Track Listing

1. Life Is a Highway
2. What'cha Gonna Do With a Cowboy? - Garth Brooks, Chris LeDoux
3. Gravitational Pull
4. Dallas Days and Fort Worth Nights
5. County Fair
6. Bang a Drum - Jon Bon Jovi, Chris LeDoux
7. Stampede
8. Look at You Girl
9. Cadillac Cowboy
10. Hooked on an 8 Second Ride
11. Tougher Than the Rest
12. Copenhagen - Toby Keith, Chris LeDoux
13. Even Cowboys Like a Little Rock & Roll - Charlie Daniels, Chris LeDoux
14. This Cowboy's Hat
15. Cadillac Ranch
16. Five Dollar Fine
17. Honky Tonk World
18. Little Long-Haired Outlaw
19. For Your Love
20. Western Skies

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8518 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.com
Chris LeDoux takes criticism for his rock & roll cowboy shtick, but his music has more guts, and variety, than the rest of major-label Nashville combined, and just as much melody. Though sometimes overproduced, the man's a stylist who bends his material to his will and inhabits it--be it a love song, a novelty tune, or a modern rodeo tale--like few others. And his well-worn baritone leaves little doubt about the pounding he himself took on the rodeo circuit. These are not his 20 biggest hits--some weren't even singles--but they are fan favorites. There are the duets (with Garth, Charlie Daniels, and even Jon Bon Jovi), grinding guitar romps ("Life Is a Highway"), serious rodeo and cowboy mythologizing ("Hooked on an 8 Second Ride," "Western Skies"), and even a Springsteen song ("Tougher Than the Rest") that serves LeDoux's own tough-tender persona admirably. --John Morthland

Customer Reviews

Great way to remember Chris LeDoux . . .
It's a great irony that Chris LeDoux had a comeback after being "rediscovered" by Garth Brooks, since Chris was at least as much country and certainly more cowboy than Garth has ever been. And this great collection of songs proves it.

Chris LeDoux created a kind of country rock that was more Wyoming than California, and as a champion bronc rider in the 70s, he carved out a reputation with down-to-earth credentials more dust and sweat and grit than his contemporaries. The "greatest hits" that make up this CD are not chart toppers; many were not even released as singles. They're drawn from a career of 30+ albums, some written by himself, many by others. All with his indelible stamp as a cowboy rocker-troubadour.

There's plenty of high energy in all these songs, kicking off with the wonderful anthem "Life is a Highway." Following is a whole range of sentiments from the darkly angry and deep-hearted "This Cowboy's Hat" to the snoose-in-cheek "Copenhagen" to the unembarrassed love songs like "Look at You Girl" and "County Fair." Meanwhile, he heartily celebrates the wonders of sexual energy in "Gravitational Pull" and "For Your Love."

There's a great Springsteen song "Tougher Than the Rest" that he makes all cowboy, and flipping the coin on the wrangler and boots icon, he turns around and sings a larky "Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy." For all the bar songs in country music, his "Five Dollar Fine (for Whining)" has got to be one of the best. There's a rodeo song, "Hooked on an 8 Second Ride," a tribute to rock and roll, "Even Cowboys Like a Little Rock and Roll," and a compelling story-song about cowboying on the open range, "Stampede." Finally he sings a declaration of independence from Nashville in "Western Skies." To double the fun, there are duets with Garth, Bon Jovi, Toby Keith, and Charlie Daniels.

You could pick another 20 songs to remember Chris LeDoux, but this collection will do just fine.

20 great hits, but where the hell is Bareback Jack?
This is my first Chris Ledoux, but I was familiar with several of his songs, such as Bareback Jack and Wild and Wooly. Where in hell are these two? Otherwise, a great CD for cleaning up or in the car. Another thing: I haven't got tired of this CD since Chris has several different styles on here. THIS CD RULES!

Chris Ledoux Rocks!
If I could only have one Chris Ledoux album, this would be the one I'd choose. This cowboy knows how to rock and roll, yet he can still sing western music with the best of them. I've had this CD in my player for 2 weeks and can't make myself take it out! This ain't your momma's country music, and if you think all country music sounds alike then you haven't heard Chris Ledoux. There are a few songs I wish were on this CD, such as "You Can't See Him From The Road", but there's not a bad song on it. This is truly great music from a real cowboy who's been there and done that, and has the belt buckles to prove it.