Search - Ian Tyson :: Live at Longview

Having enjoyed one career as half of the folk duo Ian & Sylvia in the 1960s, Tyson, a real-life Canadian rancher, branched out into cowboy music in the 1980s, making an authentic contribution to a genre that sees too many silver-screen cowpokes and comedic galoots. While his songs have long been covered by Judy Collins, Jerry Jeff Walker, Suzy Bogguss, and others, his albums, especially the platinum-selling Cowboyography, are prized almost as much as original Bohlin saddles in some circles, both for their artistry and their ability to capture the romance and realism of the ranch and rodeo culture. This album, recorded live over four nights in an Alberta, Canada, community hall, reprises the best of Tyson's repertoire ("Navajo Rug," "Someday Soon," "I Outgrew the Wagon") and introduces four new tunes that stand tall with their elders. At 68, Tyson's vocals may be a bit frayed around the edges, but they're still as warm and cozy as an Indian blanket, and his acoustic-trio framework fits the material as snugly as a favorite pair of pointy-toed boots. Makes for fine listening around the campfire or simply in a saddle of your own imagination. --Alanna Nash