Riders in the Sky (band)

Riders in the Sky
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.
Background information
Origin	Nashville, TN
Genres	Western swing, Children's music, Country
Years active	1977–present
Labels	Rounder, MCA, CBS, Epic, Disney, Rykodisc
Website	www.ridersinthesky.com
Members	Douglas B. Green Paul Chrisman Fred LaBour Joey Miskulin

Riders in the Sky is an American Western music and comedy group which began performing in 1977. Their style also appeals to children, and they are sometimes considered a children's band. They have won two Grammy Awards 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.

The Riders first performed on November 11, 1977 at Herr Harry's Franks and 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 The Sons of The Pioneers album: 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, though Goldsmith would perform on the album, but not as a member of the Riders.

In 1982, Doug Green wrote a letter to then Opry manager Hal Durham telling him the Riders would like to join. Durham responded and said western music was under-represented in the Opry, and it wouldn't conflict with the other materials and performances already in the Opry. On June 19, 1982, the Riders were officially inducted into the Opry. Prior to being inducted, the Riders had performed twenty six times on the Opry stage.

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 they 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 7, 1983, the same day TNN began broadcasting and continued for five seasons overall, the last two consisting of repackaged skits and songs.