A true cowboy, Chris LeDoux wasn’t driven by the prospect of fame or money when he began pursuing rodeo professionally, or when he starting writing and recording his own music. In pursuit of the World Championship in Bareback Bronc riding, which he won in 1976, LeDoux spun his stories of life on the circuit into fresh western anthems. Recorded in a true mom-and-pop shop, LeDoux sold his recordings out of his pickup truck at competitions and quickly found a devoted audience and high praise for his bonfire ballads and lyrical candor.
In 1989, one of LeDoux’s more famous fans stepped forward with an endorsement that validated the rodeo champ as a true country music artist and brought much more widespread and mainstream attention to his music. Garth Brooks, in his early hit “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” referred to playing “a worn out tape of Chris LeDoux.” That same year, LeDoux signed his own recording contract with Capitol Records Nashville.
With sales of his 36 albums now totaling more than six million units in the U.S., one platinum and two gold album certifications from the RIAA, a Grammy nomination and the Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award, LeDoux’s career flew high during his life and continues to resonate after his March 2005 death from a rare form of cancer at the age of 56. Fans of LeDoux’s early recordings have found some of his best tracks on the platinum-certified collection, 20 Originals: The Early Years, released in 2004, and Capitol Nashville/EMI continues to honor LeDoux’s enduring musical legacy with its new catalog campaign to restore twelve of his best original albums.
Thanks for your music, Chris. I'm going through some rough stuff right now, but your songs are helping to get me through, at this very minute, in fact. I wish I would have become familiar with your music a long time ago when you were still with us, but it happened only recently. Thanks again, and rest in peace, buddy.
Tahnks for adding me! I've been a fan since Chris played Lagoon on weekends in farminton, Utah. Chris, we've always been friends, just from a distance. "Ridin for a Fall" has a special meaning to me and brings a tear every time I hear. Love Ya Chris!!!
YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL, RIDING AND SINGING ,AND I KNOW THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN ARE AT YOU SIDE LEADING YOU ON, KEEP UP THE WORK, EVEN UP THERE ,WE WILL ALL MEET AGAIN SOMDAY, PLEASE TAKE CARE~KALISHTA~
chris is the best he is my hero, favorit singer, and my role modle, he is the best i look up to him i love, going to rodeos, shipping cows, anything with horses and cows, some horse shows have ended up being saddle bronc riding,lol, i have lived in the country on a ranch for 9 out of 12 years, I live in montana the best state in the U.S.A and i love it and i wish i could meet chris to tell him about all of this
Just kickin back with a glass of jack daniels, listening to "Tougher than the rest"! Greatest country artist! That you are! "This cowboys Hat" is a great one too! Cant forget "look at you girl"! Have a great weekend! Thanks for all the great country music!
Howdy Chris... Galdangit now I like country music and I like the way you do it! Chris it gets my toe to tappin'! Thanks for the friendship, and I wish you all the best along your musical journey. Bobby Snard...