Chris LeDoux

Country singer-songwriter Chris LeDoux’s grandfather, a retired cavalry sergeant who had fought against Pancho Villa, encouraged his interest in rodeo and horsemanship on his Wyoming farm. ∙ Ledoux won a rodeo scholarship to attend Wyoming’s Casper College, where he now has an endowed memorial rodeo scholarship in his name. ∙ In 1976, he won the world bareback riding championship at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. ∙ Garth Brooks jump-started LeDoux’s recording career by name-checking the then-unknown on his debut single, “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” ∙ LeDoux had already self-released 19 studio albums and 3 compilations before he signed his first record deal. ∙ He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his duet with country superstar Garth Brooks, “Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy.” ∙ In 2005, LeDoux was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy.