Mel Hyland is pretty shameless about his street cred with the cover of this LP - he puts his championship buckle/medal (and the words WORLD CHAMPION) smack dab on the cover. It's hard not to compare Hyland to Ivan Daines - they both mine the same topics (rodeo life) and have similar talk-y/sing-y delivery. From the back cover: MEL HYLAND... a name that makes you think of a wild bronc, flashing hooves, a gold and silver buckle. As announcer for the Calgary Stampede, I've described Mel's rides many times to a packed Grandstand. Sure, I've seen him bite the dust once or twice, but I've also seen him many times turn in what the experts would call "your classic bronc ride". Rodeo has been Mel Hyland's life since he began in the Boys' Steer Riding event at The Calgary Stampede at the age of 9. Here, now, is another side of Mel Hyland; the musical side. When Mel was 11 years old and his brother Wilf was 5, the boys won a talent contest at Fort Langley, B.C. and picked up $5.00 each for their first place win. Mel has been interested in music ever since. In this album he describes his rodeo life in song. Every tune reflects a real experience in his life... every song was written by Mel for a reason... like "Friends in Rodeo". As Mel says: "That's all you have left when the buckle tarnishes." The first song Mel every wrote was "I Wanna Be The Champ Someday," and describes a cowboy's thoughts while chasing a Championship Title. In the Fall of 1976, Mel's Uncle, a rancher-farmer from Saskatchewan had a heart attack, sold out and moved to B.C. This was the inspiration for the song "Looking Over A Lifetime". After a rodeo, in a grove of trees, beside a camper, you'll find Mel... guitar in hand..... singing songs, which is his second love. During one of those moments someone will request "Strawberry Roan", but Mel has his own song about another horse that has crossed his path more than once... Reg Kesler's "Rodeo News". Mel's biggest thrill was in 1972 when he became the first man ever to win The Canadian Saddle Bronc Championship and also the World Title in the same year. He is also the youngest ever to win a Canadian Saddle Bronc Title in 1967 when he was 18. In 1975, he captured a Canadian Bareback Championship. The most recent award was the title of World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider; a title which he shares with Monty Henson, in one of the closest contests in the history of the NFR a season that saw Mel go "down-the-road" to 96 different rodeos. He knows of what he sings. Take a copy of this album home and listen. "Rodeo, Life and Friends"... maybe one of these songs is about you. Lorne Ball, Assistant Program Manager, Radio Station CFAC, Calgary, Alberta
