Music of the West
By Hugh McLennan
October - November 2008
 Ten Winters & Ten Springs
Due West Trio
“We’ll ride the range from sun till sun, for a cowboy’s work is never done.” Those words penetrated the heart of this ol’ cowboy when I listened to the old classic, Doney Gal, on this CD from the Due West Trio. Rena Randall is featured; her rich alto voice carries this wonderful collection of songs as effortlessly as thistle down on a prairie breeze.
The trio comprises Rena, Dave Gibson and Dave Bertoglio. The CD features several original compositions written by members of the group. If I had to pick a favourite, it would be Driftin’ Back to Beaver.
I’m sure a lot of musicians wonder what I’m looking for when I select the music list for The Spirit of the West each week, and I’m not sure how to explain it. The obvious qualities are, of course, lyrics that express the elements of the life under the western sky, and then good arrangements, production values that make it airplay-friendly, but there’s an intangible “something else” that I can’t define – but this CD sure has it.
You’ll be hearing several tracks from this one on the Spirit of the West, songs like Old Cowboys Tellin’ Stories and Lonesome Dove to name a couple.
There’s a nice arrangement of The Wayward Wind, but I’m not sure about the liner notes. They say the song came from the 1952 movie, High Noon. Tex Ritter sang the theme from High Noon for the sound track, but I’m pretty sure The Wayward Wind was written about 1955 and recorded by Gogi Grant and Tex Ritter in 1956.
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