Photo by Vern Evans

 

Sourdough Slim

10 Gallon Fun!

Swingin’ tunes! Cowboy crooning! Award winning yodeling! Laughs galore! Yes folks, all this and more can be yours at the only show on the planet where you can witness a man in a ten gallon hat, yodel, play accordion, dance a jig and twirl a lariat - all at the same time. Sagebrush artist, Sourdough Slim, transport us to a whimsical, infectious world where vaudevillian camp and cowboy lore intermingle. With a repertoire of classic western songs and an exuberant, animated, crowd pleasing delivery, Sourdough Slim has become one of the most popular cowboy entertainers of our time. The East Bay Express calls him “The most entertaining cowboy singer-yodeler-accordionist extant.” The Allentown Morning Call proclaims him to be a “One-man Western extravaganza!” And the music director at the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival commented, “Spectacular! His ability to entertain, charm and educate a New York audience was nothing short of amazing.” From the moment this accordion squeezin’ Will Rogers swaggers on stage, it’s apparent to everyone that they’re in for a rollicking good time.

A well traveled veteran of stages ranging from The National Cowboy Gathering in Elko, Nevada to the Lincoln Center’s recent Roots of American Music Festival, Slim provides accordion, guitar, harmonica and a generous helping of the truly astounding yippie-ti-yi style that won him the 2001 Will Rogers Award for Yodeler of the Year. His national appearances have justly earned him a loyal following of fun loving fans.

Born in Hollywood, California, Rick Crowder spent much of his childhood on a family cattle ranch in the Sierra foothills. But as he explains, “my true calling as a cowboy was not on the range but rather, on the stage.” A childhood cut-up, he developed his comic character, honed his musical and yodeling skills and garnered the nick name “Slim” while performing in several traveling western bands in the 1970’s and 80’s. Sourdough Slim emerged in 1988 when he came up with the idea to meld his experiences into a solo act based on a comical accordion playing yodeling cowhand. His seasoned gift for connecting with audiences from Los Angeles’ Autry Museum to The Kennedy Center is a true testament to the irrepressible talent and dedication of this unique entertainer.

A performance by Sourdough Slim a.k.a. Rick Crowder is a hoot to say the least. This savvy performer with a seasoned gift for connecting with audiences transports us to a whimsical world where vaudevillian camp intermingles with cowboy lore, producing grins galore. Since 1988 he has gained national recognition performing at events across the country including; The National Cowboy Gathering in Elko, Nevada, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center in New York. His fast-paced stage show combines cowboy singing, award winning yodeling and comedy, accompaniment on accordion, guitar, ukulele and harmonica and a keen knowledge of the traditional Western repertoire.


SELECTED FEATURED PERFORMANCES

Carnegie Hall, New York, New York • ABC’s Good Morning America • The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, New York • The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC • The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Elko, Nevada • BACK TO THE FUTURE III • Canada’s Cowboy Festival, Calgary, Alberta • Festival of Metropolitan Artists, New York, New York • Musikfest, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania • Kerrville Folk Music Festival, Kerrville, Texas • International Accordion Festival, San Antonio, Texas • Autry Museum of Western Heritage, Los Angeles, California • Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering, Ellensburg, WA • Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California • WESTFEST, Copper Mountain, Colorado • Strawberry Music Festival, Yosemite, California • San Francisco International Accordion Festival, San Francisco, California • Festival of the American West, Logan, Utah • Cotati Accordion Festival, Cotati, California • Main Street Arts Festival, Fort Worth, Texas • Gene Autry’s 88th Birthday Party, Los Angeles, California • International Folk Alliance Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico • The Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, California • Sawdust Days, Oshkosh, Wisconsin • Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon • Roy Acuff Theater, Nashville, Tennessee • National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana • Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri • Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada • Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival, Monterey, California • Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, Santa Clarita, California • Conejo Cowboy Festival, Thousand Oaks, California • Tom Russells Cowboy Train, Vancouver to Toronto, Canada • Performances in Porto Alegre, Brazil & Buenos Aires, Argentina

STATE & COUNTY FAIRS Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minnesota • Island County Fair, Langley, Washington • California State Fair, Sacramento, California • Silver Dollar Fair, Chico, California • Nevada State Fair, Reno, Nevada • Placer County Fair, Roseville, CA • Western Washington State Fair, Puyallup, Washington • Siskiyou Golden Fair, Yreka, CA • Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, California • Shasta District Fair, Anderson, CA • Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, Indio, California • Ventura County Fair, Ventura, CA • Nevada County Fair, Grass Valley, California • Plumas-Sierra County Fair, Quincy, CA • Jefferson County Fair, Madras, Oregon • Sonoma County Fair, Santa Rosa, CA • Mojave County Fair, Kingman, Arizona • Redwood Acres Fair, Eureka, CA • El Dorado County Fair, Placerville, California • Solano County Fair, Vallejo, CA • Santa Cruz County Fair, Watsonville, California • Glenn County Fair, Orland, CA • Garfield County Fair, Rifle, Colorado • Kern County Fair, Bakersfield, CA • Curry County Fair, Gold Beach, Oregon • Klamath County Fair, Klamath Falls, OR • Antelope Valley Fair, Lancaster, California • Contra Costa County Fair, Antioch, CA • Amador County Fair, Plymouth, California • Clark County Fair, Logandale, NV • Jackson County Fair, Central Point, Oregon • Napa County Fair, Calistoga, CA