Ned LeDoux plays during the Grant County Fair on Friday, Aug. 11.

Ned LeDoux played long into the night at the Grant County Fair to the enjoyment of a rambunctious Friday-night crowd.

Many a beer bottle was raised in cheers during LeDoux’s regular breaks between his songs when he espoused the virtues of rural America and the hardworking people who live there.

LeDoux played a handful of his own songs as well as covers of his father Chris LeDoux’s tracks. After breaking a guitar string, LeDoux took a brief break and let the rest of the band, Western Underground, take charge. The group included musicians who played and toured with LeDoux’s father.

LeDoux was born into a musical family and recently released his first album, “Forever a Cowboy.” He said he is working on a new album he plans to release in early November.

“This is what I’ve been doing since I hit the ground,” he said. “If you’re doing what you love for a living, you never work a day in your life.”

One song particularly well received by the fair crowd was an original piece called “The Hawk.”

In the song, Ned said he believes his father, who died in 2005, keeps watch over the family ranch in Wyoming as a hawk. He explains in the song that shortly after his father’s death, his mother found herself constantly followed by a hawk.

“We hardly ever see any hawks. If you do they’re just passing through, but this one decided to stick around,” Ned said. “I always believe he’s still here.”

Singer Melissa Mickelson opened for LeDoux with a number of her own songs as well as cover of tracks including Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” and Credence Clearwater’s “Bad Moon Rising.” After her set, Mickelson came down into the crowd to take pictures with fans and chat.