I wouldn’t put myself next to Ian Tyson (one of the greats) but I’m honored by the comparison!

I know you’re not supposed to talk about song meanings, like a magician not revealing his tricks. But without spilling all the beans I was influenced writing this song by this podcast episode:

I read some Homer in high school but never got it, listening to this was mind blowing and gave me a whole new understanding of honor and glory in songs and stories. I think the reason this song makes me feel something is that it came out in a small way like an epic poem, a long journey with a tragic ending. But it doesn’t pay to get too introspective about writing, so I’ll quit thinking about it. It’s just a song.

In case you missed it, I put out a home recording of another song I’ve had brewing for a couple of years called Cattle, Gold, And Oil. Went live on the streamers on Election Day, after I put a video version out on the socials that went semi-viral on X. I wrote this song after the Governor of Arkansas shut down a bunch of fiddle playing gigs I had in 2020, on the recommendation of the illustrious Anthony Fauci.

The song is my middle finger to everyone who promoted illegal lockdowns, masks, and mandatory medications. Who are of the same mind as the anti-human globalist hacks, bent on destroying western civilization by limiting meat and and oil production to “save the climate”. Hope you like it.

Wrote a lot more than I meant to today, thanks for hanging around. I’ll be playing an acoustic set on fiddle with my buddy Jason Wood on Saturday Nov. 23 at 7:00, at Hookers Bar and Grill in Pryor, OK. Come out if you’re in the area and say hey!

I’ve been working up to writing and publishing songs for years, it’s surreal to finally have something to show for it.

I hope you like this one, I’m proud of it. At the same time I had the feeling listening to it in post production that I didn’t really write…

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Last week I spent a couple of days at Texas Homegrown Studios in Stephenville recording my new song. Jeb Bridges (a member of the 5 and Dimers duo who I’ve played a bunch of shows with on fiddle) is a great engineer and player, and over a couple of days it felt like we made some magic.

I’ve done a little bit of session work on fiddle for other projects, but this was the first time I’ve done a full band song for myself, it was an intense process. The feeling of starting with nothing and many hours later watching something come alive in unexpected ways is hard to describe. Listening to the un-mixed but finished song it’s hard to believe I actually wrote it.

Don’t have a release date yet but hopefully will be ready in two or three weeks. By which time I should be back in the studio working on the next one.

While I was down there I got to do a spot on the Texas Homegrown Radio show, on an internet radio station run by Jody Lee, the other half of the 5 and Dimers duo. Joked around a lot and played a few tunes. Playing live on air was a new kind of pressure for me but I stayed pretty relaxed and had a lot of fun. You can check it out if you go on my Facebook page at Chris Ryland Music.

Thanks for all the support, and I’ll send a note when I get a release date for The Ballad Of The Man Killer Lion.

Chris Jr.

To everyone else, please disregard any emails from this platform suggesting a paid subscription. They will send messages from “Chris Ryland Music” trying to drum up business, I don’t want anyone feeling pressured to donate.

But if you get value from what I do in the future I will gladly accept value in return.

Thanks again, Chris.

I put up a video of the drawing on my page on Facebook, (Chris Ryland Music) check it out. Thanks Jennifer for the help with the video, and for the shrimp boil and good party at Clinton.

And the winner is…

I’m excited to get back to the studio in a couple of week, ready to cut some more. When I get ready to release the next one I might do another giveaway, stay tuned!

Also some of you great people pledged a monthly value for value gift if I turned on paid subscriptions. I will take them, and will always be grateful for the support. I might send an early copy of the next song to everyone that pledged.

Hope everyone has a good day off today,

Chris Ryland, Jr

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I’m excited to finally start releasing some original music! First song I’m going to release is called Arkansas Puncher. I hope you like it, and if so I’d be honored if you help me get it out to as many people as possible.

You will all have my gratitude for your help with promotion, and one lucky winner will have $250 to spend at the great Teskey’s Saddle Shop.

In order to be in the drawing for the Teskey’s money, hit “Subscribe Now” and enter your email. I will use email to contact the winner of the drawing. Then like and share the post on social media where you found this. If you have a Facebook account, please like my page Chris Ryland Music.

Finally, watch or listen to and share my song when it comes out, wherever you stream music. I plan on drawing the winner on Friday August 30, 2024. All the liking and sharing will be on the honor system, if your email is on the list then you are entered to win.

I promise I won’t spam your email, but will keep you posted on new music, more giveaways, and live shows.

Thanks for the support, and I hope you like this song! I’ve got more in the pipe, excited to be finally getting them out in the wild.

Chris Ryland, Jr

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