Introduction
Country Singer and Rodeo Legend Chris LeDoux Passes Away at 56
Chris LeDoux, the country music artist and rodeo legend, passed away on March 9, 2005, in Casper, Wyoming, at the age of 56. He died after battling cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer affecting the bile ducts.
Born on October 2, 1948, in Biloxi, Mississippi, LeDoux grew up in Wyoming, where he began competing in rodeos as a teenager. In 1976, he won the world championship in bareback bronc riding at the National Finals Rodeo. To help fund his rodeo career, LeDoux began writing songs and selling cassette tapes from the back of his truck at rodeo events. He self-released over 20 albums before signing with Capitol Records in 1991.
LeDoux’s music authentically captured the cowboy lifestyle and the spirit of the American West. His duet with Garth Brooks, “Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy,” reached the top 10 on the country charts in 1992. Brooks, a longtime admirer of LeDoux, wrote the song “Good Ride Cowboy” as a tribute to him after his death.
In 2000, LeDoux was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis and underwent a liver transplant. Although he recovered and released two more albums, he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in 2004. Despite undergoing radiation treatment, he was unable to overcome the disease.
Chris LeDoux’s legacy lives on in the hearts of his fans. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and received the Pioneer Award from the Academy of Country Music. Every year, the town of Kaycee, Wyoming, hosts Chris LeDoux Days in his honor, featuring concerts and rodeo events.
Chris LeDoux was not only a talented artist but also a symbol of the American cowboy spirit, leaving a lasting impression on fans and the rodeo community alike.
