Songs of Rodeo Life

When the plaintively titled Songs of Rodeo Life was released in 1972, Chris LeDoux was a 22-year-old aspiring bronco rider who wrote and performed songs as a side outlet. That LeDoux didn’t necessary want or need a career in the mainstream music industry is part of what makes his debut LP so appealing. Though the songs adhere to an age-old template of rodeo music, they're personal to LeDoux; listeners will likely feel they're getting a picture of the artist as he is, without outside interference. Even at 22, LeDoux had an older man’s disposition and an older man’s charred voice. Yet these songs show the hunger and humor of a young performer, especially “Copenhagen” (an ode to chewing tobacco) and “New Breed” (a commentary on garish trends in Western clothing). In the end, there's a plaintive beauty to ballads like “Ain’t No Place for a Country Boy” and “Colorado,” but the album succeeds due to its detailed portraits of rodeo culture. “Bull Rider” and “Them Bareback Horses” may lack the catchiness of pop country hits, but they have something much more valuable: real-world details and a sense of authentic experience.