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 Colorado Sandstorm Music

                                                             

   

One Lonely Rider

©2007 Sandra L. Reay, Ernie Martinez

Colorado Sandstorm Music, B.M.I.
Ash Street Music, ASCAP

 
1.
A hot wind blew ‘cross the prairie, a whiff of smoke in the air
  The cattle were restless and wary. The night riders better take care
  We lost Little Joe and three ponies down a dry wash early that day
  When a wall of water came sudden, and swept Big Ed’s best pal away
 
chorus The campfire was glowing, the cattle were lowing
  I was weary right down to my soul
  One Lonely Rider watched our campfire
  Go down to its last burning coal
  Go down to its last burning coal
 
2.
Big Ed pulled duty as night hawk. I offered to stand watch instead
  He said the horses would keep him from thinking ‘bout Joe being dead
  I bedded down away from the others. My buckskin was grazing near by
  I listened to him softly breathing as I watched the firelight die
 
chorus  
 
  Narration:
3.
Well I woke to a shout in the darkness. You know the cattle, they were starting to run
  The top hands all scrambled for horses. All of them bolted but one
  I jumped to the back of my buckskin. You know, there's one thing that I’ve learned
  And that's if I could catch up to the leaders then somehow the herd could be turned
   
4.
Well a lone rider came out of nowhere, his catch rope stiff in his hand
  An angel sent down from heaven, he turned that whole demon band
  Well slowly they circled each other, then stopped and then stood deathly still
  I couldn’t find sign of that rider. I reckon that I never will
   
2nd chorus The campfire's glowing, the cattle are lowing
  I am weary right down to my soul
  One Lonely Rider watched our campfire
  Go down to its last burning coal
   
coda One Lonely Rider watched our campfire
  Go down to its last burning coal

Go down to its last burning coal
 

"I was running errands in August, 2005. A hot wind was blowing up the valley where I live. As a result of forest fires from the year before, there was still a trace of smoke in the wind. When I got home, I wrote the first few lines.

"When I saw Ernie that night, I recited the lines I'd written. He said it should be a cowboy song, and he wanted to write the music. It took me years to research cattle drives and write the lyrics. Ernie made suggestions to get me past my writer's block(s). Bill Barwick suggested the reference to Little Joe the Wrangler in the first verse. Some cowboys from the Bailey, CO, area helped me decide how the song should end.

"At the request of Dale Page, an award winning cowboy poet, I rewrote One Lonely Rider to be performed as a cowboy poem."
San

 

Awards:

Airplay:

Performances:

Other:

 
One Lonely Rider
Full-length Rough
  • Ernie Martinez: lead vocal, steel-string rhythm guitar
  • Bob Turner: narration
 
 
 

 
 
I Wanted to Fly - Sandy Reay & Friends
I Wanted to Fly CD a painting of a white bird big yellow sky and silhouettes of people standing with their hands in the air
  • Arranged by Ernie Martinez
  • Harmony arranged by Bob Turner
  • Ernie Martinez: lead vocal, steel-string rhythm guitar, nylon-string lead guitar
  • Bob Turner: harmony vocal, narration
  • Jon Chandler: harmony vocal, harmonica
  • Bill Barwick: harmony vocal
  • Sandy Reay: upright bass
 

Second Guard - Yampa Valley Boys

Yampa Valley Boys - Second Guard CD showing a cowboy on a palomino horse near steers under a dark sky
  • Steve Jones: harmony vocal, guitar
  • John Fisher: lead vocal, banjo
  • Steve Boynton: Dobro
  • Walt Seabert: bass
 
Where I Make My Home - Ernie Martinez
Ernie Martinez CD Where I Make My Home CD cover showing Ernie Martinez holding a guitar looking at the mountains
  • Arranged by Ernie Martinez
  • Harmony arranged by Bob Turner
  • Ernie Martinez: lead vocal, steel-string rhythm guitar, nylon-string lead guitar
  • Bob Turner: harmony vocal, narration
  • Jon Chandler: harmony vocal, harmonica
  • Bill Barwick: harmony vocal
  • Sandy Reay: upright bass
 
   
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