Best of the West

Moonlight rises over the prairie while a campfire flickers against bleached cattle bones.

Tumbleweed and cactus are illuminated in the cool night air and a cowboy reaches for his guitar, begins to strum, and sings about canyons and open skies.

Sound like a scene from a Roy Rogers movie?

Maybe, but more recently this picture has been painted by the harmonizing trio Riders in the Sky.

Tired of the same old live music offerings? It might be time to dust off your Stetson and try . . . cowboy music. You’ll get your chance tonight at Port Hueneme’s Dorill B. Wright Cultural Center.

In the spirit of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and the like, Riders in the Sky perform delicate harmonies and steady, unpretentious acoustic arrangements, including yodeling, rope tricks--and comedy. It’s romantic Western music with a comical twist--and it’s hilarious.

Between songs, Ranger Doug, Woody Paul and Too Slim plug their make-believe sponsor, Deadwood Darlen’s Prairie Lubricants, along with commercial spots for such whimsical products as Biofeedbag and Saddle Whiz.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. The Dorill B. Wright Cultural Center is at 575 Surfside Drive. All seats are $15.

For more information, call 986-6598.