The Rodeo Song
- Release Date: Friday, November 17, 2023 11:59PM
- Buy the Song: Click here and buy the EP at iTunes
- Social Media: Click here to view our Linktree and connect to all our Social Media accounts and more!
- Credit - Header Photos: Rob Hislop Photography
Canadian music artists Retro Posse's toe tappin' tune will make everybody rope and everybody ride off to the club or rodeo tonight! A music production of "The Rodeo Song" - four dance music tracks of the raunchiest lyrics, fiddle stompin', and beat driven mixes. Plus, Retro Posse also produced a clean version track full of farm animals bleepin' the explicit lyrics for the kiddies!
For more details, scroll on down and check out the entire website. First you'll learn about the history of "The Rodeo Song" and how it came to be, then we will tell ya abou the five "The Rodeo Song" tracks.
Make sure you watch our video when its released, and click here and order the EP of five tracks at iTunes, buy a t-shirt or some other hillbilly swag, and a whole lot more. For now, lets get rolling on down the website like a tumbleweed to some history about "The Rodeo Song" and how Retro Posse fits into a song about cold weather, some swear words and Johnny One-Ball. And don't forget to click here to view our Linktree and connect to all our Social Media accounts and more - there's great behind the scenes footage!
The Rodeo Song
"The Rodeo Song" was written by songwriter, composer, guitarist, and producer Gaye Delorme. Delorme played with many musicians, including Jann Arden, the Powder Blues Band, and David Foster. He also produced K.D. Lang's first album, "A Truly Western Experience," and collaborated with Cheech and Chong, most notably writing the signature guitar riff for Cheech and Chong's anthem, "Earache My Eye."
Image: Gaye Delorme.
Photo Credit: GigCity.ca
The Story of Retro Posse's Rodeo Song
In the early 1990s in Edmonton, Alberta, Don Stannard, a local DJ at a top 40 Dance Club, was told by the club's General Manager, Lance Makutra, to find "The Rodeo Song". Makutra asked if Stannard knew the song, and being a local farm boy, he definitely knew it.
Finding the song was another story and proved impossible. But Stannard, also a trained classical and jazz musician and vocalist, remembered being in Edmonton's Damon Studios to sing on a track and saw a gold record of the song on the wall. Thinking the recording studio personnel might know, he called them up and asked if his memory was correct about the gold record, and he was advised that "The Rodeo Song" was indeed recorded there, and they had many copies of the record - just come down and grab one for free.
Image: Don Stannard.
Photo Credit: David 'Jake' Jacobs.
Playing The Rodeo Song at the Club
Proudly, Stannard went and got the record and returned to the club to show Makutra his find and finally asked him why he wanted it as they did not play country music at the club. Makutra said he wanted it played to keep customers off the dance floor so they could buy a drink at the bar, and Stannard did just that at midnight each night.
However, the song's infectious lyrics had the opposite effect on the club-goers, and Stannard, began to think a couple of years later that a dance music style remake off "The Rodeo Song" would be a grand idea.
Image: Lance Makutra.
Photo Credit: Maria Daskalakis.
Meeting Gaye Delorme
While walking one day on Whyte Avenue, Stannard noticed a flyer on a lamppost promoting a concert of Gaye Delorme coming to town. Stannard tracked down Gaye’s phone number and called him about his idea for "The Rodeo Song," and they made plans to meet and discuss it at a local restaurant called Von’s, which happened to be right next to one of Canada’s premier country nightclubs, Cook County Saloon (more on that later).
During lunch with Gaye Delorme, Stannard told him the story above, his credentials as a musical artist, and asked for his permission to write and produce the song. Delorme immediately said yes, and that he always wanted it done as a dance music song, and even pulled out album cover graphics of his plan and attempt to do it previously with another artist, which failed to come to fruition.
Image: Cook County Saloon
Photo Credit: Don Stannard.
How The Rodeo Song Got To Be
Stannard asked Delorme how "The Rodeo Song" came to be. Delorme told him everything about the where, why, and how "The Rodeo Song" was written - (Everyone can find out the where, why and how if you buy the EP as Retro Posse incorporated the story into the song).
Astounded by the story of how the song was written and excited for the project, Stannard quickly got to work composing and producing the arrangement at a local recording and video studio called Anticipation Productions under the direction of friend David ‘Jake’ Jacobs. Jacob's, like his father, Leon W. Jacobs who was the bass player for jazz great Oscar Pederson, had a perfect ear to what was good and bad and advised Stannard on the "The Rodeo Song" arrangement pathways. After several tweaks, Stannard and Jacobs were finally happy with the overall sound of the track and ready to move forward with a singer.
Image: David 'Jake' Jacobs with His Dad's Bass
Photo Credit: Rob Hislop Photography
The Singer (One Take)
Stannard needed a singer as he couldn't sing this style of music. He also needed a fiddle player as synthesizers back then didn't have the appropriate sounds of a real fiddle. Someone suggested local DJ (BJ the DJ) from Barry T’s nightclub could sing. Stannard, who knew BJ quite well, didn't know he sang as he was famous for playing great music, being the life of the party, and taking his clothes off and running through the club naked during peak hours. But Stannard asked him to come do a test run of the track.
At the session, Stannard told BJ the story of how "The Rodeo Song" came to be, using Gaye Delorme's own words and asked him to tell the story in the intro of the "The Rodeo Song", and he said, "Okay, I’m ready." The recording session began, and in one single take, BJ nailed singing "The Rodeo Song" perfectly. Stannard and Jacobs were stunned at BJ’s musical ability, and they thought they had struck gold.
Image: Shutterstock
Photo Credit: alexkoral
The Rodeo Song (Everybody Ropes, Everybody Rides)
A week later, Stannard was with his friend and DJ mentor, Brian James Degenstien, walking on Whyte Avenue again, talking about "The Rodeo Song" track and how good it was now. Degenstien, who had heard the track said it needed a chorus. Stannard was shocked and said, "A chorus - it already has one - sort of." He asked why it would need a chorus, as the song was perfect as it is. But Degenstien said it needed a chorus with a sexy woman’s voice, and right there and then, he came up with a melody and lyrics.
Again, Stannard was stunned, as what Degenstien suggested was a perfect addition, and he immediately went back to the studio and rewrote the track to encompass the new chorus.'The Rodeo Song" written by Gaye Delorme just became "The Rodeo Song (Everybody Ropes, Everybody Rides)" written by Delorme, Don Stannard and Brian James Degenstien as the song was adapated with new musical parts and lyrics.
Image: Brian James Degenstien on a Frozen Day in Hell.
Photo Credit: Don Stannard
Putting it In the Vault
Now Stannard had to find a woman to sing and still a fiddle player. Stannard remembered his friend Haven Nagel and knew she could sing quite well, as she performed local shows with her Dad, Bob Nagel. Stannard told her about the song, and Haven came to the studio and recorded the new chorus. Haven has a 50's style voice and the recording was perfect. Stannard and Jacobs now had to locate a fiddle player and a release date would be near.
However, some songs in the mid 1990's were popular that had a country-dance music feel - think "Cotton-Eye Joe" by Rednex. And the pop music scene was changing drastically. With these outcomes, Stannard decided to not finish "The Rodeo Song," instead putting it in the vault for a few years and then come back to finish it and release.
Fast forward 24 years, Degenstien called up Stannard during the pandemic and said, "Hey, what are you doing with 'The Rodeo Song' - it’s time to finish it and get it out to the public."
Image: Vocalist Haven Nagel
Photo Credit: Haven Nagel
The 'Pandemic' Rodeo Song
"The Rodeo Song" (Everybody Ropes, Everybody Rides) was finshed during the pandemic - including permissions from Tom Lavin of Uncut Music as Gaye Delorme sadly passed away in 2011. Thanks to Tom as he has been a big supporter of Retro Posse.
Stannard finally found his fiddle player - he just happened to be the champion fiddle player Alex Kusturok.
Production was completed for five tracks of "The Rodeo Song," and a video was filmed in Edmonton and MIllet, Alberta. A 1950's Willy's truck was found through a client of Stannard's - the 'got a heater in my truck' for the video. Retro Posse also filmed at the famed country nightclub Cook County Saloon. Thanks to the Cook County team as they were shut down from the Pandemic and allowed them to film, plus drag out the bull!
Album Cover: 1950's Willy Pickup Truck Door - Thanks to Lori & Jay Cridland.
Photo Credit: Don Stannard
Radio Edits
Two Radio Edit versions are produced in two formats (Explicit and Clean).
These versions tell the unique story of how The Rodeo Song came to be by songwriter Gaye Delorme.
Mixed with a driving beat and fiddle playing and stompin' by Alberta's own Champion fiddle player Alex Kusturok.
Click here and buy the EP of five tracks at iTunes.
Image: Musician Alex Kusturok.
Photo Credit: Don Stannard.
Barn Dance Edit
The Barn Dance Edit is a unique version of The Rodeo Song taking you back to the olden days of the barn dance or the country fair hillbilly music genre.
Full of yee-haws, a washboard instrument, and lots of foot stompin'.
It maybe needs more cowbell!
Click here and buy the EP of five tracks at iTunes.
Model: Don Ashdown AKA Johnny One-Ball.
Photo Credit: Don Stannard.
Extended Lance Remix
The Extended Lance Remix is a pounding hardcore beat perfect for the nightlub.
It will make you feel like you are robbing the train while galluping on a fine ass filly.
The track is dedicated to our former friend and gentleman Lance Makutra - who is responsible for placing the idea in our minds to make a dance version of The Rodeo Song.
Now go get a drink and dance MOFO!
Click here and buy the EP of five tracks at iTunes.
Model: Megan Honey.
Photo Credit Rob Hislop Photography.
OG Pioneer Remix
The OG Pioneer Remix - the original version produced in the mid 1990's.
In 2023, Luis Donis of Path 26 mixed the track and brought it up to today's standard's of music production.
Luis is also the voiceover talent for the yeehaws, 'more cowbell', and message to all the country ladies to not squat with your spurs on!
Click here and buy the EP of five tracks at iTunes.
Image: Mixer/Artist Luis Donis.
