Western music has sadly taken a back seat since the Tucson-born Western Music Association fled town a few years ago.
Lost in the shuffle has been homegrown Western outfits like the Desert Sons, who dust off those classic tunes about sagebrush, prairie sunsets and cowboy rides, set to simple acoustic arrangements.
The Sons, who are marking their 20th year together, are still performing and recording. On Saturday the quartet — John "Buck" Ryberg, Benny Young, Skelly Boyd and Slim Tighe — will play Old Town Artisans to celebrate the release of their fifth CD, "Songs Along the Trail." They recorded it with Bill Cashman at Cavern Studios in Tucson.
It's a collection of classic Western odes, swings and ballads, from "Song of the Trail" and "Song of the Rover" to "Buffalo Gals/Boilin' Cabbage" and "(Take Me Back to My) Boots and Saddle." The vocals are smooth and crisp, set against an acoustic backdrop of Young's violin and accordion, Ryberg's and Boyd's guitars and Tighe's bass.
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Special guests Bill Ronstadt and Bill Ganz chime in on "Arizona Home" and "Sundown Song."
The CD-release concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Old Town Artisans, 186 N. Court Ave., Downtown. Admission is $15 in advance at www.rhythmand roots.org; it's $18 at the door.
The concert is part of the 12th annual Rhythm & Roots Courtyard Concert Series, which kicked off in late April with cosmic country rockers New Riders of the Purple Sage. The series runs through October at Old Town Artisans. For tickets and details, call 319-9966.
• May 15 — Folk blues with Paul Geremia and Hans Olson.
• May 23 — Bluesman Guitar Shorty.
• May 30 — Bluegrass with Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Peter McLaughlin and Earl Edmonson.
• June 6 — Texas blues with Smokin' Joe Kubek featuring Bnois King.
• June 13 — Country-folk with Slaid Cleaves.
• Oct. 15 — Rumba flamenco with Jesse Cook.
