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OPEN RANGE and the STAMPEDE SWING BAND
SWINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES
O.J. SYKES-WESTERN WAY MAGAZINE
The great steel guitarist Tom Morrell made a comment when he first heard this CD. He said, "it’s like a breath of fresh air." One quick listen will show you what he meant. It’s fantastic!
Ric Steinke & Linda Hausler, a.k.a. Open Range, teamed up with The Stampede Swing Band for this project, and, in so doing, they struck gold! This is one of the best CDs I’ve heard in a long, long time! The swing is pretty much the easy-going kind, performed, as they say, in their own Montana style. It blew me away!
In addition to straight Western swing, they do good Western & cowboy music with a nice, danceable rhythm. There are 13 songs, 11 of which were written by Ric, one co-written by Ric & Linda, and one, "Roundup Time on the Rio Grande," by Nancy Thorwardson. And there’s not a weak one in the bunch. Even the big labels rarely issue a CD whose total contents are first-rate, but I found all 13 of these to be thoroughly enjoyable. Radio will surely be giving this whole album lots of airplay! An excellent candidate for Album of the Year.
HUGH MCLENNAN - DJ, Pinantan, BC, Canada - “Spirit of the West” show
The Spirit Of the West Christmas show introduced a song from a couple of Montana Singers called “Rocky Mountain Christmas a few years back. That song arrived as a single on a CD from Ric Steinke and Linda Hausler. A few weeks ago I received their latest release called “Open Range” and it’s an ear-pleasing collection of original songs from deep in the heart of Cattle Country with a great western swing flavor.
Ric has written a pile of new songs for this album and I love the way he focuses on the essence of life in the saddle and the joy and despair of the lives of working cowboys and ranchers. Anyone who’s ridden into the relentless wind from the eastern slopes to Cypress Hills will be nodding their heads when they hear “Cold Bitter Wind.”
This duo sounds great when they sing close western harmony or individually. Linda does a fine job on the closing track, “The Western Land I Love, also written by Ric. You can see the picture he had in mind when you listen to the opening lines: “When evening chores are done and the setting of the sun paints a golden glow across the valley floor. I saddle up and take a ride ‘tween God’s green earth and sky, a reminder of the Western Land I Love.” There’s way too many good ones to pick a favorite here but “Arizona Saturday Night,” Cool Blue Mountains” and the title track,” Wild Western Plains” are just a few that deserve recognition and will make the Spirit Of The West play list in coming months.
The arrangements make good use of Ric’s instrumental talents on lead and Rhythm guitar, non pedal steel and mandolin. Nancy Padilla is the featured fiddle player and the sound is enhanced to just the right degree by the great keyboard and accordion work of Dean Anderson.
MIKE GROSS - SWINGIN’ WEST, WVOF-FM, Fairfield, CT
I have to tell you all that Santa came early up here in Connecticut this year. Actually, he was dressed as a US Postal Service employee and he brought your new CD. WOW!!! It is fantastic! I don't know where you have been or maybe I have been but I am sure glad that you finally found me. The album is fantastic and I plan to use every single cut on my "Swingin' West" radio shows. My favorite cut is the title tune but I just love it all. I am sure that both my FM listeners here in Connecticut and my Internet listeners world wide will also agree with me about the CD. Below is a review of the album I sent to various publications for which I do reviews. It will also be posted on my "Swingin' West" web site in the review section.
This Livingston, Montana western swing band has just released a fantastic new CD. The album is packed with wonderful musical cuts in a style different from both, traditional Western Swing or Western Music. However, the music is definitely western and it definitely swings.
This super album of 13 winning tunes features 12 that were written by band vocalist, non-pedal steel guitarist, lead and rhythm guitarist and mandolin player Ric Steinke. The remaining tune Roundup Time On The Rio Grande was written by noted Western songwriter Nancy Thorwardson. The other titles all swing with very enjoyable and relaxing western themes. The titles are Wild Western Plains, Blue And Lonesome, Swingtime In The Rockies, Two In The Saddle, Goodbye Memories, Cool Blue Mountains, Arizona Saturday Night, Dream Of My Cowboy, Cowboy Melody, Swingin' The Blues, Cold Bitter Wind and The Western Land I Love. All of these beautiful titles are either sung by Ric or Linda Hausler who also plays maracas on a south of the border flavored sound. Dean Anderson is heard on harmony vocals and also plays keyboard and accordion. Nancy Padilla is the group fiddle player, Don “Obie” Oberquell plays-bass and Don Scott is the band drummer and percussionist.
Dugg Collins , Journal Broadcast Group , Morning Drive - KFTI/AM 1070 THE RANCH
Maybe I’m late in discovery, but I just fell in love with your “OPEN RANGE-SWINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES ” CD. I will be playing you on my Swing Features and on my weekly Western Swing Show on Saturday morning. I’m calling it “Cowboy Swing.” I have never listened to a CD where I liked every cut I heard. Your group is just awesome!!! Thanks for something fresh and original.