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Top Downloads
(as of 2024-12-10)

All TimeLast 12 MonthsLast 30 Days
  1. RIV 242 - Fur Elise (Patter)
  2. RIV 347 - Ode To Joy
  3. RIV 1015 - Lone Ranger (Patter)
  4. RIV 524 - You Raise Me Up
  5. RIV 615 - Bollywood Patter
  6. RIV 506 - Mariah
  7. RIV 295 - Fuji Mountain Breakdown (Patter)
  8. RIV 560 - Goodnight Sweetheart
  9. RIV 1022 - Boogie Sticks (Patter)
  10. RIV 426 - Lion Sleeps Tonight
  1. RIV 1352 - Copperhead Road (Patter)
  2. RIV 1338 - Drunken Sailor
  3. RIV 1349 - Love Story
  4. RIV 1373 - Summer Sounds
  5. RIV 1341 - January 7th Jig (Patter)
  6. RIV 1362 - Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
  7. RIV 1282 - Dragon Fire (Patter)
  8. RIV 1291 - Wellerman Ragtime Patter
  9. RIV 1324 - Roaring Twenties (Patter)
  10. RIV 250 - YMCA
  1. RIV 1311 - Santa's Sleigh Ride Patter
  2. RIV 1418 - Make A Bid (Patter)
  3. RIV 783 - Drums of Christmas (Patter)
  4. RIV 786 - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
  5. RIV 1232 - Christmas Bells (Patter)
  6. RIV 1352 - Copperhead Road (Patter)
  7. RIV 1403 - Toast And Jam (Patter)
  8. RIV 1412 - It'll Never Get Old
  9. RIV 1223 - Hawaiian Christmas (Patter)
  10. RIV 1312 - Dueling Jingle Bells Patter

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!

book cover Lois Elling

Now Available

Lois Elling's book, Teaching Clogging is now in its second edition. Buy a downloadable PDF copy here for $25

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November Releases

Posted on Friday November 15, 2024

We have ten releases for you this month, including three patters:

"Lavender's Blue" is a song introduced by Burl Ives in the 1948 Disney movie "So Dear To My Heart." (Beulah Bondi also sang a verse in the movie!) On the other hand, "It'll Never Get Old" is a brand new song written and recorded by Gene Turner, with Renee Ruud of Fine Tune / Gold Wing Music contributing a female version. She provides a similar counterpoint for Tim Tyl's vocal on "Friend For Life,"  which is a song about man's best friend by the Australian group called The Bushwackers, as well as going solo on "Boxcar Blues." There's also Jason Raleigh channeling his inner Elvis in "Suspicion," and a transposition of Dean Black from Yreka to "Detroit City."

With Christmas coming up, check out Jack O'Leary's "Christmas Sounds I Love," a version of our recent "Summer Sounds" with Christmas bells added to the mix and a merry lyric from Jack.

Happy Thanksgiving! (Maybe a good time for Meredith "The Music Man" Wilson's "May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You"  [RIV 472]...or a couple of our other Thanksgiving songs from the Holiday category on our Themes page!)

October Releases

Posted on Monday October 14, 2024

There are six releases for this month, and not one of them is spooky. One is, however, a typically hilarious Tim Tyl submission:

Check them all out, and we hope that you have a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

Cheerio...I'd better be...shoveling off...
(Digby "Digger" O'Dell, the Friendly Undertaker on "The Life Of Riley")

September Releases

Posted on Tuesday September 17, 2024

Six new releases for September!

In addition, we now have a male vocal by Jason Raleigh in the original key of A for last month's release of RIV 1391 - Turn It Loose to accompany Nelda Eaton's vocal. We also have a new female vocal by guest artist Renee Ruud (courtesy of Fine Tune / Gold Wing Music) for one of our past releases, RIV 824 - Dumas Walker. As always, if you've already purchased a title and would like the new additional tracks, contact Bob Elling directly!

August Releases

Posted on Friday August 09, 2024

We have seven releases for August -- three patters and four singers, including one from the classic Red Boot library...

In addition, Nelda Eaton has added a female vocal to accompany Jack O'Leary's original on RIV 1207 - Footsteps. As always, if you've already purchased the title and would like the new track, email Bob Elling directly.

Have a great August! Labor Day is right around the corner...

July Releases

Posted on Saturday July 20, 2024

We've got 9 releases for you this month, including three patters:

Hava Nagila is a patter version of our previously-released singing call, Hava Nagila Texas Style. If you wanted to use that for patter but found it too busy, give this a try.

There are some nice harmonies by Brent Mawdsley this month, and Jason lends his vocals to a new version of John Michael Montgomery's Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident). And, of course, Tim Tyl's humor comes through with Someone Poured Ketchup On My Ice Cream. Give them a try!

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 Records
c/o Bob Elling
16000 Marcella St.
San Leandro, CA 94578
510-278-8621
bob.elling@gmail.com

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