THE LIGHTNING RIDE | Clint Bradley | | This single is a heartfelt reflection on the author’s lifelong journey with Western music. He recalls a defining moment from childhood when he first heard Marty Robbins’ Gunfighter Ballads, a sound that immediately captivated him and set him on the path to becoming a musician. At around 9 or 10 years old, he learned the chords to Running Gun and later discovered artists like the “Sons of the Pioneers” and "Gene Autry”. Growing up in The New Forest in England, surrounded by woods, heathlands, and secret beaches, only deepened his fascination with Western folklore, cowboy culture, and storytelling. If he wasn’t listening to Western music, he was watching Western movies or reading novels about the frontier, completely immersed in the genre. | | By 1992, he experienced a pivotal “Now or Never” moment and set out on a journey with no clear plan other than to sing, play, write, and travel. Along the way, he discovered the acoustic scene and developed a deeper appreciation for the craft of songwriting. Between 1993 and 1994, he spent time in the U.S., sitting in with different bands and performing at open mic nights. When he returned to England in 1995, he had a collection of songs from his travels and worked to secure a record deal, eventually signing with M&G (BMG) Records in 1996. | | His long-held dream of creating a purely Western album finally came true with Riding After Midnight in 2014. The overwhelmingly positive response proved that audiences could still connect with traditional Western music, regardless of where they lived. In 2019, he released his second Western album, Soul of the West, this time choosing to showcase more of his own songwriting. The album reflected not only his love for the genre but also the environment around him and the complexities of life, blending moments of joy with deeper, sometimes darker, themes. He believed that music should be honest, unfiltered, and reflective of one’s true experiences. | | Now, in 2025, he is preparing his third Western album, reaffirming his belief in the power of music to transcend geography. Though he never lived on the American prairie, his passion for Western music remains unwavering, proving that music speaks to the soul regardless of where one comes from. |
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