It’s not often news like this comes across the A&E desk: Musicians, this one’s for you – legendary cowboy/Western band the Bar D Wranglers are seeking a new bandmate, and you have a few weeks to prepare for the audition, which will be held 6 to 8 p.m. March 26.
The Wranglers, which is also the house band for the Bar D Chuckwagon, is looking for a lead singer/rhythm player who can help take the band into the future, said longtime Wrangler Joel Racheff, who’s been the band’s upright bass player for the last 21 years.
Audition for Bar D Wranglers
Cowboy/Western band the Bar D Wranglers is holding auditions for a new entertainer to join the band. Auditions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 26. Musicians are asked to prepare a song to sing that spotlights their talents as well as the lead singing part of “Cool Water.” (Check out the Wranglers playing the song on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/38pf9n2j.) Be prepared to play and sing “Cool Water” with the current Bar D Wranglers. Bring your instrument and best vocals.
Musicians are asked to fill out this form ahead of auditions for scheduling purposes: https://tinyurl.com/yfydwht3.
Good luck!
“It doesn’t really matter what instrument, I mean, of course, anything that can play a rhythm – except the piano is a little difficult to schlep around,” he said. “We’re looking for somebody young ... We need somebody that can kind of take (the band) into the next decade and beyond.”
The Bar D Chuckwagon celebrated its 50th season in 2018. The 50-acre Chuckwagon was founded by Cy Scarborough, Jim Blanton and Roy “Buck” Teeter.
“Three of us entertainers came from Colorado Springs from the Flying W Chuckwagon and bought a piece of land here in ’66 and started clearing and roped off where we thought we’d want the chuckwagon and the shops and so forth,” said Scarborough in 2018. He played guitar with the Wranglers. He died in 2020 at age 93.
The Chuckwagon gives visitors a taste of what a traditional cowboy chuckwagon is like, including dinner and entertainment – the Bar D Wranglers, who blend top-notch musicianship with comedy.
Bar D Wranglers also includes Gary Cook, who has been playing with the band since 1989 and is a two-time national flat-pick champion who plays guitar and sings tenor; 25-year veteran Matt Palmer on fiddle and sings baritone; and David Bradley, yodeler and lead vocalist .
For the audition, musicians are asked to first fill out an online form to get on the schedule. Then, when it’s time to audition, musicians are asked to prepare a song that spotlights their talent as well as be ready to play and sing “Cool Water” with the current Wranglers (check out the band playing the sing on YouTube to get an idea of what it’s about). Musicians are asked to bring their instruments and best vocals.
Racheff said that so far, the band has received about seven applications for auditions, and they hope to receive about 20.
“We’ve got a business that’s been around since 1969, we want to see it continue. It’s the third generation of Scarborough that have run the place,” he said. “It’s just one of the last vestiges of the old cowboy songs and it’s just a great piece of Americana. We all love the place, and just want to see it continue as long as humanly possible. It’s just a great little gem.”
And while being a Wrangler takes a lot of work and dedication – not only does the band play the chuckwagon all summer, they also travel in the winter – Racheff said the work worth it.
“Oh, are you kidding me? It’s too much fun,’ he said. “(It’s) funny – I’m the only one in the band I never heard of. Gary Cook and Matt Palmer, they’re fantastic musicians, I mean, they’re exceptional. And so the level of musicianship is pretty tough.”
We’re looking forward to seeing who gets picked as the newest Bar D Wrangler ... stay tuned.
katie@durangoherald.com
