Will be in Wyoming in April

[wyoman]

If your gonna be in the tensleep-worland area why not look there? I've lived in the area and it's great country and will fit your needs well.

[WyoMama]

Originally Posted by jdavid93225

Earniefan,
Chris LeDoux is one of the main reasons I wanted to visit Wyoming in the first place. I've been back several times since then, and have already purchased my retirement property near Wheatland. I loved his songs about his "Powder River Home," and "Western Skies," among others. I believe I have his entire collection on CD, about 25 discs, plus one box set. For me, he kept the romance of the old west alive. He made life on the ranch sound so much better than the rat-race most of us are living. I thoroughly enjoyed his shows on those occasions I got to see him. In my book, he is one of two artists that have passed on that I will miss the most, because I felt like I really knew him. Buck Owens is the other one, because the place he called home (Bakersfield) is very close to where I am.

Hey jdavid - know is an old post but just browsing back aways...the last 2 concerts I went to (after no concerts for 30 years....) were Chris LeDoux. He was at the Lincoln Cty Fair in 2002 (his first tour after his liver transplant) in Afton & then saw him in Billings a couple of months before I cried for a week when he passed. He was one of a kind - called his music "heavy leather". My son went to school with a couple of his kids in Laramie & met him a couple of times just casually but already had a fist-ful of the original tapes Chris sold from the back of his truck during rodeos. He has a complete collection now too & I have probably 15 at least, tho all CD's. NOBODY ever captured the spirit of Wyoming like Chris did.

And YES - Big Horn basin in general has a very VERY strong mormon element...tho you've probably figgered that out by now (I'm in Cody - a little larger, over 8000!!! LOL!!) & tho is strong here, is not 'in your face" - friendly, helpful bunch of folks! Heck - my hubby is mormon & I am not.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by WyoMama

Hey jdavid - know is an old post but just browsing back aways...the last 2 concerts I went to (after no concerts for 30 years....) were Chris LeDoux. He was at the Lincoln Cty Fair in 2002 (his first tour after his liver transplant) in Afton & then saw him in Billings a couple of months before I cried for a week when he passed. He was one of a kind - called his music "heavy leather". My son went to school with a couple of his kids in Laramie & met him a couple of times just casually but already had a fist-ful of the original tapes Chris sold from the back of his truck during rodeos. He has a complete collection now too & I have probably 15 at least, tho all CD's. NOBODY ever captured the spirit of Wyoming like Chris did.

WyoMama,
Thanks for sharing your story. I was fortunate to have seen Chris in concert on four different occasions, including a couple small venues. I wished it were more, though. I didn't get to see him after the liver transplant, but would have liked to. I also never got to actually meet him, but I do feel that I knew him because of his music and the stories others have shared with me on this forum and in other places. I loved what he called his music - Rodeo Rock 'N' Roll. That pretty well sums it up for me, though some of his music was pure country. I do like your "Heavy Leather" idea. Like you, I have most of his collection on CD, thanks to the commercial success (and re-release of his music) he enjoyed in the late 80s and early 90s. Actually, I think I have the entire collection, with the possible exception of one or two compilations from his other works. I don't think I cried for a week, but I did cry a couple times when we lost him. The first time was when I heard the news that he had passed away. Our local radio station played 20 songs of his in a row following the announcement. The other time I cried was after last year's Frontier Days Rodeo when I heard that his son spread his ashes in the rodeo arena. Truly a memorable moment in rodeo history. I'm having a hard time holding back my tears as I type this. Chris is a true Wyoming Legend, and I'm sad to know he's gone, because of everything he represented. He is almost single handedly the reason I love Wyoming.

[WyoMama]

Actually at the concert in Afton he related to the crowd that somebody asked him what he calls his music - not R&R, not C&W...he called it "heavy leather". I LOVED that - so appropriate. I'll tell you what, as soon as he was back on the road after the transplant that man was jumping all over the stage & had as much energy as he could have POSSIBLY had before!!!! He looked fantastic - as always. Oh man - if I would have seen (was it Beau?) spread his ashes I would have lost it!!

[ElkHunter]

Ok, the OP said they were coming to Wyoming in April. It's now May. How was the trip? Tell us about it. Probably got hit with snow. Blue sky's. Lot's of friendly folks. Did I mention snow? haha I just went outside and it's spitting white stuff. It's the 13th of May and trying to snow. Course, it ain't sticking, ground is too warm.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Ok, the OP said they were coming to Wyoming in April. It's now May. How was the trip? Tell us about it. Probably got hit with snow. Blue sky's. Lot's of friendly folks. Did I mention snow? haha I just went outside and it's spitting white stuff. It's the 13th of May and trying to snow. Course, it ain't sticking, ground is too warm.

Well, the OP did say April, but that was actually last year! I don't know if he posted anything in this thread about his trip, but I didn't find it when I looked at some of the thread. I didn't go through all of it, though. It looks as though the thread turned into more of a Chris LeDoux thread than the original one. Sorry about my part in that hijacking.

[WyoMama]

Yeah - sorry - I dredged it up from the dungeons because of the Chris comment - but would love to hear how his trip was too!!!!! LAST YEAR! LOL!!! (I got nosy - I went back a couple pages...