Douglas B. Green
Encyclopedia
Douglas B. Green better known by his stage name Ranger Doug, is an American
musician, arranger and award-winning Western music songwriter, best known for his work with the Western music
and comedy group Riders in the Sky in which he plays guitar and sings lead and baritone
vocals. He is also an exceptionally accomplished yodeler
. With the Riders, he is billed as "Ranger Doug — The Idol of American Youth" and "Governor of the Great State of Rhythm".
in Nashville, Tennessee
. He continues to write as a music historian. His 2002 Vanderbilt University Press
book "Singing in the Saddle" was the first comprehensive look at the singing cowboy phenomenon that swept the United States in the 1930s. In addition, he hosts "Ranger Doug's Classic Cowboy Corral" satellite
radio show, delving into his personal vintage cowboy music collection. The show features the music of such classic western performers as Gene Autry
, Roy Rogers
, Tex Ritter
, Rex Allen
, and the Sons of the Pioneers
, as well as more obscure recordings. Green provides commentary with fellow Rider in the Sky Fred LaBour
(stand-up bassist stage-named Too Slim) in the role of Ranger Doug's sidekick, the crusty old trail cook called Sidemeat. The show currently airs Saturdays at 6am ET, and Sundays at 7pm ET, on Sirius/XM's Willie's Roadhouse Channel SiriusXM56.
Prior to forming Riders in the Sky, he performed with The Boys from Shiloh, The Shinbone Alley All Stars, and The Doug Green Band. In 1967 and 1969 he worked two stints with Bill Monroe
's Blue Grass Boys He recorded two albums in 1972 with Vic Jordan and the Buck White Family, one of gospel songs (In God's Eyes) and one traditional bluegrass named after his daughters Liza Jane and Sally Anne.
Green has also recorded a solo album Songs of the Sage
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician, arranger and award-winning Western music songwriter, best known for his work with the Western music
Western music (North America)
Western music originated as a form of American folk music. Originally composed by and about the people who settled and worked throughout the Western United States and Western Canada. Directly related musically to old English, Scottish, and Irish folk ballads, Western music celebrates the life of...
and comedy group Riders in the Sky in which he plays guitar and sings lead and baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
vocals. He is also an exceptionally accomplished yodeler
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
. With the Riders, he is billed as "Ranger Doug — The Idol of American Youth" and "Governor of the Great State of Rhythm".
Biography
Green graduated from the University of Michigan in 1968. He has a Masters degree in Literature from Vanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. He continues to write as a music historian. His 2002 Vanderbilt University Press
Vanderbilt University Press
Vanderbilt University Press is a university press that is part of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.Vanderbilt University Press is the principal publishing arm of Vanderbilt University. The Press selects, edits, and markets scholarly texts, especially in the areas of the humanities and...
book "Singing in the Saddle" was the first comprehensive look at the singing cowboy phenomenon that swept the United States in the 1930s. In addition, he hosts "Ranger Doug's Classic Cowboy Corral" satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
radio show, delving into his personal vintage cowboy music collection. The show features the music of such classic western performers as Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
, Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
, Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
, Rex Allen
Rex Allen
Rex Elvie Allen was an American film actor, singer and songwriter, known as the Arizona Cowboy, particularly known as the narrator in many Disney nature and Western film productions. For contributions to the recording industry, Allen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Family...
, and the Sons of the Pioneers
Sons of the Pioneers
The Sons of the Pioneers are one of America's earliest Western singing groups whose classic recordings set a new standard for performers of Western music. Known for the high quality of their vocal performances, musicianship, and songwriting, they produced finely-crafted and innovative recordings...
, as well as more obscure recordings. Green provides commentary with fellow Rider in the Sky Fred LaBour
Fred LaBour
Frederick LaBour , better known by his stage name Too Slim, is a Grammy award winning American musician, best known for his work with the Western swing musical and comedy group Riders in the Sky....
(stand-up bassist stage-named Too Slim) in the role of Ranger Doug's sidekick, the crusty old trail cook called Sidemeat. The show currently airs Saturdays at 6am ET, and Sundays at 7pm ET, on Sirius/XM's Willie's Roadhouse Channel SiriusXM56.
Prior to forming Riders in the Sky, he performed with The Boys from Shiloh, The Shinbone Alley All Stars, and The Doug Green Band. In 1967 and 1969 he worked two stints with Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
's Blue Grass Boys He recorded two albums in 1972 with Vic Jordan and the Buck White Family, one of gospel songs (In God's Eyes) and one traditional bluegrass named after his daughters Liza Jane and Sally Anne.
Green has also recorded a solo album Songs of the Sage