Cowboys in Cyberspace

Go ahead and yodel…you know you want to!

Local western music fans may fondly remember Wylie & The Wild West visiting our shores late last century. WYLIE GUSTAFSEN, “the coolest cowpoke around”, later went on to have his biggest hit with perhaps his shortest recording “…Yahooooooo!” We’re talking about the trademark Yahoo! Yodel here, which immediately identifies the internet company of the same name. Last month we were visited by 13 year old TAYLOR WARE from Nashville (pictured left), who won theYahoo! Yodel Challenge at age nine. Taylor came to Australia to promote the new Yahoo!7 website and the ‘ODEL TO THE YODEL’ site dedicated to…well, you know what. Taylor yodelled her way into American hearts last year on America’s Got Talent and she created a stir at appearances in Sydney and Melbourne during her trip Down Under. ‘Odel to the Yodel’ features a how to yodel demo from Taylor, video of Wylie yodelling while playing his Australian Tomkins bass guitar, and information on the health benefits of yodelling from our own Dr. Timothy J Sharp (a.k.a. Dr. Happy). “Starting your day with a yodel is great because it opens up the lungs, relieves stress, awakens the soul and opens you up for the possibility of the day,” says Dr Happy. Can’t argue with that!

While searching the web for yodels I found a wealth of material at YouTube (of course) including a surprisingly fast yodel from Jewel and vintage clips of our own FRANK IFIELD, plus elsewhere, local talents MARY SCHNEIDER, JOHANNA HEMARA, and globetrotter WAYNE HORSBURGH who has not one, but two websites.

MARTINA McBRIDE came to visit us once briefly (see Cowboys In Cyberspace – December 1999) and has continued to be a major star ever since, plus a Grammy winner and four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year. Back then, at a small promotional appearance, the sheer power of her voice was amazing to hear in person, but her new live DVD may be the first chance for many to realise why she is one of the top female touring acts in America. MARTINA McBRIDE: LIVE IN CONCERT is 98 minutes of live concert recorded last September at Moline, Illinois’ I Wireless Center, for the series PBS’ Great Performances. The hits are there: A Broken Wing, Independence Day, This One’s For The Girls; fan favourites such as Over the Rainbow and Pat Benatar’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot; plus a lovely segment of classics from her Timeless album, (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden, You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man and Help Me Make It Through The Night. The DVD is packaged with an eight-song live CD that includes two songs not included in the video – From The Ashes and Whatever You Say. This is a big concert, but filmed with just the right subtlety to capture all the action without dizzy camera cuts. Martina is stunning…mesmerising…what are you waiting for?

Available through Sony BMG Music Entertainment 88697283382

Bob talked to Barbara Morison on 2SER 107.3 FM about this month’s column and more…

Until next time, happy surfing!