Capitol Christmas Tree

Green River, Wyoming – When Wyoming songwriter Bryan Ragsdale decided to craft an anthem for the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree being gifted by Wyoming, he chose not only to pen a western song, but also to enlist Wyoming schoolchildren to produce an entire album to mark the historic occasion.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest, at the request of Senator John Barrasso, is leading the State of Wyoming in the delivery of the Capitol Christmas Tree for 2010.

Wyoming‟s 2010 song highlights the natural beauty of the state and embodies the theme of the Tree, „Forever West.” Additionally, Ragsdale decided to engage Wyoming‟s youth to produce an entire CD for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Project. Ragsdale teamed up with students from fifteen schools across the state to produce an additional thirteen songs, resulting in a quintessential Wyoming Christmas CD.

“This is the greatest project I have ever been a part of,” Ragsdale said. “The CD represents Christmas through the eyes of children big and small. It represents their wants, their needs, their love, and their passion. The songs are real and true just like the people of Wyoming.”

Ragsdale will be touring the state throughout the month of November and December and accompanying the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at a number of stops across Wyoming and the nation. Included on Ragsdale‟s tour are the fifteen schools that helped write the songs on the CD, libraries, senior centers and town squares across Wyoming. In addition, Ragsdale will be performing at the tree cutting celebration in Jackson and at the Governor‟s residence in Cheyenne.

“Bryan has captured not just the spirit of the „2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, but the spirit of Wyoming itself,” said U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Coordinator Mary Cernicek. “We are delighted to have „Cowboy Christmas Tree‟ serve as the official song of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and look forward to hearing his tune at stops across the state.”

Proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to the schools which helped write the songs for the album as well as the Wyoming Arts Alliance and the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Project. To produce the CD, Ragsdale worked with students at schools in Glenrock, Gillette, Wright, Evanston, Mountain View, Fort Bridger, Fort Washakie, Lander, Dubois, Green River, Rock Springs, Cheyenne and Thermopolis. More info