I want to celebrate this news with you!  The 2008 Will Rogers Cowboy Award from the Academy of Western Artists for the "BEST SONG" was awarded to BLUE PRAIRIE from our album, YONDERING - Songs of the American West.   

The award was presented at the Granville Theatre in Garland, Texas, Tuesday evening, September 23 in a gala ceremony featuring top entertainers from the western music industry.  To have a first album nominated in two categories - Best Western Album of the Year and Best Song - seemed honor enough.  That the award is named after someone I've always greatly admired, Will Rogers, makes it all the more meaningful to me.  I can't think of much finer company to be in.  

I share this wonderful sculpture with my friend, Ken DeAngelis - producer, engineer, mixing & mastering honcho, guitarist, accordionist, and fellow arranger extraordinaire - and Julie Ziavras of JAZ Music Productions, Inc., as well as with bassist Barry Wiesenfeld and violinist Rachel Handman, and I am eternally grateful for the love and support I've felt from friends and fans and family.  In my acceptance remarks I mentioned my bride, Amy, my late, great father-in-law, Norman Ober - Yondering's greatest fan - Wayne White, official "president of the fan club" who drove almost 3 hours to be there, our Lakota friends on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers (www.grandmotherscouncil.com), striving to bring healing to our Earth.

One of the most memorable experiences of the evening was the jam session after the ceremonies.  All the award winners, together with many of the runners up, gathered in the hotel lobby and played and sang together into the wee hours.  Any guests wandering through got the show of a lifetime.  I've seldom heard such formidable musicianship or sung with such a stunning assembly of talented, versatile, open-hearted performers.  Amy and I made some wonderful new friends and flew home with a stack of their terrific cd's to listen to.  

Thanks to all for the recognition.  As always, the enthusiasm of friends for projects like this is deeply cherished.  There'll be more to come!

Rich

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Country CD Reviews, Nashville95.com, May 13, 2008:

In his web site biography, Rich Flanders claims, “Now, I’m not a cowboy, and I don’t own that big spread on the far side of the Divide.” But after listening to Yondering: Songs of the American West, some might be convinced otherwise, as Flanders clearly has a deep, intimate relationship with the old west.

His renditions of these Western classics take listeners on a nostalgic journey that conjures images of wide open frontiers and vast horizons. And while the music sticks closely to its heritage, Flanders does a great job toying with creative autonomy. His droning, layered harmonies are meticulously crafted, and are the album’s preeminent attribute. Moreover, Flanders showcases his seasoned vocal chops with wonderful intonation and vibrato, which is a breath of fresh air in a time of unbridled pitch correction.

The album is simple, under-produced - yet it has depth and character. In a nutshell: Flanders got the job done, and done right.

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Cowboy Jam Session:  Western Culture News & Reviews
- by Jeri L. Dobrowski
       
September 2008

Aside from meeting artists at festivals and gatherings, I also meet them at my mailbox. CD shippers and padded envelopes show up every now and then, bearing addresses from across the United States and Canada.

It’s exciting to open a package and see what’s inside. I don’t take it lightly when I receive such a parcel. Whether it’s from a poet or singer, author, publisher, or film maker, I understand the time, effort, and expense that go into producing such a project. Unfortunately, space doesn’t allow me to tell you about them all.  

       
Rich Flanders is one of those artists whom I met down at the mailbox. His album, Yondering: Songs of the American West, arrived with of all things, a New York State address. An address means little to me if the material inside is good, and Yondering is good.

Like Woodson, Flanders (www.richflanders.com) shares an enduring fondness for the Sons of the Pioneers. A former Broadway performer, he too tips his hat to the group in the acknowledgments, commenting that of the many kinds of music he’s performed, the songs on the album are the ones he most often sings to himself. A labor of love he contemplated for years, Flanders provides fresh lead and harmony vocals on the 16 tracks.

Songs were selected based upon their universal appeal. You’ll instantly recognize the majority of the songs celebrating the peaks and prairies. Five were penned by Bob Nolan, including “Chant of the Plains” and “Blue Prairie.” Other cowboy/Western classics include  “Blue Shadows on the Trail,” “Ridin’ down the Canyon,” “River of No Return,” and “Song of the Trail.” For generous track samples, head over to cdbaby.com/cd/richflanders and take a listen. If you like what you hear, order directly from CDBaby. Yondering sells for $16 plus $2.25 shipping.

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COWBOY Magazine, Fall, 2008:

RICH FLANDERS doesn't claim to be a cowboy, but, like so many folks, he's got a deep appreciation for the classic Western songs that we all know and love.  Flanders has a great tenor voice, and he's backed up by capable performers on accordion, bass fiddle, fiddle, and masterfully blended harmony vocals. 

Included in this collection of 16 favorites are "Blue Shadows on the Trail," "The Timber Trail," "Blue Prairie," "Ghost Riders in the Sky," "Ridin' Down the Canyon," "Cool Water," "River of No Return," "Song of the Trail," and "Man Walks Among Us."

We promise this one will get a lot of playing time at your house.  Very nicely done. 

Rich Flanders, 374 County Highway 48, Thompson Ridge, NY 10985 ; www.richflanders.com or www.cdbaby.com/cd/richflanders CD, 16 tracks, $16 plus postage.

Thanks to everyone for the privilege of sharing this music of the heart, "music from home."  It is my belief that real change in the world will come only from a change of heart.  Rich

• Best Western Album of the Year

• Best Song