given 19 minutes into the video). Video includes conversation and performance; taped January 7, 2002. Audio also available at [http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp this archive page]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320095521/http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp |date=March 20, 2008 }}</ref> The band has released more than 40 albums, starred in a single-season self-titled television series on [[CBS]], wrote and starred in an [[NPR]] syndicated radio drama ''[[Riders Radio Theater]]'', and appeared in television series and films including as featured contributors to [[Ken Burns]]' ''[[Country Music (miniseries)|Country Music]]''.
Their [[family-friendly]] style also appeals to children, exemplified in their recordings for [[Disney]] and [[Pixar]]. They have won two [[Grammy Award]]s and have written and performed music for major motion pictures, including "[[Woody's Roundup]]" from ''[[Toy Story 2]]'' and [[Pixar]]'s short film, ''[[For the Birds (film)|For the Birds]]''.  The band also recorded companion albums for ''[[Toy Story 2]]'' and ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]''

==History==
=== Early years (1977–1979) ===
The Riders first performed on November 11, 1977 at Herr Harry's Frank N' Steins in Nashville, TN. For this first performance, the Riders consisted of Deputy Doug ([[Douglas B. Green]]), Windy Bill Collins, and [[Fred LaBour]]. Happy with the crowds reaction, the Riders performed for the second time at Herr Harry's the next evening. Between the second and third performances, the band still didn't have a name, but that changed in December 1977, when Fred LaBour found a copy of [[Sons of the Pioneers|The Sons of The Pioneers]] album ''[[(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend#1949|Riders in the Sky]]''. When LaBour saw the album, he immediately called Green and told him that Riders In The Sky should be the band's name. Green agreed and from their third performance on, they were officially billed as Riders In The Sky. In 1978, Bill Collins left the Riders shortly after "Tumbleweed Tommy" Goldsmith joined. Shortly after Collins left, "Woody Paul" Chrisman also joined the band. In mid-1979, Tommy Goldsmith left the Riders shortly before the recording of their first album, which would become ''[[Three on the Trail]]''. Goldsmith would perform on the Riders' second album, ''[[Cowboy Jubilee]]'', in 1980, but not as a member of the band.

=== Rise in popularity (1980–1989) ===

==== Induction into the Grand Ole Opry (1982) ====
In 1982, Doug Green wrote a letter to Hal Durham, manager of the ''[[Grand Ole Opry]]'', telling him the Riders would like to join. Durham responded favorably; western music was under-represented in the Opry, and it wouldn't conflict with the other materials and performances already in the Opry. After 26 appearances as a guest act, the Riders were officially [[List of Grand Ole Opry members|inducted into the Opry]] on June 19, 1982.

==== ''Tumbleweed Theater'' (1983–1988) ====
{{Main|Tumbleweed Theater}}
In late 1982, the Riders were approached by Steve Arwood and Randy Hale to host a television show on [[The Nashville Network]] (which had not begun broadcasting yet) called ''Tumbleweed Theater''. The premise of the show was that their 90-minute program would show heavily edited [[public domain]] "B-Westerns" of the 1930s and 40s with Riders In The Sky performing skits and songs before, in between, and after the films. After screening the movie that would be featured in the episode, Arwood and Fred LaBour wrote the sketches that played between the films, with many of the skits carrying over to the Riders' live shows and albums. ''Tumbleweed Theater'' premiered March 12, 1983, and continued for five seasons overall, the last two consisting of repackaged skits and songs.

==== ''Sweet Dreams'' & ''Wild Horses'' (1985) ====
In 1985, the Riders made their Hollywood debut when the trio landed parts in ''[[Sweet Dreams (1985 film)|Sweet Dreams]]'', a [[biographical film]] about the life of [[Patsy Cline]]. The band played [[The Jordanaires]], although in the film they are never mentioned by name. After filming their part for Sweet Dreams, the Riders appeared as themselves in the made-for-television [[Kenny Rogers]] movie ''[[Wild Horses (1985 film)|Wild Horses]]'', where they performed their original compositions "Here Comes The Santa Fe" and "Blue Bonnet Lady" during a party scene.

==== ''Riders Radio Theater'' (1988–1995) ====
{{Main|Riders Radio Theater}}
Beginning in 1988, Riders In The Sky were the stars of ''Riders Radio Theater'', a weekly radio show written by Fred LaBour and Steve Arwood (now going by the stagename ''Texas Bix Bender'') that was essentially the ''Tumbleweed Theater'' television show minus the "B-Western" films. The half-hour show was taped at the [[Tennessee Performing Arts Center]] in Nashville for the first year of episodes, but later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio beginning in 1989. The weekly show was canceled in 1995, but later came back as occasional specials beginning in 1998.

=== 1990–present ===

==== CBS Children's show (1991) ====
{{Main|Riders in the Sky (TV series)}}
In 1990, [[CBS]] approached the Riders to do a Saturday morning television show that would later be described as "[[Pee-wee's Playhouse|Pee-Wee's Playhouse]] meets the wild west". Only airing for one season (a total of 13 episodes) due to low ratings and weekly schedule changes, the show was written by George McGrath instead of the Riders themselves. Fred LaBour reflected on the show, saying "Everything we've had a hand in writing had been a success, we didn't have a hand in that, and it wasn't." The show premiered on September 14, 1991 as ''Riders In The Sky'' (although it has also been referred to as ''Saturday Mornings With Riders In The Sky'')''.''

==== ''Toy Story 2'' and Grammys (1998–2002) ====
In 1998, [[Ash Brannon]] recommended to Disney and Pixar executives that Riders In The Sky be the performers of "Woody's Round-Up" for their upcoming film ''[[Toy Story 2]]''. The executives were so impressed with the Riders' performance, they had the Riders create a tie-in album around the characters of ''Toy Story 2'' called ''[[Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs]]''. The album won the [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children]] at the [[Grammy Awards of 2001]].

After the success of the ''Woody's Round-Up'' album, the Riders were called back into Pixar in 2002 to do another tie-in album, except based on Pixar's latest film: ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'' The album, titled ''[[Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites]]'', won the Riders a second [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children]] at the [[Grammy Awards of 2003]]. In addition, the Riders wrote and performed the score of "For the Birds," an animated short that showed before "Monsters, Inc." in theaters. It won the [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film]] in 2001.

==== In animated form (2003–2015) ====
The Riders made their animated debut in 2003, in the [[Warner Bros.]] animated series ''[[Duck Dodgers (TV series)|Duck Dodgers]]'', where they played a robot band modeled after themselves. Their second animated appearance was in Disney's [[Direct-to-video|direct-to-DVD]] [[Animation|animated]] [[Adventure film|adventure]] [[children's film]] titled ''[[Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up]]''. Their most recent animated role was in the [[Kickstarter]]-funded film ''Cartoon Cowboys'' by WonderVista Studios. ''Cartoon Cowboys'' borrows heavily from Riders Radio Theater, including characters from the show and the Riders having the same personalities as their radio counterparts.

==== YellaWood spokesmen (2009) ====
The Riders appeared as musical spokesmen in a series of YellaWood commercials, which re-united the Riders with Steve Arwood (once again playing Texas Bix Bender) and featured a set similar to the one seen on ''Tumbleweed Theater'' (complete with a blue Studebaker pickup truck and the Riders performing on a Bunkhouse porch). The Riders also performed the theme song for YellaWood's ''The Adventures of'' ''Yella Fella'' and make cameos in the first episodes of seasons one and two.

==== Hiatus (2019–2021) ====
The Riders in the Sky went on an extended hiatus during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, in part because of Miskulin having extended health issues that prevented him from playing. The remaining members declined to make any of their usual ''Opry'' appearances during the pandemic; only Ranger Doug continued with any cowboy-related projects during the hiatus. The band resumed performing in 2021. {{as of|2022}}, they perform on the ''Grand Ole Opry'' several times per month.<ref>[https://www.ridersinthesky.com/error] {{dead link|date=December 2024}}</ref>

== Members ==
=== Current ===
* [[Douglas B. Green|"Ranger Doug" Green]] – guitar, vocals (since 1977)
* Too Slim ([[Fred LaBour]]) – bass, vocals (since 1977)
* [[Woody Paul|"Woody Paul" Chrisman]] – fiddle, vocals (since 1978)
* [[Joey Miskulin]], the Cow-Polka King – accordion, vocals (started performing with the Riders in 1988, but didn't become an official member until 1999)

=== Former ===
* "Windy Bill" Collins – guitar, vocals (1977–1978)
* "Tumbleweed Tommy" Goldsmith – guitar, vocals (1978–1979)

==Awards==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2012}}
[[Image:Riders Guitar.jpg|thumb|right|Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green) performs at the [[Poncan Theatre]] in Ponca City, Oklahoma on November 7, 2008]]
[[Image:Riders Violin.jpg|thumb|right|Woody Paul (Paul Woodrow Chrisman)]]
[[Image:Riders Bass.jpg|thumb|right|Too Slim (Fred LaBour)]]
[[Image:Riders {{sic|A|ccordian|hide=y}}.jpg|thumb|right|Joey the Cowpolka King (Joey Miskulin)]]

Riders in the Sky were named Western Music Group of the Year during the [[Academy of Western Artists]] 2006 Will Rogers Awards.
* ''[[Cowboy Jubilee]]''
** This album was featured on The New York Times' Best Ten List for 1982.
** Best Independent Country Album of the Year
* ''[[Saddle Pals]]''
** Best Independent Children's Album of the Year
* ''[[Always Drink Upstream from the Herd]]''
** 1995 Cowboy Hall of Fame Wrangler Award for Outstanding Western Recording!
* ''[[Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs]]''
** 2001 Grammy Award Winner: "Best Musical Album For Children"
* ''[[Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites]]''
** 2003 Grammy Award Winner: "Best Musical Album For Children"

==Discography==
<!-- This is a work in progress; these will be moved to individual albums when they are completed - please do not remove -->

{| class="wikitable"
! Title
! Type
! Release date
! Label
|- 
| ''[[Three on the Trail]]''
| studio
| 1979
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Cowboy Jubilee]]''
| studio
| 1981
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Prairie Serenade]]''
| studio
| 1982 
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Weeds & Water]]''
| studio
| 1983
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Riders in the Sky, Live]] ''
| live
| 1984
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Saddle Pals]]''
| studio
| 1985
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[New Trails]] ''
| studio
| 1986
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Best of the West (album)]]''
| best of
| 1987
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Best of the West Rides Again]]''
| best of
| October 25, 1990
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[The Cowboy Way (album)]] ''
| live
| 1987
| [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]
|-
| ''[[Riders Radio Theater (album)]]''
| studio
| June 27, 1988
| [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]
|-
| ''[[Riders go Commercial]]''
| studio
| June 19, 1989
| [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]
|-
| ''[[Horse Opera]]''
| studio
| 1990
| [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]
|-
| ''[[Harmony Ranch]]''
| studio
| 1991
| [[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Merry Christmas from Harmony Ranch]]''
| studio
| 1992 
| [[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Saturday Morning with Riders]]''
| best of
| 1992
| [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]
|-
| ''[[Cowboys in Love]]''
| studio
| 1994
| [[Epic Records]]
|-
| ''[[Always Drink Upstream from the Herd]]''
| studio
| October 31, 1995
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Cowboy Songs (Riders in the Sky album)|Cowboy Songs]]''
| best of
| 20 August 1996
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Public Cowboy No. 1 (album)|Public Cowboy #1: The Music of Gene Autry]]''
| tribute
| October 20, 1996
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Yodel the Cowboy Way]]''
|  best of
| 1998
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[A Great Big Western Howdy!]]''
| studio
| July 14, 1998
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Christmas the Cowboy Way]]''
| studio
| October 5, 1999
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs]]''
| studio
| August 29, 2000
| [[Disney]]
|-
| ''[[A Pair of Kings (album)|A Pair of Kings]]''
| studio
| February 19, 2002
| [[Oh Boy Records]]
|-
| ''[[Ridin' the Tweetsie Railroad]]''
| studio
| 2002
| Self Released
|-
| ''[[Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites]]''
| studio
| August 27, 2002
| [[Disney]]
|-
| ''[[Silver Jubilee (Riders in the Sky album)|Silver Jubilee]]''
| studio
| 2003
| [[Acoustic Disc]]
|-
| ''[[Riders in the Sky Present: Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier]]''
| studio
| August 3, 2004
| [[Rounder Records]]
|-
| ''[[Riders in the Sky Live from the Golden Age of Riders Radio Theater]]''
| studio
| 2006
| [[Riders Radio Records]]
|-
| ''[[Riders in the Sky "Lassoed Live" at the Schermerhorn with the Nashville Symphony]]''
| live
| 2009
| [[Nashville Symphony]]
|-
| ''[[The Land Beyond The Sun]]''
| studio
| 2011
| [[Riders Radio Records]]
|-
| ''[[America's Favorite Cowboy Songs]]''
| studio
| 2012
| [[Cracker Barrel]]
|-
| ''Home On The Range'' (with [[Wilford Brimley]])
| studio
| 2013
| Riders Radio Records
|-
| ''Riders in the Sky Salute Roy Rogers:  King of the Cowboys''
| studio
| 2016
| Riders Radio Records/Too Slims Mercantile
|-
| ''Songs of the Frontier'' (as Ranger Doug "with a lot of help from Riders in the Sky")
| studio
| 2018
| Rural Rhythm
|-
|''Throw A Saddle On A Star''
|studio
|2023
|Riders Radio Records
|}

== Notable filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Film
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1982
|''[[Twilight Theater (film)|Twilight Theater]]''
|Guest Performers
|Performer: "That's How The Yodel Was Born"
Miscredited as: "The Rider's In The Sky"
|-
|1983–1988
|''Tumbleweed Theater''
|Themselves/Various Characters
|TV series
|-
|1985
|''[[Sweet Dreams (1985 film)|Sweet Dreams]]''
|[[The Jordanaires]]
|Credited as "Opry Band"
|-
|1985
|''Wild Horses''
|Band at Dance
|TV movie
|-
|1989
|''[[Hee Haw]]''
|Guest Performers
|Season 22, episode 5 (10/14/1989)
|-
|1990
|''Christmas The Cowboy Way''
|Themselves/Various Characters
|TV special
|-
|1991
|''Riders In The Sky''
|Themselves
|TV series (13 episodes)
|-
|1993
|''A Riders In The Sky Christmas''
|Themselves/Various Characters
|TV special
|-
|1995–1996
|''Riders Radio Theater: The Television Show''
|Themselves/Various Characters
|Series of TV Specials (Four Episodes)
|-
|1998
|''[[Barney & Friends]]''
|Themselves
|Performer: "How Does He Yodel"
Episode: "Howdy, Friends!"
|-
|1999
|''[[Toy Story 2]]''
|(No On-Screen Appearance)
|Performer: "Woody's Round-Up"
|-
|2001
|''[[For the Birds (film)|For The Birds]]''
|(No On-Screen Appearance)
|Performer: "Big High Wire Hop"
|-
|2003
|''[[Country Music: The Spirit of America]]''
|Themselves
|
|-
|2003
|''[[Duck Dodgers (TV series)|Duck Dodgers]]''
|Saloon Robot Band
|Episode: "The Wrath of Canasta"
|-
|2005
|''[[Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up]]''
|Themselves
|Performer: "Stanley Rides Again"
|-
|2015
|''Music City U.S.A.''
|Themselves
|
|}

==Books==
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YbtWmpLVuuQC |title=It's the Cowboy Way!: The Amazing True Adventures of Riders in the Sky |first=Don |last=Cusic |year=2003 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |page=306pp |no-pp=y |isbn=9780813128825 }}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.ridersinthesky.com/}}
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p1791|label=Riders in the Sky}}

{{Riders in the Sky}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children}}
{{Grand Ole Opry members}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riders In The Sky}}
[[Category:Country music groups from Tennessee]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Grand Ole Opry members]]
[[Category:Western swing musical groups]]
[[Category:Rounder Records artists]]
[[Category:MCA Records artists]]
[[Category:CBS Records artists]]
[[Category:Rykodisc artists]]
[[Category:Epic Records artists]]
[[Category:Vocal quartets]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Records artists]]
[[Category:American yodelers]]