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Top Downloads
(as of 2023-09-24)
NOTE: RIV 1062 - Silent Night does not appear in its proper location in this listing because it had to be split up into several smaller downloads. It is currently by far the top download for the year 2019!


Now Available
Lois Elling's book, Teaching Clogging is now in its second edition. Buy a downloadable PDF copy here for $25Breaking News!
September Releases
Posted on Monday September 11, 2023
It's September, the month in which summer turns into fall, and we have seven new titles to celebrate: three patters and four singing calls...
- RIV 1309 - Happy Times (Patter)
- RIV 1308 - Emerald Isle, The (Patter)
- RIV 1307 - Call Me Irish (Patter)
- RIV 1306 - Sound Of Silence, The (Vocal by Steve Edlund)
- RIV 1305 - Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (Vocal by Jason Raleigh, Pam Courts)
- RIV 1304 - All That Jazz (Vocal by Mike Seastrom (courtesy of Rhythm Records) and Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1303 - I Don't Know A Thing About Love (Vocal by Nelda Eaton)
August Releases
Posted on Tuesday August 22, 2023
We're a little late getting the August releases out because our webmaster got slightly overloaded in the past few weeks, but they're now up on the website. We have three new patters, and three new singing calls:
- RIV 1301 - Love Struck Baby (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley)
- RIV 1300 - Bring On The Good Times (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley)
- RIV 1299 - Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1298 - Cutting The Boogie (Patter)
- RIV 1297 - Destination (Patter)
- RIV 1296 - Hammer And Anvil (Patter)
"Love Struck Baby" is a Stevie Ray Vaughan tune from 1983, while "Bring On The Good Times" is a 2015 song from Lisa McHugh. But surprisingly, "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" is a Dean Martin tune released in 1950 that Jason puts a bit of a country spin on. Take a listen to all of them!
Also, take a look at one of our releases from January, "My Old Home In Mayo" (RIV 1245) — Krista Baird has just supplied a great female vocal for it, to accompany Jack O'Leary's male vocal.
July (and June) Releases
Posted on Friday July 07, 2023
We have three new patters and four singing calls to run out for you in July:
- RIV 1295 - Country Rhythm In Your Soul (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley)
- RIV 1294 - Cactus Swing (Vocals by Tim Tyl and Regina Schulz)
- RIV 1293 - When Will I See You Again (Vocal by Elaine Davis)
- RIV 1292 - Thanks To You (Vocals by Brent Mawdsley and Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1291 - Wellerman Ragtime Patter
- RIV 1290 - Wildtime (Patter)
- RIV 1289 - Chicken And Dumplings (Patter)
Take a listen to the lively "Cactus Swing," which is Tim Tyl's first Riverboat recording...and it really suits his lively style. You also might want to check out the 1995 Canadian Film Board's amusing video of the same song.
One note on the song "Country Rhythm In Your Soul:" it was written by our own producer, Bob Elling, and he's darned proud of it. Give it a listen!
We actually did release a selection of tunes in June as well, but I completely forgot to post the news about them. Just in case you missed them, they were
- RIV 1288 - Everything A Man Could Need (Vocal by Kip Garvey of Eureka Recordings; formerly JBK 124)
- RIV 1287 - Gone Gone Gone (Vocal and harmony by Brent Mawdsley)
- RIV 1286 - It's So Easy (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1285 - Ireland's Turning Country (Vocal by Jack O'Leary of Silver Sounds Music)
- RIV 1284 - Dollywood (Patter)
- RIV 1283 - In My Dreams (Patter)
- RIV 1282 - Dragon Fire (Patter)
May Releases
Posted on Thursday May 11, 2023
The month of May brings eight releases, one of which is from the classic Red Boot library, and one from Riverboat's pre-Internet days. There are three new patters in the batch, as well:
- RIV 1281 - Please Mr. Please (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson, formerly RIV 193)
- RIV 1280 - One For The Road (Vocal by Dan Nordbye)
- RIV 1279 - Minnie The Moocher (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1278 - Livin' In A House of Love (Vocal by Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1277 - I'm Getting High On Love (Vocal by Elmer Sheffield, formerly RBS 1247)
- RIV 1276 - Angel Wings (Patter)
- RIV 1275 - Time To Relax (Patter)
- RIV 1274 - Rock Climber (Patter)
Please Mr. Please, if you don't recognize it, is an Olivia Newton-John Top Ten hit from 1975. The Elmer Sheffield vocal on I'm Getting High On Love is the original from the Red Boot Star release, but is recognizably and utterly Elmer. And Minnie The Moocher includes a split track with the "hi dee hi dee hi dee hi" echos of the lyrics included on the right stereo channel, just as the band echoed them back in the original Cab Calloway recording, and you can use your L-R fade control to mix as much of them in as you want.
The National Square Dance Convention is coming up next month...are you registered? Some of us are planning to be there, so say hi! (dee hi dee hi dee hi...)
April Releases
Posted on Friday March 31, 2023
It's no April Fool -- we're bringing out our April releases a day early! Four singing calls and three patters for your enjoyment:
- RIV 1273 - Scarborough Fair (Vocal by Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1272 - Stop In The Name Of Love (Vocal by Jason Raleigh)
- RIV 1271 - Nickel For The Fiddler, A (Vocal by Mel Wilkerson; formerly RIV 221)
- RIV 1270 - Together Wherever We Go (Vocal by Brent Mawdsley, Heather Reynolds)
- RIV 1269 - New Amsterdam Patter
- RIV 1268 - Tropical Fun (Patter)
- RIV 1267 - Smooth Santanna Patter
"Scarborough Fair" includes an instrumental in the male key range, as well as the female range that Heather used. "Stop In The Name Of Love" is a well-known hit by the Supremes, while "Together Wherever We Go" is a great song from the musical "Gypsy," sung on Broadway by Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman, or in the movie by Lisa Kirk (dubbing Rosalind Russell) and Karl Malden. (Unlike Jack and Karl, however, Brent is a GREAT singer, and he and Heather do a great job on the duet!)
About Riverboat Records
Riverboat Records was purchased in the 1980s by Bob Elling in the San Francisco Bay Area. His love of both square dancing and good music has driven his dedication to create the finest square dance music available. The early years produced several square dance records using top-notch musicians, including Phil Aaberg and Norton Buffalo.
Due to the priorities of raising a family, there was no new music produced for almost 20 years. Around 2005 Bob began to teach and call square dancing to local 3rd and 4th graders once a week. He loves teaching the kids and has a desire to use music that they could relate to.
A good friend and caller, Ken Bower, encouraged Bob to start recording square dance music again, and so he did. Ken then recorded the vocal for the first "new" recording on Riverboat, Misty.
Bob enjoys producing many types of songs and especially ones appropriate for grade schoolers. Some of his more popular songs for all ages include: Mickey Mouse, Oh Johnny Oh, Y.M.C.A., Heigh Ho, Funky Town, Best Years of Our Lives, Big Pig Jig, American Land, and On With the Show. Most of these recordings include alternate choreography that can be taught in just a few minutes to kids or adults. The kids have responded with amazing enthusiasm.
In addition, there has been a great deal of support from some of the best talent in the country to bring variety and more life to the music. These fun square dance tunes are fun for both kids and adults. Bob's dream is to have this music used in the classroom by school teachers all over the world.
Riverboat Records also has modern patter music with a great dance beat. The variety of music ranges from bluegrass to funky, so there's something for everyone.
In 2010, Riverboat introduced its Gold subscription series. For just $100, a package of 20 new hoedowns and singing calls is made available exclusively to subscribers. At the end of the year those titles enter the regular Riverboat catalog and a new package is made available to Gold subscribers.
Bob would like to acknowledge the help and support that he has received from Elmer Sheffield (ESP Records), Jack O'Leary (Silver Sounds), Michael Salacuse (Circle Left Recording), Bobby Kennedy, Carl Kaye, Tracy Brown, Rich Reel, and Lawrence Johnstone. He also wants to thank his wife, Lois, for her support in this endeavour that he loves so much.
Contact Us
Riverboat Recordsc/o Bob Elling
16000 Marcella St.
San Leandro, CA 94578
510-278-8621
bob.elling@gmail.com
