From the first yodeling toe-tapper until the last lilting coyote chorus, the Old West Trio delivers uplifting cowboy and folk music to listeners of all ages. The trio, composed of Steve Ide, Leslie Ide, and Steve Johnson, is based in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, just a stone’s throw from where the Gold Rush of 1849 began. As lead guitarist Steve Johnson puts it, “The Old West is the most celebrated era of our American heritage and cowboy music is a history lesson with a melody.” To honor that heritage, the Old West Trio performs both traditional and contemporary songs that explore a variety of styles, including gunfighter ballads, western swing, classic Sons of the Pioneers, and lively yodeling tunes. Leslie Ide adds, “Our contribution to the cowboy culture is in capturing the spirit of the West in song.”The Old West Trio has performed from California to Montana, including the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls and the Wort Hotel's Silver Dollar Bar in Jackson, Wyoming. Other venues include the Western States Horse Expo (Sacramento, Calif.), the Elk Grove Western Festival (Elk Grove, Calif.), the Rhymers Rodeer (Minden, Nevada), and the historic Silver Queen Hotel (Virginia City, Nevada). They have appeared on several radio programs, including the Range 103.7 FM with Mason Tibbs (Jackson, Wyoming), Back Roads on KVMR 89.5 FM (Nevada City, Calif.), Radio Ranch with Mick Vernon on KNRY 1240 AM, Horsemen's Radio Weekly, and the Chronicle of the Old West.
The Old West Trio makes guest appearances in the summer for Scofield's Cowboy Campfire at the Red Mule Ranch in Fiddletown, California. They helped launch the popular chuck wagon dinner and cowboy music and poetry program in 1997. The Old West Trio performes at Imagination Theater on Saturday, September 25 at 8:00 p.m. All tickets are $20. This will be a very entertaining evening. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 530-642-0404.
