Trails & Rails Music

Elevated Guitar is dedicated to Larry Rose, whose late wife, Tanya, played and accompanied her beautiful voice with this very special 1899 0-21 Martin guitar. All the tunes on this CD were recorded using this instrument.

Elevated Guitar CD

With this musical collection
Trails & Rails has the privilege
of introducing seven new original western songs
from the pen of bass player, Mike Craig,
along with two originals by Walt Richards.

Trails & Rails is pleased to share these new songs - along with the old - with all who love this music.

Gatherin’ Strays CD

Mike Craig rejoined Walt in 2011 after returning to California from a couple of decades in Florida and they started right in from where they left off - and then some!

3-part acoustic harmony
and sizzling Banjo-Bass instrumentals !

Off The Beaten Path CD

"It’s hard not to like 'Off the Beaten Path', the latest release from Trails & Rails out of La Mesa, California. It’s Folk, it’s Swing, it’s Country, it’s Blues, it’s Western, it’s fun instrumentals, it’s ... well, it’s just a nice mix of Acoustic music that offers up simple, down-home enjoyment."

 ~ Marvin O'Dell,
True West Magazine's "Favorite Western Music of 2012"

This CD will let you in on the fun we’ve had these last three years as the Quatro developed arrangements for some wonderful new western music! 

We’re also reprising a few songs that have been Walt & Paula favorites in Bow Willow and other Trails & Rails formats.

Western Tales CD

Walt says it best at the end of this CD -

"Singing this music is more fun than anyone ought to be able to have!"

We think you'll know all these songs, so we'll let them 'speak' for themselves.

With this CD, Trails & Rails has the good fortune of bringing eight new songs to western music fans. Six of them with lyrics and music by our own amazing bass-playing Bruce Huntington! And two that are collaborations between poet/songwriter Les Buffham and Walt Richards.

Nominated for 2008 WMA
Traditional Album of the Year

Ghosts of Tombstone CD

From Way Out West - 2006
From Way Out West CD

Growing up in the silver screen era, Walt Richards and Paula Strong both spent many a Saturday at the movies watching Westerns - or sitting near the radio listening to their favorite cowboy shows.

Living in the West, along with this early immersion in the "Cowboy Way", sparked an interest for both of them in all things western.

After years of varied musical experiences, they found Western Music and, with their mutual love of history, everything came together.

We love the Eastern side of the Sierras. Something about that rugged beauty, in all it's various and often surprising forms, keeps drawing us back to its slopes.

We also love Dave Stamey's Sierra-inspired songwriting. The album title comes from his wonderful 'Mountains of the Heart' - a gift to all who have lived through those changes in relationships that occur as we move on and off life's ridges and in and out of its canyons.

Mountains of the Heart CD

Consciously and unconsciously, I have been influenced by many musicians throughout my life. They have helped me enjoy the gifts of harmony and rhythm and to realize that playing music leads one onto a never-ending learning curve.

Instrumental Expressions CD

There are many song collections which feature the most well-known train songs. While we enjoy singing those old favorites, on this album we wanted to feature songs that aren't heard all the time. There are a few familiar ones, but we hope you'll enjoy hearing some songs or arrangements that might be new for you.

On Track CD