In the early '80s, just as country music was becoming more garish and electrified, Chris LeDoux released Old Cowboy Classics: an album with the gentle touch and acoustic comportment of vintage folk music. The tragic cowboy ballad “The Blizzard” echoes beautifully unadorned Bobby Bare songs like “500 Miles” and “Detroit City.” Similarly, the subtle pulsing of “Little Joe the Wrangler” underscores a story with a grim conclusion. That's the essence of LeDoux’s art; like a patient grandfather, he retold the stories of heroes who'd otherwise be forgotten. 1983 was the year of the “urban cowboy,” but LeDoux existed outside of any trends. While LeDoux was a veteran of the rodeo circuit with the anecdotes to prove it (“Night Rider’s Lament” and “Bad Brahma Bull” are just two examples), his soul was old. His tender and intimate renditions of “Tennessee Stud,” “Strawberry Roan,” and “Get Along Little Doggies” connect him to an earlier era, when songs weren't transmitted by radio or TV but shared among travelers huddled around an open fire.