For show #3889
it was 'might near' all cowboys, all the time, at the venerable
and carefully restored Carolina Theatre (1926) in Durham on Saturday. We
couldn't make it until the 7:30 show, but heard that the Riders 2:00 act was
lots of fun. That one was followed by a couple of vintage western movies on
the silver screen with Gene, Roy, and the Sons of the Pioneers. And
somewhere amidst the afternoon festivities there was a reception for Riders.
We gathered that everybody was there but Woody Paul, because in the Question
Time segment of the evening show, a somewhat distressed lady, who probably
didn't know Woody Paul's schedule is sometimes ever so slightly out of phase
with the masses, asked why Woody wasn't at the reception. Too Slim, Ranger
Doug, and Joey went silent for a moment, then Ranger Doug looked at Woody Paul
and said "Woody?" He sputtered out something about "uh, I don't know
....immaculating.....washing my hands....I don't kno-o-o-w." Ranger Doug then
tried to make some sense of it all with "Oh.....an immaculate reception!"
We stopped by the Merc before the show and bought the Harmony Ranch album. We
had somehow overlooked it previously. The large, affable gentleman with
dark-rimmed glasses presiding over the Merc (We've seen him before and are
just guessing that he acts as the Riders sometimes on-tour
assistant/driver/goffer; anybody know who he is really?) noted that the stock
of "Merry Christmas from Harmony Ranch" albums is just about gone, and that
there can be no more after the current stock is depleted. He also confirmed,
though, that the new Christmas album would be coming out this year.
RITS were booked at the Carolina Theatre as part of "The Original Music
Showcase Live!" series. A publicity card from the theatre introduces them as
"Riders in the Sky/ the Cowboy Way/ The Grateful Dead of Western Music" and as
"Grand Ole Opry Stars/ MCA, Columbia, and Rounder recording artists/ Hosts of
Riders Radio Theatre (NPR)/ 180 Network TV appearances/ 63,000 Songs sung to
date......" We wondered if the "Grateful Dead" description came from the
Theatre or from a RITS publicity packet. We do think the old theatre setting
really compliments the Riders show. The Carolina was designed as a movie and
vaudeville theatre-palace. There's a lot of vaudeville in the Riders stage
presentation, and it is really reinforced by this kind of setting. And really
good accoustics and lighting just add to the effect. The evening show was not
a sell-out, but it was no doubt a pretty good crowd considering that it had to
compete with a televised North Carolina v. NC State basketball game, among
others. Then too, ticket prices were on the hefty side, ranging from $28.50
for good seats to $16.00 in the rafters. We overheard somebody who sounded
authoritative say that the theatre gets a 20% cut from ticket and merchandise
sales. We wonder if that's more or less standard around the country.
Audience questions were mostly uninspired, and the time-honored, originally
original, much-repeated boxers/briefs question easily snagged the 8-track
prize for the evening. We were pleased to learn how Too Slim got his name
though: His dad's name was Juan (One) Slim, who naturally named his
son......Too Slim. And there was the inevitable "Whatever happened to Two
Jaws??" "In rehab, .... again." We did notice in the album liner for
"Harmony Ranch" we bought that "'Two Jaws' is Copyright 1991 CBS Entertainment
Productions." You don't suppose those pesky copyright entanglements so
prevalent in the entertainment world actually did in poor Two Jaws, do you??
We know he had to be duct-taped a time or two in the line of duty, but this
would be a tragic end indeed.
The RITS performance was the best we have seen in our limited show-going
careers. At the December 19 show in Carrboro, NC, their last road show of
'98, they were good of course, but you could tell they were a bit frazzled
from what had to be a grueling tour. They seemed really fresh and energetic
in Durham. We're not sure, but we think maybe they've also been tweaking some
songs a bit, making some slight harmony adjustments and generally fine-tuning
for more punch. They just seemed more stirring and refined than ever. They
have always been in another whole dimension anyway, but their renderings of
Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Cool Water, and Ghost Riders were stupendous. We
mention these particularly, since just about all self-respecting cowboy
singers give these songs their best shot at one time or another, and it gives
you some basis for comparison. So many of the songs the Riders do are ones
probably not many western performers today would even try. Heard anybody
else sing Wa-Hoo lately?! And Woody Paul was peeling off broken bow strings
one after another (after pretending to pop Joey with them.)
Here's a more or less complete list of the songs and tunes: Texas Plains,
That's How the Yodel Was Born, Wah-Hoo, Tumbling Tumbleweeds,The Ballad of
Palindrome, Farr Away Stomp, La Malaguena, Sioux City Sue, Andrew Lloyd Webber
spoof, Hoop-Dee-Doo, Night Riding Song, Rawhide/Bowling, Cowboy Camp Meetin',
The Arms of My Love, Always Drink Upstream from the Herd, One More Ride, Pinto
Pal, Jingle Jangle Jingle, Cherokee, Texas Sand, Annie Laurie, Surfing USA,
Cool Water, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Joey's 'fastest accordian in the West'
piece, a medley of Roy Rogers songs, Looney Tunes, You Are My Sunshine, and He
Walks with the Wild and the Lonely. And Woody and Slim threw in a few rope
tricks and a little varmit dancing along the way.
We've noticed that most "hat acts" begin with a strong statement on top (the
hat), but that the rest of the outfit weakens a bit. Not so with the Riders,
and we suspect their shirt makers (who deserve an award of some kind) have
been at it again. At least we're pretty sure we had not seen Too Slim's shirt
with flourescent purple background, black trim with red cactuses inset, and
all sparkly. Or Woody Paul's equally sparkly shirt with charcoal black with
white fringe that's been dipped in a growth hormone even stronger than usual.
Ranger Doug wore a new watermelon red shirt before intermission. Joey may be
recycling his brilliant green into '99. When a lady asked in "question time"
if she could see their boots, they all showed 'em off. Unbelievable art work
there too. Ranger Doug told the lady he'd pull up his pant legs a bit further
if she wished, but that that there would be an extra charge for that.
We feel really fortunate to have been able to see RITS at their last show of
'98 and so soon again at the beginning of the new year. It'll probably be
well into next summer before they'll be within our range again, but we look
forward to reports from cyberpals!
....down the trail,
Peggy and Bert