Aaron Watson Pays Tribute to late Lane Frost with “July in Cheyenne”

Texas country singer-songwriter Aaron Watson made a touching dedication to Lane Frost’s mother, Elsie Frost when he released “July in Cheyenne (Song for Lane’s Momma)” in 2012. Initially, he had no plans of releasing an official record of the song until he played it in person for Frosts’ parents at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). He ended up performing it at live shows and received positive responses.

Watson added the song as the 5th track on his ninth studio album, Real Good Time. It also became the Song and Video of the Year at the Texas Regional Radio Music Awards and topped the Texas charts.

In Dallas Observer’s The 50 Best Red Dirt Texas Country Songs, “July in Cheyenne” was at No. 38.

Meaning of the Song

Playing a soft strum on his acoustic guitar in the first seconds of “July in Cheyenne,” Aaron Watson narrates the tragic death of Lane Frost during the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days Finals through an honest lyrical composition. 

Rodeo icon Lane died when the bull he was riding tossed him into the air and crashed his ribs with its horn. Although Watson was only ten years old then, every Texas cowboy community remembers the incident. 

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Lane’s death brought a depth of sorrow to many fans, especially to his parents. Watson later understood grief and loss deeper following his newborn daughter’s death, Julia Grace, on October 11 — when he had finally established himself in the country music industry. 

While Watson was grieving, he saw the 1994 biopic of Lane Frost on TV entitled “8 seconds”. The film resonated with him through its depiction of a parent losing their child. Soon after, he had the idea to dedicate a song to Lane’s final ride and refocused his Christian faith. 

He wrote the song “July in Cheyenne” when he found a quote from Elsie Frost:

“Lane was a world champion bull rider, but that was not his greatest achievement in his life. His greatest achievement came a year before he died, when he asked Jesus to become his savior.”

After a long hiatus, he started writing consistently and played on live shows. 

The music video of the song portrays Lane’s life as a bull rider from his humble beginnings to down to his passing. More than a memorial song, the track offers the audience closure to the pain of losing their loved ones.  

Get your tissues ready and watch Aaron Watson’s “July in Cheyenne” below.