Riders in the Sky
An 80s Western music comic group, Riders in the Sky are the winners of two Grammy Awards for their great performances in famous motion films: For the Birds by Pixar and Toy Story 2. Initially, Riders in the Sky had only three members, Douglas Green alias Ranger Doug, Paul Woodrow Chrisman alias Woody Paul and Fred LaBour alias Too Slim. Joey Miskulin known as Joey the Cowpolka King joined the group to play the accordion in the 90s. The Riders in the Sky have been incredibly active over the years, and they still have a great impact on the public and a word to say in the showbiz.
The Riders in the Sky stand out not only by their artistic talents but also by the high education level of the group members: Ranger Doug has a Master degree in literature, Too Slim in Wildlife Management and Woody Paul a PhD in theoretical plasma Physics. If that is not an impressive array of diplomas, then what is? Riders in the Sky have a career not many other groups can boast with; in their twenty-five years of activity in entertainment, they have more than 5,200 live shows, 200 radio acts, 300 television appearances, over 700 Grand Ole Opry participations and three TV series. Add thirty albums to the list and you get the summary of a lifetime dedicated to art.
Other activities of Riders in the Sky include the appearance in CBS morning shows on Saturdays from 1991 to 1992 as well as many Christmas events put together for television purposes. As for their music, Riders in the Sky remain authentic and faithful to the cowboy and Western songs they perform. On different occasions they have crossed the line between music and comedy, getting into parody representations of great quality. Wit, music talent and respect for the old American spirit are the values to have kept their popularity high for so many years.
Fans can learn about the events to which Riders in the Sky take part by consulting their official site and see what's new in their web agenda. You can also have a look over the group biography and check with their impressive hall of fame. After all, Riders in the Sky did win the title of Entertainers of the Years seven times as well as Traditional Group of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year on multiple occasions too. From this perspective, it is explainable why Billboard magazine considers them a major chapter in the history of American music.