New Riders of the Purple Sage

Intro

Imagine the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens getting lost in the fog of 1969 San Francisco. It is music that smells like old leather and sweet smoke, balancing the tight structures of traditional country with the loose, wandering spirit of the Grateful Dead. The pedal steel guitar is the star here, weeping and soaring in equal measure over acoustic rhythms and electric twang.

What truly sets them apart is the 'hippie-cowboy' synthesis. While their contemporaries in the Flying Burrito Brothers were leaning into cosmic sorrow, the New Riders often felt more like a celebratory house band for a ranch party. They brought a specific counter-culture wit to songs about outlaws, freight trains, and recreational chemistry, delivered with high-lonesome vocal harmonies that feel lived-in and unpretentious.

Start with their self-titled debut or 'Gypsy Cowboy' to hear the definitive blend of Jerry Garcia's pedal steel work and John Dawson's songwriting. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who loves the 'Workingman's Dead' era of the Dead but wants something with a bit more dirt under its fingernails and a faster, honky-tonk pulse.

New Riders of the Purple Sage was an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco in 1969 and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. The band is sometimes referred to as the New Riders or as NRPS.

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Our Catalog15 Albums · 1971 · 2014

The Very Best Of New Riders

2014