RRTJun92

June 11, 1992

Get ready...get set...Saddle up and ride to Cincinnati with the newest legend of the, old West, Palindrome! And Palindrome was only one of the special guests to appear with Riders in the Sky when they returned to Cincinnati for two special summer concerts in June.

On Thursday, June 11, the men of the Harmony Ranch were the featured performers for Members' Night at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. The weather was beautiful and the Riders were in fine form for this outdoor concert. The sound system could have been better, but I guess you can't have everything! Thane Maynard was on hand with special guests Sycamore the barn owl, Izod the American alligator, and a three-banded armadillo whose name escapes me at the moment. The armadillo was an excellent dancer as Too Slim varmint danced with a partner for the first time (in public)!

Other "guests" included Sidemeat and country artist Drywall Paul. Woody's trick roping with Too Jaws' commentary is always one of my favorite parts of the show. And the stage once again overflowed with the little saddlepals for "I'm Going to Leave Old Texas Now." The little ones sang, yodeled, hummed, played their faces, and some of the more trusting and suggestible among them even tried to play their neighbors' faces. All in all, it was quite a satisfying evening for all us Queen City saddle pals who have been without our Riders fix since March.

June 12, 1992

The next evening brought another semi-outdoor concert at the Moonlight Pavilion at Old Coney Island. All our favorites were there: Drywall, Palindrome, a contingent from the fan club, and more. But the real highlight of the evening was Woody Paul's amazing glow-in-the-dark electric pickle. (You wouldn't believe how hot an electric dill pickle

can get!) I have to wonder whether this was simply a special attraction for this concert or a regular addition to the show. It certainly woke up our summer here in Cincinnati! If someone had told me a few weeks ago that a singing cowboy fiddler would show up with an electric dill pickle that would shoot sparks and glow in the dark, my response would have been, "When pigs fly!"*

After the Riders packed their saddle bags and rode off into the sunset Friday night, my thoughts turned to the upcoming season of Riders' Radio Theater. The pickle trick ought to be a great hit on radio. (After all, look what radio did for Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy!) And your "eyes and ears at the Emery" will be right here again this

season, keeping you up-to-date on all the newest developments!

* For those of you who are not from Cincinnati, congratulations, and a local uproar was created a few years ago when an artist, commissioned to create a bicentennial sculpture for Sawyer Point on the riverfront, elected to celebrate Cincinnati's history as a major meat-packing center of the United States (at one time even having the nickname "Porkopolis") by including winged pigs in the sculpture. Many local residents were offended, to put it mildly. They were apparently embarrassed by the appellation "Porkopolis" and would prefer to forget Cincinnati's less-than-glamorous history. Anyway, my little joke was probably funny to one or two people here in Cincinnati, where indeed pigs do fly...

Until next time, so long saddlepals! It's been so good to see ya...

donna j.

Every day...the Cowboy Way

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