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14-year-old western performer Chelsea
Beck from Oklahoma has recently released her second album
Way Out West. Chelsea was drawn to classic western music
after singing Patsy Montana's 1935 massive hit "I Want
To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart" at a talent contest in
2004. Taking up playing the guitar Chelsea is now performing
around many of the states in the mid-west. Already she is
the winner of several awards such as 2005 Patsy Montana
National Yodeling Composition, Top Five "Yodeler of The
Year" for 2005-2006, Top Five "Rising Star"
from the Academy of Western Artists. The Western Music
Association nominated Chelsea for the Crescendo Award for
2005 and 2006 and their 2005 Top Five Yodeler. Also Chelsea
has been featured in the prestigious American Cowboy
magazine.
On Way Out West we find 12 tracks opening
with that massive hit from Patsy Montana, "Cowboy's
Sweetheart" (written by Patsy, it was originally
the first big hit by a female country singer). As we move
on we get a look at the true working cowboy who is now quickly
becoming an endangered species…"You
Just Can't See Him From The Road" (Donnie Blanz/Ed
& Judith Bruce). As we work our way through this fine
catalogue of songs, Chelsea takes every opportunity to show
off her yodelling aptitude and proves her talent that took
those awards. Janet McBride has long been tutoring and working
with young up-and-coming yodellers and singers at her Cowtown
Opry in Fort Worth, Texas. Yodelling Queen Janet was the
yodelling coach for LeAnn Rimes back when LeAnn was starting
out singing country  music.
Chelsea offers a fine version of Janet's "Yodelin
At The Grand Ole Opry".
Chelsea takes us back to the days of
the silver screen cowboys with Smiley Burnett/Gene Autry's
western standard "Riding Down The Canyon". Jo
Messenger's "Pony Dance" is a lovely song of
ponies running free on the open plains and prairies. Chelsea
adds her own adaptation of standards such as Bill Monroe's
"Blue Moon Of Kentucky" and the traditional
"Ghost Riders in The Sky".
The CD cover draws you in with photos
of Chelsea proffering a big warm smile. Additional music
backing is provided by Jeanne Cahill (harmony vocals,
upright bass, mandolin, concertina and harmonica) and Jerome
Campbell (harmony vocals, lead and rhythm guitar). Way Out
West is an album well worth seeking out and extremely worthy
of the young up and coming talent we are seeing today in
western music. It is doubly gratifying to see young people
show an interest in keeping this style of music alive. The
final couple of tracks closing Way Out West
come from the
pen of the prolific Tin Pan Alley songwriter Bob Miller with
"Pinto Pal" and "Chime Bells". Highly
recommended, treat yourself to Way Out West.
Graham Lees Oct 2006
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