Special Performance By Rusty Richards
Friday June 26th @ 7:30 PM

We had a special evening of legendary Western Music with Rusty Richards, former member of Roy Rodger's "Sons of the Pioneers" special guest his son Jason Richards. Bio is below.



Rusty's Bio

Rusty Richards is a cowboy who sings and a gifted writer of cowboy songs. Known for his recordings and appearances as a celebrity and headliner at many Western events, no one in Western music is more loved and appreciated than Rusty Richards.

His career has been a long and fascinating one. He is a real cowboy growing up in Modjeska Canyon, California, as well as a reel cowboy. As a young man in Hollywood, Rusty worked as a "riding-shooting" cowboy and stuntman in many Western films and TV shows, e.g. Rawhide, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Have Gun-Will Travel, etc. He has won numerous rodeo awards, including buckles and the last Ben Johnson Saddle. In addition, he is widely known for his abilities as a horse trainer.

During his long career in Western music, Rusty sang tenor with the Sons of the Pioneers for a span of 20 years, beginning in 1963. He was the Pioneers’ first true yodeler since Roy Rogers. While with the group they performed worldwide garnering many awards. To mention just a few; they were inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, their star was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, they were declared a National Treasure by the Smithsonian Institution, and they were awarded the Best Touring Band by the Academy of Country Music.

Earlier, at age 16, Rusty had a TV program in LA, Song Trails with Rusty Richards, which was followed by a stint in the Marines and he had his own all Japanese Band in Yokosuka, Japan. He met and married Amy Richards, from Silverado Canyon and they raised four children: Jenny, Jason, Molly and Amy Jo. Their marriage is in its 52nd year. He recorded his first solo LP for Shasta Records, and it was re-issued as A Country Pioneer on CD by Varese Sarabande in 2003.

He has composed hundreds of outstanding Western songs, some of which have been recorded by the Sons of the Pioneers, the Reinsmen, Robert Wagoner, Dinah Shore and other leading artists.

Rusty’s first solo all-Western CD, The American Cowboy, has long been recommended by critics as a "must" for any Western music collection. His latest album, Trails Old and New, features all original material written and beautifully performed by Rusty. These CDs are available at www.cdbaby.com.
As a solo performer Rusty has received numerous awards and honors. The National Western Film Festival in Ogden, Utah presented The Golden Lariat Award to him. He was given the Pioneer Award by the California Country Music Association, the Cowboy Spirit Award by the National Festival of the West, and The Ben Johnson Award by the Western Film Festival in Sonora, California. In 2002 Rusty received the prestigious Aguirre-Moiso Buckle awarded by the Portola Ride, in 2004 Rusty was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame. In April of 2004 the historic Portola Ride was dedicated to Rusty and August 15, 2009 was declared Rusty Richards Day in Modjeska Canyon.
Rusty has now written the life story of his close friend, the legendary rodeo superstar, Casey Tibbs. The book is available now as a hardbound limited edition!

Rusty's songwriting has been equaled by his talent for book writing and as Baxter Black put it, "Casey Tibbs touched a lot of people, he was larger than life. That Rusty Richards has a way with words is like saying Casey Tibbs could ride a bronc. It’s appropriate that Casey’s biography has been written by a cowboy who is his equal."

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