Photo Credit: Crossgates Photography

Dusty Golden – Five Questions With

Jenna Melanson·February 10, 2025

Dusty Golden blends rodeo roots, & classic influences in his music

Born in 2004 in Edmonton and raised in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, Dusty Golden’s journey blends music, rodeo, and rural life. Inspired by his father’s record collection, he picked up a guitar at seven and honed his craft for eight years. Initially drawn to bull riding, his talent as a musician took center stage in 2023, earning him spots at prestigious events. Influenced by Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Merle Haggard, Dusty is dedicated to reviving traditional country storytelling. Balancing music, farm work, and rodeo, he stays true to his roots, inspiring others with his authenticity and grit.

First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Dusty Golden and I’m a bull rider/singer-songwriter from Mayerthorpe AB.

Tell us a bit about your recent release.

This last song that I put out on the radio is one of my favourite tunes. The meaning of it is whatever it means to you. But I guess what it means to me is it describes that scary yet exciting feeling of taking those first scary yet exciting steps away from home.

How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?

When I get in the songwriting groove it feels like a breeze. The breeze picks up, and I get an idea to write about something. Then when the breeze dies down the idea kinda goes away. It comes out of nowhere sometimes, but that seems to be when it works out the best.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?

Well, I have just healed up from ankle surgery and am getting ready to start riding bulls again. So as far as any promotion on this song goes it will be at rodeos, bull ridings, and the shows I have booked, which will all be on my social media when it gets closer to the time.

Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?

A turning point for my music career would probably have to be back in 2023 when I broke my ankle. I had plans for the 2023 season to be my rookie year in the Professional Bull Riding, but my broke ankle held me from competing. So not being able to ride, or work. I started playing at a few smaller shows, and pretty soon I started getting calls to play gigs everywhere.

So, I guess if I hadn’t broken that ankle I might have been able to ride a few more bulls the last two years. But I wouldn’t have been able to get nearly as far on the music side.