Photo by Vern Evans

 

Below are some bio's for Sourdough Slim solo followed by bio's for Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong.
Feel free to use whatever works for you.

Sourdough Slim

Last Of The Vaudeville Cowboys

"There's no one else out there like Sourdough Slim. An accordion playing, yodeling, tongue-in-cheek, cowboy-dressed entertainer deluxe. Catchy, uplifting, irresistible, jolly fun." says Cowboy Magazine editor Darrell Arnold. One of the most original and beloved Western entertainers of our time, Sourdough Slim is a hoot to say the least. The moment this award winning Western showman steps into the spotlight, it's apparent to everyone that they're in for a rollicking good time. Ten gallon funny-man Sourdough Slim, transports us to a whimsical world where vaudevillian camp and cowboy lore intermingle to produce grins galore.

Slim, aka Rick Crowder, is a well traveled veteran of stages ranging from The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering to The Lincoln Center's Roots of American Music Festival and the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival. His fast-paced stage show finds him crooning Western classics, playing accordion, guitar and harmonica, dancing a jig, dishing out hilarious comedic sketches and letting loose with some absolutely mind boggling yodeling. His truly astounding yippie-ti-yi style won him the Academy of Western Artists 2001 Will Rogers Award for "Yodeler of the Year" and 2009, 2010 and 2011 nomination for "Entertainer of the Year" from the Western Music Association.

The Allentown Morning Call proclaims him to be a "One-man Western extravaganza!" The East Bay Express calls him "The most entertaining cowboy singer-yodeler-accordionist extant!" The Newport News Review brandishes him "The W. C. Fields of Western Entertainment" and Via Magazine heralds him "Entertainer extraordinaire!"

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. He has never looked back.

His seasoned gift for connecting with audiences from the Autry Museum to The Kennedy Center is a true testament to the irrepressible talent and dedication of this unique entertainer.

Sourdough Slim rekindles the country blues, cowboy classics and popular jazz standards of pre-WWII America. Whether he is vamping the haunting refrain of a Jimmie Rodgers blue yodel or stomping out a hot novelty rave-up, everyone gets caught up in the fun this cut-up has on stage. A well traveled veteran of stages ranging from the National Cowboy Gathering in Elko to The Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, this modern day vaudevillian has captured a sound and moment in time that resonates well with audiences young and old alike. He plays a provocative array of period instruments including: accordion, guitar, baritone ukulele, and harmonica. Highly musical. Highly campy. Highly entertaining to all ages.


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, timeless humor, accompaniment on accordion, guitar, ukulele and harmonica and a keen knowledge of the traditional Western repertoire.


Audiences step back in time with an authentic vaudeville style cowboy show in the Will Rogers tradition. Sourdough Slim is a veritable "one man Western extravaganza", crooning Western classics, playing accordion, guitar and harmonica, dancing a jig, dishing out hilarious comedic sketches and letting loose with award winning yippie-ti-yi-yodeling. A favorite entertainer at cowboy gatherings and county fairs around the country, he's also played the big time, wowing audiences at venues including Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. A rollicking good time for audiences of all ages.

Accordion, banjo, musical saw, yodeling! The sounds of social distancing? Not in the hands of these two venerable entertainers. Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong are "A marvel of musical ingenuity" and "a rollicking evening of outrageous humor and song." - Sacramento Magazine. There tight, show stopping renditions of country blues, cowboy classics and western swing are well worth a listen. A fast-paced performance of music and vaudevillian stage-craft that showcases this duo's seasoned gift for connecting with audiences of all ages. Long live "The Last Of The Vaudeville Cowboys."

Hold on to your seat and get ready for a rollicking evening of outrageous humor and song. A marvel of musical ingenuity, yodeling cowboy songster Sourdough Slim and string instrument wizard Robert Armstrong joyously rekindle the country blues, vintage jazz, cowboy classics and string band repertoire of pre-WWII America. Whether capturing the haunting refrain of a Jimmie Rodgers blue yodel or swinging out a hot novelty number, everyone gets caught up in the fun these two cut-ups have on stage. A fast-paced performance of music and comedy that showcases this duo's seasoned gift for connecting with their audiences. All dished up with a hearty dose of vaudevillian stagecraft making for a delightfully entertaining experience. Long time fans will remember them as founding members of two of California's favorite acoustic combo's, 8th Avenue String Band and R. Crumb's Cheap Suit Serenaders. Between them they share a provocative array of period instruments including: flat-top guitar, national steel, baritone and soprano ukulele, musical saw, accordion, six-string banjo and harmonica. Well traveled veterans of stages ranging from Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center to The National Cowboy Gathering, Strawberry Music Festival and Prairie Home Companion. These modern day vaudevillians capture a sound and moment in time that consistently delights fun loving music fans everywhere they perform.

Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong have had the pleasure of sharing their lively roots music with audiences at Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center to concert halls, festivals and fairs around the country. With a repertoire of western classics, country blues, vintage jazz and string band favorites from the 1920's and 30's, they share a passion for America's rich musical heritage and they know how to communicate that feeling to an audience. You'll hear raucous and often heartfelt singing accompanied by a dizzying array of vintage acoustic instruments including accordion, guitar, banjo, ukulele, national steel, musical saw and harmonica. All dished up with a hearty dose of vaudevillian stagecraft making for a delightfully entertaining experience. "Sourdough Slim and Robert Armstrong are flat-out-entertaining fun....with perfect comedic timing and showmanship....outstanding abilities on a variety of instruments, they dazzle audiences. Performances are always fresh and different....something for everyone." says Margo Metegrano of CowboyPoetry.Com. Sacramento Magazine calls their show "A rollicking evening of outrageous humor and song."

Sourdough Slim hails from California's gold country and is the recipient of the Academy Of Western Artist's "Yodeler of the Year" and a four time nominee for the Western Music Association's "Entertainer of the Year." String instrument virtuoso Robert Armstrong is a founding member of the infamous "Cheap Suit Serenaders" and an in demand studio musician who makes his home in Winters, California.

"A must see for those that love to be thoroughly entertained." - Charity Maness, Calaveras News

"A rollicking evening of outrageous humor and song." - Sacramento Magazine

"Five stars.... They don't make 'em like this anymore." - Barbara Steinberg, Sacramento City Guide Examiner

"A delightfully entertaining show. Real deal Americana." - Diane Brinkman, Seattle Times

"You won't find better authentic Country or Western music being played anywhere." - David Barnes, British Archive of Country Music

"Much more invigorating than 9/10ths of the stuff you hear from the current cadre of Western revivalists." - Ronald Lankford, Jr., Sing Out! magazine

"Goof Stuff!" - Dallas Dobro, Master of Ceremonies, Strawberry Music Festival

The terrifically talented duo of Sourdough Slim and Robert Armstrong combine lively roots music-making and vaudevillian-style comedy for "a rollicking evening of outrageous humor and song" (Sacramento Magazine). These two seasoned entertainers have some serious musical chops, playing everything from the guitar, banjo and ukulele to the accordion, steel guitar, musical saw and harmonica. Lending their heartfelt singing voices to a wide range of great originals and tunes from the '20s and '30s. Western swing, country blues, vintage jazz and cowboy classics. Then they top that off with timeless comedy bits, serving up a truly entertaining evening of family-style fun.

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