Songs of the Sage (Warner Western, 1997)

Riders in the Sky's Ranger Doug Green is back in the saddle again, this time alone out in the desert.This project from the noted cowboy historian is a marvelous collection of 12 original songs, all reminiscent of tunes crooned by Roy Rogers and Gene Autry in 1940's western movies.

Green brings fellow Rider Fred "Too Slim" LaBour along for the ride, with Joey Miskulin leading the herd in the production booth. If you like heartfelt songs telling of the open prairie, but have never really gotten into the corny jokes made famous by Riders in the Sky, this is the album that will be your "Welcome to the West," and have you "Singing in the Saddle," or sniffling at the beautiful tearjerker about an old ranch hand, "Jesse."

The only real flaw is its length - way too short at a 38 minutes.