Paying tribute to the cowboyin’ way of life, Chris LeDoux’s son performs his original song entitled “Forever a Cowboy.” For cowboys historically known to sit around a fire and tell stories, poetry and lyrics are important. Ned LeDoux, son of Chris LeDoux, gets that, and “Forever a Cowboy” demonstrates his understanding in four descriptive verses and one chorus.
Here is the first chorus of his 2016 song:
He works by the seasons, not a clock on the wall
Stacking hay in the summer, shipping calves in the fall
Rides proud for the brand; he ain't one to complain
Never has much to say, always thankful for the rain
Dressed in all denim, sitting in front of a red sports car and an American flag, the video reminds viewers a bit of The Dukes of Hazzard, but he’s singing about horses instead of cars and a landscape that is many miles west of where Bo and Luke hung out.
44-year-old Ned LeDoux began playing in his father’s band in 1998, but his solo career started much later in 2015. Growing up in Kaycee, Wyoming, with his parents and four siblings, Ned watched his father write songs and perform, and he decided he wanted to pursue a career in music as well. Ned’s enthusiasm for this particular type of country music wasn’t simply due to the fact that his dad sang it. His Dad lived it, too.
In addition to being a singer and songwriter, Chris was an award-winning, professional rodeo champion, a bronze sculptor, and a rancher. He lived the experiences that he and his son have written about. And that comes through in Ned’s song.
Ned sings with a sincerity and seriousness that surely reflects an admiration for past and present cowboys—nearly as deep as the dimple in his cheek. It’s a lifestyle that has been featured in more television shows and movies lately, even if with a lot of fiction thrown in.
Ned and his dad, Chris, are the real deal. Chris died in 2005 at the age of 56, but Ned continues to sing his brand of music. As much a tribute to cowboys and the work they do, Ned’s song may be a tribute to his own father and the legacy that he left.
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—” Ephesians 6:2