Chris LeDoux’s Entire Career Catalog Available For Download

Anytime the late Chris LeDoux is mentioned, it brings back fond memories of my dad, brother, and myself riding down the road, belting out the words to each track on Old Cowboy Classics, usually to my stepmother’s chagrin. I’m sure we didn’t sound anything like him, otherwise, she probably would have enjoyed the catchy, feel good songs on that album. There isn’t anyone that is comparable to Chris LeDoux. A cowboy down to his core, he was a world champion bareback rider in 1976 and sold cassettes out of the back of his truck on the rodeo circuit before his music career kicked off. I regret never being able to see him in concert before his passing last year, but I hear it was quite an experience.

Good news for Chris LeDoux fans came from Capitol Records Nashville last week, though. They announced that they released his entire career catalog online to digital service providers, which I assume to be iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster. This is a good move to ensure his songs don’t disappear into obscurity like Mundo Earwood. Here’s a short excerpt from the press release:

Capitol Records Nashville has released the entire career catalog from the late singer/songwriter and American music legend Chris LeDoux. The 2005 ACM Pioneer Award winner’s career spanned more than three decades and produced 37 albums — all of which are now available online at all digital service providers.

More than several of his earliest albums, which he recorded for his own American Cowboy Songs label, are and have been out of print for years. Fans who have been searching for some of these albums such as Cowboys Ain’t Easy To Love, and Wild & Wooly, can now all be purchased online. Along with the albums being released digitally, there are also digital ring tunes available including “Cadillac Ranch,” “Silence on the Line,” and “Stampede” to name a few.

If you’re interested, check out some of my personal favorites on Rhapsody: Tennessee Stud, Tie A Knot In The Devil’s Tail, and This Cowboy’s Hat