Introduction
“One Hand in the Riggin'” is a poignant posthumous duet that unites the voices of Chris LeDoux and his son, Ned LeDoux, blending their shared heritage of rodeo and country music. This collaboration, released on December 4, 2024, encapsulates the enduring spirit of the cowboy lifestyle and the familial bonds that transcend time.
The song’s origins trace back to 2003 when songwriter Brenn Hill composed “One Hand in the Riggin'” and invited Chris LeDoux to contribute his vocals. At that time, Chris was battling cancer, which added challenges to his recording endeavors. Despite these circumstances, Chris laid down his vocal tracks for the song. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the track was shelved and remained unreleased for over two decades.
The revival of this song occurred serendipitously in early 2024. Ned LeDoux encountered Brenn Hill at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, where Hill mentioned the existence of Chris’s original vocal recording. Recognizing a unique opportunity to create a father-son duet, they embarked on a journey to bring the song to fruition.
The process of merging Chris’s two-decade-old vocals with Ned’s contemporary recordings presented technical challenges. Chris’s vocals had been recorded using RADAR, an older recording technology, necessitating careful handling to integrate them seamlessly with modern digital audio workstations. The original tapes had to be physically transported from Utah to Tennessee, surviving a FedEx journey and overcoming technological hurdles before producer Mac McAnally could blend the tracks.
Upon hearing the final version, Ned experienced a profound emotional response, noting the striking similarity between their voices and the surreal experience of singing alongside his late father. The song debuted live on December 5, 2024, at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, a fitting venue given Chris LeDoux’s deep ties to the rodeo community as a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee.
“One Hand in the Riggin'” resonates with themes of wanderlust and the cowboy’s eternal connection to the open road and rodeo life. The lyrics reflect the tension between the desire for stability and the irresistible pull of the rodeo, encapsulating the life both Chris and Ned have lived. The chorus poignantly expresses this sentiment:
“If I keep one hand in the riggin’ and one hand on the wheel / No matter how far down the road I go, there’s always one more rodeo / She’d like for me to settle down / As long as I’m still livin’, I keep one hand on the wheel and one hand in the riggin.'”
This collaboration not only honors Chris LeDoux’s legacy but also solidifies Ned LeDoux’s place in the country music landscape, carrying forward the stories and spirit of the cowboy ethos. The song stands as a testament to the enduring bond between father and son, and their shared dedication to the music that chronicles the cowboy way of life.