What makes a tribute album especially meaningful when the artist being honored can still lead the songs? Don Edwards – One Last Ride with Don, released October 23, 2026, offers an unusual answer. His own recorded performances provide the foundation for a project that brings friends, fellow artists, and family together around the songs of the American West.
The Recording Behind the Album
The story begins on July 10, 2010, when Edwards performed at the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper outside Wichita, Kansas. Engineer Jesse Friesen recorded the solo concert, preserving Edwards singing with his guitar. After Edwards’ death, Jesse and Orin Friesen rediscovered those recordings and helped turn them into a new release.
According to the project’s official account, Don’s original live vocals form the basis of every track. That gives the album a particular significance: Edwards remains the central performer, with new contributions gathering around the voice that made these songs part of his musical world.
Friends Across the Western Music Community
Michael Martin Murphey joins “The Master’s Call,” while Andy Hedges appears on “Out on the Western Plains / Lone Star Trail.” Peter Rowan participates in “Prairie Lullaby,” reconnecting the release with an artist who previously collaborated with Edwards on High Lonesome Cowboy.
Other guests include R.W. Hampton, Rex Allen Jr., and Riders In the Sky. The official guest-artist page explains the connections behind these contributions. The complete track list below identifies the featured guests without assuming that every contribution takes the same musical form.
The Family Connection in “Coyotes”
“Coyotes” carries a particularly personal connection. Edwards’ granddaughter, Lauren Padgett, joins him on the recording, following a request from his widow, Kathy. That history gives the collaboration an emotional context and connects the album’s broader tribute with Don’s own family.
A Release with a Purpose
The organizers state that the guests, studio, and producers donated their work, with proceeds intended to support Kathy Edwards and Don’s family. The official album website also credits Jim Clements with the painting used for the cover.
For fans of Western music, the album’s appeal begins with its archival foundation and the relationships behind its guest list. It offers a reason to explore these recordings and revisit Edwards’ wider catalog. The story is one of continuity: songs preserved, a voice heard again, and a community helping carry the tradition forward.
Listen: “Coyotes” with Lauren Padgett
This official album audio is distributed to YouTube by CD Baby and features Don Edwards with Lauren Padgett.
One Last Ride with Don: Track List and Featured Guests
Don Edwards appears throughout the album. The collaborators listed below are the featured guests credited for each track.
| # | Song | Featured guests |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Master's Call | Michael Martin Murphey |
| 2 | Bronco Rider's Blues | Carin Mari & Vince Gill |
| 3 | My Brown-Eyed Texas Rose | Barry Corbin |
| 4 | Out on the Western Plains / Lone Star Trail | Andy Hedges |
| 5 | Blue Yodel No. 7 | Miss Devon & The Outlaw |
| 6 | The Cowboy Song | Brenn Hill |
| 7 | When the Work's All Done This Fall | Red Steagall, Ginny Mac & John McEuen |
| 8 | Prairie Lullaby | Peter Rowan |
| 9 | Dixie / America the Beautiful | Kristyn Harris & Diamond W Wranglers |
| 10 | Shenandoah | R.W. Hampton |
| 11 | West of Yesterday | Rex Allen Jr. |
| 12 | There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere | Riders In the Sky |
| 13 | This Land Is Your Land | Adrian Brannan, Pipp Gillette & Andy Wilkinson |
| 14 | Coyotes | Lauren Padgett |
Explore the complete album on YouTube or find release information at the official project website.