Introduction
“The Ol’ Double Diamond,” originally penned by Gary McMahan, stands as a poignant tribute to the fading traditions of the American West. Inspired by the 1975 public auction of the Double Diamond Ranch near Dubois, Wyoming, McMahan crafted the song after witnessing the sale’s emotional impact on the ranch’s cowboys. These men, having just completed their duties, were paid off and left to seek new employment, symbolizing the end of an era.
Chris LeDoux, a celebrated rodeo champion and country music artist, was among the first to record the song in 1976. Born on October 2, 1948, in Biloxi, Mississippi, LeDoux’s passion for the West and rodeo life was evident from a young age. He achieved significant success in rodeo, winning the 1964 Little Britches World Champion Bareback Rider title and the 1969 Intercollegiate Championship at Sheridan College. In 1976, LeDoux secured the World Bareback Title at the National Finals Rodeo.
Parallel to his rodeo career, LeDoux began songwriting, capturing the essence of the cowboy lifestyle. His independent music releases, sold from the back of his pickup truck, garnered a dedicated following. In 1989, Garth Brooks mentioned LeDoux in his hit song “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” leading to LeDoux’s signing with Capitol Records Nashville and bringing his music to a broader audience.
The song has been called a modern-day classic, and is said to be known by just about everyone who’s worked on a ranch. Michael Martin Murphey has called it the “Mr. Bojangles” of cowboy music. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. In 2009, it was cited as one of today’s top thirteen cowboy songs by Western Horseman magazine.
Chris LeDoux’s rendition of “The Ol’ Double Diamond” not only preserves the song’s heartfelt narrative but also amplifies its emotional resonance through his authentic cowboy perspective. His performance serves as a bridge between generations, ensuring that the legacy of the American cowboy endures in the hearts of listeners.
“The Ol’ Double Diamond,” penned by Gary McMahan and popularized by Chris LeDoux, stands as a poignant anthem of the American West, encapsulating the fading era of traditional ranching and the cowboy lifestyle. McMahan, an American Western music singer-songwriter and cowboy poet, drew inspiration for the song from a 1975 public auction of the Double Diamond Ranch near Dubois, Wyoming. This ranch, once part of the expansive Mill Iron Ranch, symbolized the end of an era where vast, open lands were integral to the cowboy way of life.
Chris LeDoux, a rodeo champion turned musician, brought McMahan’s composition to a broader audience with his heartfelt rendition. LeDoux’s deep connection to the cowboy lifestyle, having won the World Bareback Riding Championship in 1976, lent authenticity to his music. His version of “The Ol’ Double Diamond” resonated with many, capturing the emotional landscape of cowboys witnessing the transformation of their world.
The song’s lyrics vividly portray the sale of the Double Diamond Ranch, reflecting the broader changes in the American West during the 20th century. Lines like “And the auctioneer’s gavel it rapped and it rattled / As I watched the ol’ Double Diamond go” evoke the sense of loss felt by those who lived and worked on the land.
Over the years, “The Ol’ Double Diamond” has been recognized as a modern-day classic in Western music. It was selected by the Western Writers of America as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time, highlighting its enduring impact on the genre.
Through McMahan’s evocative storytelling and LeDoux’s authentic delivery, “The Ol’ Double Diamond” serves as a musical tribute to a disappearing way of life, preserving the spirit and struggles of the American cowboy for future generations.