Six-time world champion saddle bronc rider and nine-time all around world champion Casey Tibbs lives again in Rusty Richards' authorized biography of the dashing and daring rodeo superstar.
But this biography is about much more than Casey Tibbs' incredible rodeo abilities. This story is about a charismatic, bigger-than-life cowboy from South Dakota, generous to a fault, filled with faults, yet immeasureably talented with a sense of humor to match.
Casey Tibbs moved with ease from the rodeo arena to the glitter of Hollywood. He dined with Presidents, traveled widely as a promoter of rodeo and the Wild West, and wrestled with and conquered alcohol and gambling addictions. Tibbs received countless awards for his rodeo abilities and for his contributions to the sport of rodeo.
Entrepreneur, organizer, and even instigator, in many ways Tibbs remains matchless among his peers.
Casey Tibbs deserves to have his story told, and Rusty Richards has done a fine job of doing so.
Rusty Richards calls himself a cowboy who sings, and he has experienced the cowboy life in almost every way possible.
He began breaking horses when he was twelve, worked on ranches, and at age sixteen had his own TV show called Song Trails with Rusty Richards. After three years in the Marines he entered Eldon Yoast Rodeos around California, riding bulls and broncs.
Rusty worked in films as an extra and did stunt work. When the TV Westerns began to fade, Rusty received a call from a friend who told him The Sons of the Pioneers was looking for a tenor, and that Rusty had been recommended. Rusty joined the group and his career with them spanned twenty-one years.
While with the Sons of the Pioneers, the group was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, and the group s star was placed in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Smithsonian Institution declared the group a National Treasure, and the Academy of Country Music awarded them The Best Touring Band.
Rusty has received two Pioneer Awards in Arizona, is a Member of the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame and a Member of the Aksarben Hall of Fame in Omaha, Nebraska. The National Western Film Festival in Ogden, Utah, presented Rusty with The Golden Lariat Award, and the California Country Music Association gave him the Pioneer Award. The National Festival of the West awarded him the Cowboy Spirit Award, and the Western Film Festival in Sonora, California, presented Rusty with The Ben Johnson Award. In 2004 Rusty was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame.
