Jerry Jeff Walker
Ridin' High
Album · Country · 1975
In the early '70s, Walker became a true pioneer of Lone Star-style progressive country. The dusty-throated composer of "Mr. Bojangles" had abandoned Greenwich Village for Terlingua, Texas and never looked back. His vision of cowboy paradise was especially sharp on 1975's Ridin' High. On this album, Jerry Jeff and his Lost Gonzo Band celebrate the lives of saddle tramps, stoners, and survivors. Cowpuncher serenades like "Night Rider's Lament" are matched with Dixie vignettes like "Mississippi, You're on My Mind." "Jaded Love," and "Like a Coat from the Cold" strike a raggedly romantic mood. Then there's "Pissin' in the Wind." It's as close to a personal anthem as Walker ever recorded. What unifies these songs is a laid-back outlaw spirit, soaked in tequila and campfire poetry. Walker remains a national treasure, and Ridin' High catches him and his Gonzo gang at their zenith.
Ridin' High
Jerry Jeff Walker
In the early '70s, Walker became a true pioneer of Lone Star-style progressive country. The dusty-throated composer of "Mr. Bojangles" had abandoned Greenwich Village for Terlingua, Texas and never looked back. His vision of cowboy paradise was especially sharp on 1975's Ridin' High. On this album, Jerry Jeff and his Lost Gonzo Band celebrate the lives of saddle tramps, stoners, and survivors. Cowpuncher serenades like "Night Rider's Lament" are matched with Dixie vignettes like "Mississippi, You're on My Mind." "Jaded Love," and "Like a Coat from the Cold" strike a raggedly romantic mood. Then there's "Pissin' in the Wind." It's as close to a personal anthem as Walker ever recorded. What unifies these songs is a laid-back outlaw spirit, soaked in tequila and campfire poetry. Walker remains a national treasure, and Ridin' High catches him and his Gonzo gang at their zenith.
