Lester “Roadhog” Moran and His Cadillac Cowboys

May 1, 2007

If you’ve never heard this Statler Brothers album before, you have to check it out. It is unbelievably hilarious. The premise of the album is a group of musically challenged musicians who live and perform in the town of Rainbow Valley. Their shows occur at two venues, the studios of W.E.A.K. Radio (”the weak voice of Rainbow Valley”), and another show each and every Saturday night at the Johnny Mack Brown High School–the same dance that used to be held at the volunteer firehall, before it burned down.

My dad had both of the original hard to find albums on wax when I was a kid, back before I knew how funny the Statlers were. I always liked Roadhog’s voice though. In 1994 “The Complete Lester Roadhog Moran & The Cadillac Cowboys” was released. It has all of the recordings of the originals plus an interview with Ralph Emory. Highlights are “Sixteen Tons”, and the “Hello Darlin’/Hello Walls/Ain’t It Funny How Time Slips Away” medley.

Talking to anybody from a small town in the South who is more than 30 years old, they can tell you about hearing groups on the local radio stations that weren’t much different from what you hear in Roadhog and the Cowboys. Being familiar with the actual shows the Statlers were spoofing makes this even funnier.

If you can find this album, buy it!

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