I Never Sold My Saddle

Jack S. Broumpton is an assistant professor of music at Huntington
College, Laurentian University.

This is a balanced portrait of an artist who managed to sustain a
musical career in spite of life choices that would seemingly make the
chances of said success quite remote. Ian Tyson’s career spans 30
years. As half of the duo Ian and Sylvia, Tyson reaped the rewards of
the folk revival of the early 1960s, but was then shunted aside by the
folk-rock movement led by such performers as Bob Dylan and the Byrds.
Television appearances helped him keep his career alive, but a return to
Western Canada, which revived his cowboy roots, resulted in his position
as an important voice for Western music and poetry. Though the story is
told by Tyson (who comes across as strongly opinionated), judicious use
of contrasting interview material helpfully establishes context
throughout.

Though much emphasis is placed on his more recent musical activity,
this is balanced by a complete discography and 11 songs in music
manuscript, complete with guitar chord charts. Tyson’s entertaining
and informative memoir will serve as a good introduction to the work of
this important Canadian artist.