LeDoux was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on October 2, 1948. He was of French descent on his father's side. His father was in the US Air Force and was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base at the time of his birth. The family moved often when he was a child, due to his father's Air Force career. He learned to ride horses while visiting his grandparents on their Wyoming farm. At age 13, LeDoux participated in his first rodeo, and before long was winning junior rodeo competitions.
LeDoux continued to compete in rodeo events and played football through his high school years. When his family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, he attended Cheyenne Central High School. After twice winning the Wyoming State Rodeo Championship bareback riding title during high school, LeDoux earned a rodeo scholarship to Casper College in Casper. During his junior year at Eastern New Mexico University, LeDoux won the Intercollegiate National bareback riding Championship.
LeDoux married Peggy Rhoads on January 4, 1972. They had five children: Clay, Ned, Will, Beau, and Cindy.
In 1970, LeDoux became a professional rodeo cowboy on the national circuit. To help pay his expenses while traveling the country, he began composing songs describing his lifestyle. Within two years, he had written enough songs to make up an album, and soon established a recording company, American Cowboy Songs, with his father. After recording his songs in a friend's basement, LeDoux "began selling his tapes at rodeo events out of the back of his pickup truck".
In 1976 LeDoux won the world bareback riding championship at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Winning the championship gave LeDoux more credibility with music audiences, as he now had proof that the cowboy songs he wrote were authentic. LeDoux continued competing for the next four years. He retired in 1980. With his rodeo career at an end, LeDoux and his family settled on a ranch in Kaycee, Wyoming. LeDoux continued to write and record his songs, and began playing concerts. His concerts were very popular, and often featured a mechanical bull (which he rode between songs) and fireworks. By 1982 he had sold more than 250,000 copies of his albums, with little or no marketing. By the end of the decade he had self-released 22 albums.
Despite offers from various record labels, LeDoux refused to sign a recording contract, instead choosing to retain his independence and control over his work while enjoying his regional following. In 1989, however, he shot to national prominence when he was mentioned in Garth Brooks' Top 10 country hit "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)." Capitalizing on the sudden attention, LeDoux signed a contract with Capitol Records subsidiary Liberty Records and released his first national album, Western Underground, in 1991. His follow-up album, Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy, was certified gold and reached the Top 10. The title track, a duet with Brooks, became LeDoux's first and only Top 10 country single, reaching No. 7 in 1992. In concert, he ended the song by saying, "Thanks, Garth!"
For the 35th annual Grammy Awards in 1992, the single track "Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy" was nominated for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.
For the next decade, LeDoux continued to record for Liberty. He released six additional records, including One Road Man, which made the country Top 40 in 1998. Toward the end of his career, LeDoux began recording material written by other artists, which he attributed to the challenge of composing new lyrics. With his 2000 release, Cowboy, he returned to his roots, re-recording many of his earliest songwriting creations.
The RIAA certified two gold and one platinum recordings for LeDoux. On February 22, 1993, the single "Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy" went gold. On June 2, 1997, the album The Best of Chris LeDoux went gold. And on October 5, 2005, the album 20 Greatest Hits went platinum.
In August 2000, LeDoux was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, which required him to receive a liver transplant. Garth Brooks volunteered to donate part of his liver, but it was incompatible. An alternative donor was located, and LeDoux received a transplant on October 7, 2000. After his recovery he released two additional albums. In November 2004, LeDoux was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma for which he underwent radiation treatment until his death.
LeDoux died of cancer on March 9, 2005, at age 56. His funeral was held on March 11.
Official bio:
Enough tears have fallen to fill the Powder River through Kaycee, Wyoming where Chris LeDoux called home. He died of a rare form of cancer in March of 2005. During his all-too-short 56 years of life, LeDoux was indeed a rare breed. Beloved by the rodeo world, LeDoux’s music captured the spirit of the sport - and of the American West - as few will ever likely match. The young Chris put pen to paper often. Poem after poem reflected his love of rodeo and of a young girl, Peggy, who would become his wife and bear him five children. His sense of humor and self-deprecating manner were constants even in the most painful of times. Besides writing words to become songs, Chris liked to sketch cartoons ala Charlie Russell and “Ole Chuck” would have been honored to ride alongside LeDoux. Many heroes don’t quite live up to their reputations. This Wyoming, and rodeo, hero outshined them all. A practical joke player extraordinaire, who would not intentionally hurt even the squirrels on the golf course, Chris will forever be thought of with a certain amount of reverence in these parts. There is a hole in Wyoming’s heart.
He was world champion professional bareback rider in 1976. When speaking about that accomplishment LeDoux chuckled recalling his bounty. “I won a saddle and a buckle and I got a hat and a pair of boots – and a little bit of money. The money’s gone. The boots are worn out. The hat’s gone – someone bit a big chunk out of it at Fort Worth that next winter. I still have the saddle and the buckle. But that championship gave me credibility in the music that I’m doing and helped tremendously,” LeDoux believed. His stage act came to represent a rodeo complete with mechanical bull, pyrotechnics, and pulsating energy that kept standing-room-only crowds on their feet for two hours – always howling for more. The moment the net fell and the first strains of “Copenhagen” rang out is one all Chris LeDoux fans cherished. Flinging tins was a sport in itself. It was a way to show love too, sort of like resting a bunch of roses at Barbara Streisand’s feet. Forgive the comparison but it is just the kind of image that would make Chris smile and say, “Yeah.”
His interest in rodeo stemmed from a childhood in Texas surrounded by friends and neighbors for whom rodeo was a way of life. LeDoux decided to give it a try, won a buckle, and was “bitten by the bug.” The family moved to Wyoming where rodeo continued to peak his interest. Before he gave much thought to girls or hot cars, Chris LeDoux dreamt of becoming a rodeo champ. He wrote his classic tune “Bareback Jack” while a student at Casper College. His mom had bought a guitar for Chris at Jay’s Music Store in Cheyenne a few years earlier. He first strummed and sang along to Marty Robbins “Big Iron.” He had many rodeo stars to gaze upon while living in Cheyenne and musicians then started to gain his attention. Favorites included Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Charlie Daniels. “I started listening to country music and loved it. I wanted to be able to play the guitar and sing some of those songs,” LeDoux remembered.
Football competed for some of his extracurricular time while at Central High School in Cheyenne but it was always Cheyenne Frontier Days that gave him “Gold Buckle Dreams.” His bareback riding skills rose measurably as fellow contestants offered pointers. Soon Chris LeDoux was among the top riders. He could have chosen many different paths during that period in the late 1960s and 70s but decided a wife and family – settling in rural Wyoming – was the best course for his life. A successful rodeo career was overtaken by music. Hundreds of songs about the West, cowboy and rodeo life, and love ensued. It was Garth Brooks who kicked things up several notches by singing the line “Worn out tapes of Chris LeDoux” in Brooks’ 1989 hit “Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old).” Almost immediately millions more fans of Chris launched a career that brought recognition and a degree of fame well outside the rodeo world.
Writing songs became more work than fun and Chris would come to depend on others for many of his recordings during the latter part of his long musical journey. “Writing to me is like sitting in a room by yourself all day pulling one hair out a time. I did enough of that. I’m ready to enjoy other things - be outside,” he said. He would get back home to the Kaycee ranch often and when there fix fence and do ranch chores his father-in-law saved for him. “I’m usually home calving time,” LeDoux recalled. “I kind of wish I was out on the road then.”
Another passion entered LeDoux’s life in the latter half of the 1990s. Golf. That surprised the cowboy musician. “I hate to admit it. I cussed the game for years. But it’s addicting. I don’t understand it. Maybe it’s just the nice little parks you get to walk through.”
Aren’t we glad he walked through our lives? More like leaped, and sang, and helped teach us to believe there is a lot of good out there we can do for others while at the same time enriching our own souls beyond measure.
Chris LeDoux’s band, Western Underground, carries on in his honor. Guitar player, and road manager, Mark Sissel stood by Chris’s side for 16 years. “It was like getting up every morning and walking down the road with John Wayne. The only difference was there was no on-screen/off-screen. Chris was the same every day – an extraordinary person; an exceptional man,” Sissel told the crowd at the first annual Tribute to Chris LeDoux in Casper, Wyo. last fall.
Honky Tonk World
Chris LeDoux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Man you were a winner if you took her out to dinner or a movie she wanted to see
But the world has turned and it's time you learned that the old ain't working no more
Yeah the rules have changed it's brand new game and buddy if you want to score
You've got to get off the couch get out of the house long about Friday night
Shine up your boots polish up your moves if you want to keep her satisfied
Oh a little bump and grind will do it every time if you want to keep your little girl
But you don't stand a chance less you take her out and dance
Well sooner or later all you couch potatoes are gonna be the lonely ones
If you want good lovin' then you gotta keep up
And you better know your Brook's from your Dunn's
Don't even think that your Engelbert Humperdink record's gonna turn her on
Cause Mister you can bet if you don't know the steps
Then you're gonna get left at home
You've got to get off the couch...
[Guitar - Fiddle]
Now if you were cro-magnon you'd be draggin' them woman by the hair to your cave
You'd be down on your knees citing them soliloquies back in Romeo's day
Yeah you'd be kind of nifty if we were in the Fifties and you had a cool car to drive
But we're living in the Nineties so you better shake your hiney
Or you're gonna get left behind
You've got to get off the couch...
No you don't stand a chance less you take her out and dance
Cause we're living in a honky tonk world
[Piano - Guitar - Fiddle]
The lyrics of Chris Ledoux's song Honky Tonk World reflect the changes that have occurred in romantic relationships and dating as time has passed. The song suggests that the traditional approach to dating, such as candlelight dinners and romantic movies, may no longer be enough to satisfy a woman's desires. Instead, they need excitement and a bit of rough and tumble, which can be found in honky tonk bars. The lyrics advise men who want to win a woman's heart that they need to get out of the house, polish up their moves, and dance with their lady if they want to keep her satisfied. According to the song, the men who prefer to sit at home watching television and listening to Engelbert Humperdinck records are destined to be "lonely ones."
The song also suggests that what women want has changed over time. If a man doesn't know how to dance, he won't stand a chance with the ladies. The song implies that men who want to attract women need to keep up and know their Brooks from their Dunns, expressing how different times have become from the era when men could impress ladies with a cool car to drive. The song's lyrics imply that we live in a fast-paced world, and men need to keep up with the pace if they want to succeed in romance.
Line by Line Meaning
There used to be a time candlelight and wine was all that a woman would need
In the past, a woman would be content with a romantic evening consisting of only candlelight and wine.
Man you were a winner if you took her out to dinner or a movie she wanted to see
If you used to take a woman to dinner or a movie that she was interested in, you were considered a winner.
But the world has turned and it's time you learned that the old ain't working no more
Times have changed, and it is important to recognize that old dating techniques are no longer effective.
Yeah the rules have changed it's brand new game and buddy if you want to score
The rules of dating have changed, and if you want to succeed, you must adapt to the new game.
You've got to get off the couch get out of the house long about Friday night
If you want to find romance, it is crucial to leave your house on a Friday night.
Shine up your boots polish up your moves if you want to keep her satisfied
To keep a woman happy, it is necessary to sharpen your skills and improve your technique.
Oh a little bump and grind will do it every time if you want to keep your little girl
To maintain a relationship, physical intimacy is important.
But you don't stand a chance less you take her out and dance
Without taking a woman out and dancing with her, there is no chance of success in a relationship.
Cause we're living in a honky tonk world
The world we live in now requires a different kind of charm and charisma to win over a partner.
Well sooner or later all you couch potatoes are gonna be the lonely ones
If you spend all your time sitting on the couch, you will eventually end up lonely.
If you want good lovin' then you gotta keep up
If you want to receive love, you must be prepared to put in the effort to keep up with your partner's wants and needs.
And you better know your Brook's from your Dunn's
To excel in dating, you must have an understanding of different artists and genres such as country music.
Don't even think that your Engelbert Humperdink record's gonna turn her on
Trying to impress a woman with old-fashioned music such as Engelbert Humperdink will not be effective in the modern dating world.
Cause Mister you can bet if you don't know the steps
If you are not familiar with the popular dances or dating customs, you will lack the skills necessary to succeed.
Then you're gonna get left at home
If you do not possess the necessary skills to date, you will end up being left alone at home.
No you don't stand a chance less you take her out and dance
Without taking a woman out and dancing with her, you have no chance of succeeding in a relationship.
Now if you were cro-magnon you'd be draggin' them woman by the hair to your cave
In the past, things were different, and men would take women by force to fulfill their desires.
You'd be down on your knees citing them soliloquies back in Romeo's day
In the past, romantic gestures like reciting Shakespearean soliloquies were effective in attracting a mate.
Yeah you'd be kind of nifty if we were in the Fifties and you had a cool car to drive
If you had a cool car in the 1950s, you would be more desirable to potential partners.
But we're living in the Nineties so you better shake your hiney
Now, in the 1990s, the most attractive attribute is the ability to dance and move one's body.
Or you're gonna get left behind
If you do not keep up with the changing dating customs, you will be left behind romantically.
Cause we're living in a honky tonk world
The dating world we live in now is a fast-paced, high-energy place that requires certain skills to succeed.
No you don't stand a chance less you take her out and dance
Without taking a woman out and dancing with her, there is no chance of success in a relationship.
Cause we're living in a honky tonk world
The dating world we live in now is a fast-paced, high-energy place that requires certain skills to succeed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL NELSON, CRAIG WISEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bud Owens
I was lucky enough to see this gentleman perform twice back in the 90's. Had a great time twirling the gals around the dance floor to his music too. Those were the days I tell ya. Mr. LeDoux autograph is still in the lining of my Stetson.... Thank you sir for the memories! Good ride cowboy.
thekingcobra63
So good seeing all of these videos now available to us fans. God Bless Chris LeDoux.
Stephen Bottom
Such a great talent. In the saddle and on the stage. He was taken from us far too soon.
But I swear, this video. I've never seen any non-professionals on the dance floor flipping their girl into backflips like that.
Kris Lloyd
If you're ever in the Wyoming or south Dakota area in a country bar you definitely will
Aspen Arnell
I can't tell you how much I love this song. my dad used to take me country swing dancing, and my man better be down to dance too.
Wyoming Cowboy
Everytime his songs come on in my truck I turn it up and jam out
CDC
Such a great, upbeat, feel good song.
N N
..listening to this in honor of my Uncle J.D. who passed away this morning.
Chris LeDoux was first concert I ever experienced and remains one of the best...timeless music for sure.
Cattlerest country
Great song Thanks for the memories!
Julie Knott
He was a wonderful man. True family guy and loved singing Check out his Facebook page I post lots of songs on there