An exciting, new and innovative consumer friendly technology to create Custom Mix CD's from a diverse variety of accomplished Western Artists offering a wide selection of tracks that may be individually selected and complied to create a unique and personalized custom CD.

How many Artists are involved?

For the initial launch of WMN, there are ten. New artists and Music from premiering artists will be added each month.

How does an Artist participate in the Western Music Network?

Artists interested in having their albums represented in the WMN program should submit a bio and relevent information to MusicWrangler@WesternMusicNetwork.com .

Why Only Western Artists?

Bob Sigman, founder of WMN, and former President and CEO of Republic Pictures, is deeply involved in Western World. He launched Chuckwagon's Best, a Western Heritage Food company in 2002. Incorporated into the launch was a compilation CD, Sigman's first effort at creating an album. The CD, Cowboy's 'Round the Campfire, was nominated by the Academy of Western Artists for best Western Album of the Year. I guess the bug was placed, because in discovering the availability of the "ON Demand" technology. Wetern Music was his first choice to introduce the Custom Mix format. Sigman Says, "I believe the unique format technology will complement present CD sales and expand the interest of music collectors to discover and collect Western Music." Bob and his partners have been discussing expanding the concept with other music genres.

Can I order traditional CD's from WMN artists?
Yes. Please visit our CD store.

How does it work?

The high quality music you listen to on CD's and the playability on varied types of equipment, i.e. home & car CD players, CD ROM drives, portable CD players etc. is directly related to the quality and type of digital files and the format in which they are recorded onto the CD. The digital world knows these as .wav files, and the subsequent CD as a "Redbook Audio format."

The same, high quality file structure is maintained in our "On -demand" system that is used in recreating a Custom Mix CD. As such, the master .wav file tracks of each artist's albums are uploaded to the company's master server. The unique and custom designed manufacturing software responds to the "Custom Mix order; digitally reproducing a customers selected tracks onto the Custom Mix CD and initiating a print driver that respectively prints the name of the artist, track and running time on each Custom Mix CD.

Are there opportunities to advertise on the Website?

"Sure are," say's Bob.
Contact him at marketing@westernmusicnetwork.com

And for all those that ask - What is "Western Music" vs "Country Music?"
Here is my personal definition.

The question comes up all the time. What's the difference between Country Music and Western "Cowboy" Music? In the simplest of terms I believe Western Music has always and continues to resonate with "Values." Values translated through Lyrics that describe a man's life and lifestyle; be it his relationship with the land; the men and women who come into and out of one's life; his work and travels;
and most important, the relationship he has with his God, his family and his friends.

A cowboy remembers his heritage - tied close to intimate feelings of growing up and reflections on parent's love and sacrifices for making a better life. Of family and friends; his horse, his dog and of a simpler life …of times when honesty, integrity, courage and a handshake were the foundation for building character.

Western music resonates with all of this. The values and culture wrapped in poetic descriptions of America's wonders; of open ranges, existence and survival against natural elements; challenges of snow peaked mountains wide prairies and drifting deserts. And, while life's journey is not without difficulties, loss and pain - the Cowboy defines and reflects in his music and poetry the positive and loving words that honor life and the gift we have all been given to enjoy such a wondrous and adventurous existence.

And while many would argue that "Country" has its roots in a similar description. I would suggest that while early classic country extolled many of the original values; many of today's pop country writers have focused more on; not their heritage, but the emotional experience of pain, grief and loss. Using one of TV's recent terms, I would say…Today's Pop Country is the "Realty Programming" of radio.

"Cowboy music is any damn thing a cowboy sings."

And for a more academic definition see: Topics in Music History: History of Country Music
"That Ain't Country: The Distinctiveness of Commercial Western Music" by Thomas F. Johnson.

Mr. Johnson writes.......

"Western music" is defined as the "trans-Mississippi, folk-based, popular music of extractor and animal husbandry groups, such as trappers, miners, loggers, drifters, and nomadic herders (cowboys). . ." It is distinctive from other rural styles, and (according to the author), western music is particularly responsible for upholding certain values and tenets central not only to the west but to American life in general, such as the image of the free, unfettered individual.

Unlike country music, western music originates from northern occupational folk music and apparently has little African American influence; its topics typically reflect "man's relationship to nature" rather than to society or women within society." In the 1930s, Hollywood's creation of the "singing cowboy" (Ken Maynard, Gene Autry) altered the presentation of the "western" song: changes included the singing style, format of lyrics, broadening of lyric content, and additional of instruments (sometimes including an entire orchestra).