The Bar D Wranglers – Movin’ Slow

One of the side effects of doing this blog is a lot of my friends now give me records.  This is the case with this piece of work.  I got this in a basket of records from my pal, Micahl.  There were some real good albums in the bunch but there was also a lot of weird stuff.  This being one of those.  Oddly enough, this was autographed by the group, including my favorite country name, Buck Teeter (which could also be great if you were either an astronaut or a porn star). Anyway, if you are reading this , Micahl, you ain’t getting this back.

This is a dinner/novelty/souvenir type album that I like to often showcase on this site.  The Bar D Wranglers are a dinner band who perform at the Bar D Chuckwagon Supper in Durango, Colorado. From the webpage, it looks like your typical dude ranch.  They serve roast beef, chicken, and/or rib eye steak on a tin plate.  Alcohol is not served nor tolerated.  According to the website, they  have a lot of kids activities and old west displays  as well as a few gift shops, where I am sure this album came from.

Webpage for the Chuckwagon

The Bar D Wranglers provide the authentic old west entertainment during diner in the summertime.   The group was founded by Cy Scarborough in 1969. Known for his sense of humor and his odd instruments,  Cy still performs with a handful of the group today and works at the Bar D with his wife Jeanne.

Web Page for the Wranglers

Of the other members on this album, which I assume was the original incarnation, the forementioned Teeter, the bassist,  was also a recognized western artist.  He passed in 2001.  Fiddle player, Jim Blanton, passed in 1975.  Not sure what ever became of guitarist Little Jim, who I am guessing based on the name and the picture, is the son of Blanton.

One of Teeter’s pieces
Ditto

This album is a collection of western songs and what not. I am not sure when this came out but I imagine it was sometime in the early 70’s. I was surprised there was not more of the element of comedy for which they are apparently noted for.  I mean besides “Foolish Questions” which I never found funny on other albums and “Who Sputt Tobaker?”.  There are a lot of western standards including “Streets of Laredo”, “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”, and “A Hundred and Sixty Acres”. Decent enough album I guess. They are a tight unit on the record.  I mean they are talented but I honestly thought there would be more camp.  But overall, decent album.

For a sample, I went with two of the standards, “Tumbling Tumble Weeds” and “A Hundred and Sixty Acres”. I was slightly disappointed with “Tumble Weeds” which is one of my favorites yet greatly impressed with “Acres”. Anyway, they are both here in what is a lazy example of editing on my part.

The fact that this was free as well as autographed made me overlook its flaws, so I will say it is satisfactory.

6 thoughts on “The Bar D Wranglers – Movin’ Slow”

  1. Jim Blanton passed in 1980 (not 1975). He is buried in Comanche, Texas with his Wife Ray Nell. Little Jim the guitarist still sings and plays today. He is the son of fiddle player Jim Blanton. “Little Jim” was the official entertainer & cowboy on The Great American Cattle Drive 1995″ that trailed 350 Longhorn Steers & 100 horses from Fort Worth, Texas to Miles City, Montana. He now resides in Purcell, OK.

  2. I remember when I was 17 my parents brothers and sisters took a motor home to Durango to visit my Uncle Buck Teeter we went to the bar D Chuckwagon supper watch the show and then rode the Silverton train the following day along the Route my uncle but could three of his Ranch hands stood there on Horseback with their dusters and waved at us as we went by something straight out of a western movie it was an awesome experience I’ll always never forget!

  3. Buck Teeter was a distant relative of mine, according to my dad’s family. They homesteaded in Eastern Colorado after coming from Kansas. I was told he was a western artist and his paintings were used on the Leaning Tree cards. I had no idea he was a musician too! My mom’s side of the family was very musical. Thanks for posting this!!

Leave a Reply to jamesframe151@yahoo.com Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.