Remebering Chris Ledoux

March 9 marks the anniversary of the death of Chris Ledoux.  Sadly, he passed at the young age of 56 in 2005.

Chris Ledoux was a very successful independent recording artist for many years prior to gaining national fame when mentioned in the Garth Brooks song 'Much To Young To Feel This Damn Old.' By this time, Ledoux already won the World Bareback Riding Championship at the National Finals Rodeo and had sold over 200,000 records as an independent singer. The cowboy singer was soon offered a deal with Capitol Records and brought his music to the mainstream.

In August 2000, LeDoux was diagnosed with a liver disease, which required him to receive a liver transplant. His friend Garth Brooks volunteered to donate part of his liver, but it was found to be incompatible, but an alternative donor was eventually located.  After his recovery he released more music, but sadly in 2004, he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts) and underwent radiation treatment for it until his death on March 9, 2005 at a Casper, Wyoming hospital.

Since his passing, Chris Ledoux has been honored in songs like Garth Brooks' 'Good Ride Cowboy' and Brantley Gilbert's 'Country Must Be Country Wide.' In addition, his recording of 'Don't It Make You Want To Dance' has become a popular country dance song.

Check out our list of 1o Country Music Stars that we lost way too soon