New in 2007: Books: Cowboy Poetry and Stories
Texas poet Rod Nichols' third book of poetry, Old Trees 'n Tumbleweeds, is now available. The book of previously unpublished poems includes a foreword by South Dakota broadcaster and friend to cowboy poetry, Jim Thompson. In his introduction, Rod Nichols writes, "....There are stories that are deeply rooted in cowboy lore and experiences and others that provoke thought and reflection. These are the ‘Old Trees’ of this collection. Some poems and stories are intended to bring a smile, a grin or maybe a laugh. These are the ‘Tumbleweeds’ in this anthology. Whatever you find here is intended to bring the reader closer to the life and ways of that most uniquely American figure, the cowboy."
Read the introduction, the foreword, and see the table of contents here, along with some of Rod Nichols' poetry.Old Trees 'n Tumbleweeds is available for $16.95 postpaid from Rod Nichols' website, or by mail: Rod Nichols, P.O. Box 215, 6140 Hwy. 6, Missouri City, TX 77459.
Posted 11/14
Montana poet, songwriter, and photographer John Reedy's poetry of Western
life is collected, along with his photography, in Twisted Vignettes: Poems
and Photographs. (See the contents list
here
and one of the poems
here).
John also has an impressive new CD of fresh Americana music, Twisted Vignettes. The CD includes original songs and his renditions of songs by Merle Haggard, Tom Russell and Paul Zarzyski, and others. (See the entire track list here and lyrics for two of the original songs here).
Read more about John and his music and poetry in our feature here.
The Twisted Vignettes CD is available for $13.00 postpaid from www.TwistedCowboy.com; the Twisted Vignettes: Poems and Photographs book is available for $15.00 postpaid from www.TwistedCowboy.com. A Limited Edition Set of the CD and book is available for $25.00 postpaid from www.TwistedCowboy.com.
Posted 9/26
Woody Woodruff's book,
The Incomplete Works of Woody Woodruff, World-Wide
Unknown Poet, includes over 20 original poems, and a poem from the
family's next generation of writers, his granddaughter Alexia Woodruff. See
the entire contents list
here .
In 2005, Woody was named Cowboy Poet of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists.
The Incomplete Works of Woody Woodruff, World-Wide Unknown Poet, is available for $14.95 postpaid from Woody Woodruff, 983 Pike Lane, Centerville, TN 37033.
Posted 8/24
Poet Byrd Woodward's chapbook,
There...Just Over the Ridge,
includes 18 original poems (see the entire contents list
here ).
Her poetry is often inspired by the Idaho cow ranch where she she grew up,
and from the stories of her parents and their pioneering forebears, the Jordans, Badleys and
DeMasters.
Read more about Byrd Woodward and selections of her poetry here at the BAR-D.
There...Just Over the Ridge is available for $8 postpaid from Byrd Woodward, 17412 Bob White Rd., Mayer, AZ 86333.
Posted 8/23
Jack Griner has a new book of poetry, Cowboy Dust. He
says it is "...a city boy's rendition with a cowboy's point of view" about
his experiences as a young man doing farm and ranch work in Iowa and South
Dakota.
The book is available for $17.99 plus postage from
Amazon and
Barnes & Noble, and there is additional information
at Authors to
Believe In.
Posted 7/26
Texas poet and writer Linda Kirkpatrick has a
new chapbook "dedicated to the history of the West," the first in a
semi-annual series. Carrying on the name from her award-winning collection
of stories and poems (Cowboy Miner, 2002), the chapbook Somewhere
in the West includes a feature story, "Conflict in the Frio
Canyon; The Incident at the McLaurin Ranch," accompanied by a bibliography
and vintage photos; her poem, "Conflict in the Frio Canyon"; classic
poetry by Bruce Kiskaddon, "Graves by the Side of
the Trail"; and a list of rare, old, and out-of-print books and more
available from her Frontier Book Store.
Posted 6/25
Clark Crouch's book of western and cowboy
poetry, Western Images, has been published by Western Poetry
Publications (an imprint of The Resource Network).
The publisher notes, "As in his other two books, Where Horses Reign and Sun, Sand & Soapweed, his poems are reality-based but he has not hesitated to exercise the cowboy’s propensity to embellish the truth as he captures glimpses of both the humorous and serious aspects of life in the west." Read more about the book here, along with some of Clark Crouch's poetry.
Western Images (ISBN 0-9624438-5-9), a 120-page paperback, has a suggested list price of $11.95. The book is available through any bookseller, including Amazon.
Posted 6/1
Sue Jones'
Tales from Across the Fence book
includes 26 of her best poems, including her new works up through 2006. The
artwork is a collaboration by Grace Cooper of Camp Verde, Arizona and Sue
Jones.
Sue and her husband, Bill, live on the west side of New Mexico near the border and do day work for friends and neighbors on local cattle ranches and participate in cattle grower events. Read more about Sue and some of her poetry here.
Tales from Across the Fence is available for $13.95 postpaid from: Sue Jones, P. O. Box 115, Glenwood, NM 88039.
Posted 5/29
Posted 5/10
An impressive volume of poetry by
J. B.
Allen (1938-2005), JB — the circle, has been published
by Dry Camp Press. The book includes 65 poems, in chapters titled "The
Tribe," "The Usin' Kind...or Not," "Bits of Life," and "Speculations."
J. B. Allen had been involved with the creation of the book, and his comment about its making are included as an introduction: "The editing process continues to be somewhat controversial between myself and those who graciously undertake the chore. Words and phrases commonly used by those of my acquaintance, now and in the past, are cause for some consternation in others attempting to render the poems understandable to those outside the Texican tribe of cowboys ....This set of poems, written over a period of fifteen years, contain personal experiences, stories gleaned from old times, and a few, evidently, originating from ethereal revelations. Three cowboys, who also happen to write, were consulted as to content, spelling and word use. This offering is the result of their suggestions, some of which were heeded."
Insightful pieces by J. B. Allen's daughters open the book, and a chapter called "The Circle" includes moving recollections and heartfelt commentary from his friends Joel Nelson, Chuck Milner, Randy Rieman, Red Steagall, Gail Steiger, Tom Sharpe, Waddie Mitchell, Duward Campbell, and others. Throughout, noted artist Duward Campbell's striking paintings and drawings complement the well designed book.
The book was edited by Durward Campbell and Chuck Milner, and designed by Wayne Beadles, Duward Campbell, and Mark Hartsfield,
The book complements the 1997 collection of J. B. Allen's work, The Medicine Keepers, which was designed by Mark Hartsfield and Duward Campbell and edited by Andy Wilkinson, with an introduction by Buck Ramsey. The Medicine Keepers received the prestigious Western Heritage Award for Poetry from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
JB — the circle is available for $25 postpaid from Duward Campbell, 2515 Second St, Lubbock, TX 79415.
[Thanks to Jay Snider for the initial information about this book]
Posted 5/1
California poet Vince Pedroia's book, A Mano, earns high
praise from Paul Zarzyski:
"From the free verse romp of his 'Prince Valiant Of The West' paying crude, rude tribute to brutal truth; from his empathetic celebration of sweat-'n'-callus white-collar migrant worker lives in the title piece; from the fanciful narrative of 'Black Magic,' a metered and rhymed genuine-article Cowboy Poem complete with a saddlebag full of clamorous shenanigans building toward its bunkhouse-bard punchline; from these varied sensibilities to the demonstratively personal, poignant, and courageous ponderings in his poem so precisely titled 'Pause,' Vince Pedroia exhibits a multi-faceted finesse in most every tapestry of verse he weaves from the finest fleece. Moreover (and you bet, he DOES merit mixed metaphors), Vince is a master at distilling the short story—hell, sometimes the veritable novella!—down into the 200 proof elixir-of-the-grappa-gods we call poetry. A Mano is a book built by both heart and hand—the fine guitar bowed to in the poem 'Partnership.' Read this work aloud. Enunciate each syllable. Assimilate every nuance. Sip from Vince Pedroia's pool and stroll away healthier, more soulful, and far more human."
The book includes 20 original poems, vintage photos, family photos, and contemporary photos by Vince Pedroia and his wife Trisha and others. The handsome volume is carefully designed and printed by BK Publications of Eagle, Idaho, and is already in its second printing.
A Mano is available for $20 postpaid from Trisha Pedroia, 13799 Occidental Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472, vpedroia@monitor.net. A companion CD (read about that below) is available for $20 postpaid. You can order the book and CD together for $25 postpaid.
Updated 5/30
The official release of Bill Siems' long-awaited volume,
Open Range; Collected Poems of Bruce
Kiskaddon, was announced at an
exciting session at the recent Western Folklife Center's 2007 National Cowboy
Poetry Gathering. Surely the most important contemporary cowboy poetry book
publication in recent times, this monumental 600-page work includes
Bruce Kiskaddon's
entire poetic output (481 poems); extensive illustrations (including 323 line
drawings by Katherine Field, Amber Dunkerley, and others); biographical and
historical introductions; prefaces by Hal Cannon, Waddie
Mitchell, and Lynn Held; rare photographs, and more.
The collection, which Bill Siems has worked on for over four years, follows his impressive 2004 book, Bruce Kiskaddon, Shorty's Yarns, the first collection of Kiskaddon's short stories. See our feature about Bruce Kiskaddon here, and our feature about Shorty's Yarns here.
Read Jeri Dobrowski's Cowboy Jam Session column here for additional information about Open Range.
After the outstanding session about Open Range at National Cowboy Poetry Gathering—which included recitations of Kiskaddon poems by modern master reciters including Joel Nelson, Randy Rieman, Ross Knox, and others—a nearly block-long line of people queued for the opportunity to have Bill Siems autograph copies of this important work.
Open Range has been produced in a numbered, limited edition of 300 copies, which are available for $125 until February 28, 2007, when the price will be $150. There is also a limited edition of 26 leather bound books. (Through the generosity of a Center for Western and Cowboy Poetry/CowboyPoetry.com supporter and Bill Siems, we'll have a silent auction of one of the limited leather-bound editions of the book, along with other donated, rare Kiskaddon books, in March. We also look forward to posting extended feature about the book.)
Read more about Open Range, view excerpts and the table of contents, and find order information at the Open Range web site.
See our feature about the book here.
Updated 4/21/08
Reflections of a Cowboy Poet is available for $7.50 postpaid from Slim's web site or by mail: Slim McNaught, P.O. Box 274, New Underwood, SD 57761; 605-754-6103.
Read some of Slim's poetry at his web site, including more about the book and a sample page here, and read more of his poetry here at the BAR-D.
Posted 1/16
Popular Texas poet Rod Nichols has a
new book, Drover Diaries, which includes 76 previously unpublished
poems. In the book's introduction, Rod writes, "... In the following pages
you will find tales of humor, drama and faith as you ride along the trail."
Read the entire introduction here.
Drover Diaries is available for $16.95 from Rod Nichols. Email him to order: rodnichols@hotmail.com
Posted 1/8
Diane's work and the book have earned praise. South Dakota rancher and poet Ken Cook comments:
"If you ever have the opportunity to attend a cowboy poetry gathering and Diane is performing...sit near the front...and take a deep seat because you are in for a memorable ride. Ranching is not an easy life, but Diane captures its heartfelt reality and unending humor in her poetry. Poems from the heart have a tendency to reach mine and Diane's poetry does just that."
Colorado singer and songwriter Will Dudley writes:
"Diane Tribitt is an amazing poet. Her strength of character and dedication to the cowboy way of life has won her friends and fans across the country. With her crystal writing style, using themes common to modern American cowboys, her poems are as clear to me as the oil on the canvases of Charlie Russell."
Read
more at Diane Tribitt's web site, www.dianetribitt.com,
where Trail
Mix is
available for $17.95 postpaid (or by email Tribitt@brainerd.net,
phone 888-410-7774; or by mail by check or money order: Diane Tribitt, 38034 193rd Street
Hillman, MN 56338.
Posted 1/5
New in 2007: Cowboy Poetry recordings,
CDs and DVDs
America's best-known cowboy poet, Baxter Black,
has a new double CD, Blazin' Bloats & Cows on FIRE!. From the official description:
This double CD set is Baxter's latest audio collection of cowboy poetry and tall tales taken from his book by the same name. The title should give you a clue that it's not about the lonesome pine, the Red River Valley or the cattle call, unless they are on fire, flooded or stampeding like lemmings!
It includes favorites such as "Women Wearing Chaps," "Sixty Foot Rope," "Blazin' Bloats," and "Lucky to be an American."
It also features never-before-recorded versions of Baxter Black classics not found in the book, such as, "I Know You'll Miss This Man," "The Flag," and "Cowboy's Document of Contrition." Many selections were recorded at a live performance...over 2 hours of cowboy hilarity!
Visit Baxter Black's web site for the entire track list. You'll find Christmas specials and many features at the site, including an audio message from Baxter himself.
Posted 12/3
"Strike" and "duck" and "Pat Richardson" have probably been used
in the same breath more than once. The title of
Pat Richardson's new CD,
Pat Richardson Strikes Again with Duckin' the Law and Many
More, gives a good warning of what is to come in this
collection of 16 previously unrecorded original poems (two are
by his brother, Jess Howard, and there is one collaboration by
Pat and Jess). "Original" is the right word for Pat's work and
his muted, deadpan delivery. He has no match when it comes to
humor, and no reciter doing his material (something he
discourages) can reproduce the hilarity of his powerful,
side-splitting affect on audiences.
Known as "the bad boy of cowboy poetry," Pat Richardson's newest CD is full of the poems that deliver on that promise. No one is safe and nothing is sacred, with most of the pointed jabs directed at cowboys—or himself. What makes him such a pro is that he's not just funny, he is also a master of metaphors, colorful adjectives, meter and rhyme, and, full of surprises. He works harder than most on the editing and refining of his work. His friend Baxter Black, however, may not have been referring to that when he commented, "If you boiled cowboy poetry down to what's worth savin', this is what the stew would smell like."
"A Friend in Need" is an example of twisted cowboy compassion, "Cowboy Logic" is a look at the breed from women's point of view, "Henry the Cook" evokes the same sort of graphic groaners and descriptive assaults on the senses as Pat Richardson's infamous poem, "The Donner Party." Long-time fans will welcome another Benny Meyers story ("The Lover") and another assault on his friend and frequent target, popular North Dakota poet Rodney Nelson ("Repulsive Trophy").
"Bigfoot," which will be included on The BAR-D Roundup: Volume 3 (2008) from CowboyPoetry.com, is an inventive and wacky windy about the creature who shows up at the cabin door with a splinter, which the narrator pulls out with his shoeing nippers. Bigfoot speaks with a lisp. "Mississippi gave him problems with all the esses it contained, and he'd dribble little spitballs on his fur; I tried tongue depressors, enemas, and books by Baxter Black, but I never seemed to come up with a cure." The rest of the story is as unpredictable as the poker hands the beast draws.
Jess Howard's comical and inventive "Uncle Ned" is a story out of the brothers' colorful and dysfunctional family, the rich source for a number of Richardson/Howard tales, and Jess Howard's "Duckin' the Law" is a frequently-requested favorite of audiences. A strange sibling harmony makes the co-written "Zeke and the Bull" sing in its own outrageous strangeness. As a bonus, the real music comes from another generation, in introductory and final music by Pat Richardson's talented grandson, Brandon Richardson.
Pat Richardson comes across so comfortably reciting and introducing his poems, that he makes a listener feel like they are sharing barstools in some friendly, broken down cowboy saloon. Pat spent plenty of time in such places. He was born and raised with livestock, he rode colts, rodeoed, cartooned for The Pro Rodeo Sports News, and did his share of ranch work. He's an impressive artist and has produced other award-winning CDs and his book, Pat Richardson Unhobbled, Cowboy Poetry, Stories, and Outright Lies received the Will Rogers Medallion award.
These days he's found at the top gatherings and events, and is a frequently invited performer to the Western Folklife Center's National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. When you're not in his audience, Pat Richardson Strikes Again with Duckin' the Law and Many More is the newest, next-best-thing to being there.
Pat Richardson Strikes Again with Duckin' the Law and Many More is available for $18, postpaid from Pat Richardson; 562 Breeze Avenue; Merced, California 95348; 209/722-4612; www.PatRichardson.com.
Posted 11/12
Minnesota rancher Diane Tribitt's
second CD, Ranchin'
Rhymes, is now available. She describes the CD:
Ranchin’ Rhymes includes 16 tracks (14 originals as well as 2 recited poems that were written by Mountain Memories cowboy author and poet James Whilt) as well as one song track as an introduction to a cowboy friend( Paul Larson) from South Dakota performing “The One I Never Could Ride” by R. W. Hampton. Most all of the tracks are set to either music or audio clips (or both!) that will put you smack-dab in the middle of cowboy country, no matter where you are!
The CD's cover art is by Colorado Springs, Colorado artist Lorrie Beck (www.lorriebeck.com). See the track list for Ranchin’ Rhymes and more here along with some of Diane Tribitt's poetry.
Diane has been invited to the Western Folklife Center's 2008 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in January, for her first appearance on the Elko stage.
Ranchin' Rhymes is available for $18 postpaid from Diane Tribitt, 38034 193rd Street, Hillman, MN 56338, 320-277-3389, www.dianetribitt.com; and from Amazon.
Posted 11/8
California's Jim Cardwell
has a new CD,
Five Silver Dollars,
described as "music, poetry, and opinion." The CD,
his
second,
includes six songs (five
original) and
five original poems (see the complete track list
here).
In his acknowledgements, Jim thanks "Euriah and Elizabeth Jones
(1840s) for having the vision to homestead in Iowa when the
prairie was still inhabited mostly by buffalo; Velma Cardwell
(1934) for moving her family to California when the dust bowl
required that she do so..." along with his family, co-workers, and
friends.
Five Silver Dollars is available for $14 postpaid from Froggie Lane Productions, PO Box 5282, Oroville, CA 95966, or e-mail:onecowboypoet@dcsi.net.
Posted 10/31
Pieces of the Past, a new CD
from South Dakota's Yvonne Hollenbeck pays tribute to the
lives of pioneer women. Yvonne is the
Western Music Association
(WMA) Female Poet of
the Year, and as the CD title hints, some of the poems draw on another of her
celebrated talents: her quilt making and her knowledge of the craft's history. Enriching the fabric of
the project, the CD weaves kindred songs among the poems from award-winning Texas singer
and songwriter
Jean Prescott.
There are new poems, as well as favorites such as "The Red Geranium" (often recited by Red Steagall), "The Christmas Quilt," and "The Old Home Comfort Range." Two of the songs are collaborations between Jean Prescott and Yvonne Hollenbeck, including the award-winning "How Far is Lonesome," which received the 2006 Best Collaboration of Poet and Musician award from the Western Music Association (WMA) and "Her Feet Would Rock the Cradle." Jean sings the works of other top songwriters, too, including Andy Wilkinson and Steve Spurgin. See the entire track list here
The selections will please both regular fans of both of these top artists, as it will those who have the opportunity to view Yvonne Hollenbeck's traveling trunk show, Five Generations of Quilts. The show includes her family quilts and stories and poems inspired by her ancestors and other pioneer women of the Plains. The show has been offered at many venues, festivals, and cowboy poetry gatherings, including the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, Wet Mountain Western Days, the Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival.
The stunning CD package design—both inside and out—by Jeri Dobrowski incorporates quilts from the unique show. Yvonne has won countless awards for her quilts, including ribbons and "best of show" honors. As the liner notes tell, the interior quilt images, with their fine stitching, are "the reverse of Yvonne's masterpiece, 'Pansies for Mama.' Done entirely by hand, it was created as a tribute to her mother, who taught her to quilt and who loves pansies. It is comprised of 5,600 pieces and took 17 months to complete." The cover's crazy quilt "dates to 1900. The initials stand for the maker, Matia Hanson, Yvonne's great-grandmother. Matia emigrated from Norway as a young bride, settled on a Campbell County, South Dakota homestead." Even the disc is decorated as carefully as the quilts are stitched, with its treasured family thimble and antique scissors displayed on a handmade quilt.
The CD is available for $18.50 postpaid from Yvonne Hollenbeck, 30549 291st Street, Clearfield, South Dakota 57580, 605/557-3559, www.YvonneHollenbeck.com.
Posted 10/15
Nona Kelley Carver's inspirational
Christmas CD, When the Cowboys Came for Christmas, has 17
poems of faith, including “A Soldier’s Christmas” and “Christmas on the
Oregon Trail.” When the Cowboys Came for Christmas is
available for $16 postpaid from Carver Country Poetry, P.O. Box 115, Mesa,
CO 81643.
Nona Kelley Carver's
Potbellied Pete & Luley Belle CD is a series of 17 poems about the
bunk house cook and the local school marm. Nona reports, "This series got
rave reviews when it was printed as a serial story in the Plateau Valley
Times. Only then, the folks had to wait for the next paper to read the
next poem!" Potbellied Pete & Luley Belle (46 minutes) is
available for $16 postpaid from Carver Country Poetry, P.O. Box 115, Mesa,
CO 81643.
Read more about Nona Kelley Carver and some of her poetry in here at the BAR-D.
Posted 10/5
Poet, traditional reciter, and storyteller
Ross Knox' new CD,
Make Me a Cowboy Again for a Day, includes classics and his
original poetry, an impressive showcase of the best of the hundred-plus
poems he has committed to memory. Ross Knox was an invited performer to
the Western Folklife
Center's first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 1985, and been
featured at almost every gathering since. He will return for the 2008
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
Ross Knox—cowboy, horseshoer, and mule packer—was raised on a small cow
outfit in Central Oregon, and left home when he was about 16, headed to
Northern Nevada and later to Yellowstone. The CD liner notes tell that he
was inspired by Gail Gardner's "The
Sierry Petes" and "The Dude Wrangler, and "began writing poetry as a young
ranch hand because it was a way to occupy his time when he was alone for
three months at the Juniper line camp of Idaho's YP ranch." He has
cowboyed across the West and spent 15 years as head packer at the Grand
Canyon, longer than any other packer (an estimated more than 40,000 miles
into and out of the Grand Canyon) mainly to supply the Phantom Ranch. He
now works for the Saguaro National Park packing supplies into the Manning
Camp for the fire and trail crews.
Most of the 15 tracks are introduced with Ross Knox' engaging stories, and
the cuts include his recitations of classics by S. Omar Barker
("Bear Hunters Bold"), Bruce
Kiskaddon ("When Buck Conners Rode Rep for the Lord," "Silver
Bells and Golden Spurs," The Old Nighthawk," and "The Long Eared Bull"),
Curly Fletcher ("The Flying Outlaw"),
D.J. O'Malley, "The D2 Horse Wrangler," and
Robert Service, "The Cremation of Sam
McGee"; modern "classics" by Joel Nelson
("Charles Goodnight's Dream") and Baxter Black
("The Legacy of a Rodeo Man"); four of his own poems, "Memories," "Man's
Best Friend," "Easy Chairs and Saddle Sores," "The Final Ride of Freeman
McBride"; and more.
Ross Knox' recitation of
"The D2 Horse Wrangler" by D.J. O'Malley
is included on
Read more about Ross Knox in our feature here.
Make Me a Cowboy Again for a Day is available for $18 postpaid from Ross Knox, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730.
Updated in 2008
Cowboy (a term she prefers), rancher, poet, National Cowgirl Hall of Fame
Inductee, and Western treasure Georgie Sicking
has a new CD, To Be a Top Hand.
The CD includes her recitation of fifteen of her original poems, and
Gail I. Gardner's "Moonshine Steer" (see the
complete track list here).
A quote from Georgie appears on the back of the CD, "To be a cowgirl is more than just fluff and stuff. You have to do your share of the work, kill your own snakes, never complain, mount up even when you know you may get bucked off, and all the while being more of a lady at work than when you are at home."
A real cowboy, Georgie Sicking earned the title and the respect with hard work and unflagging determination, and she raised a family while doing it. Horseback since age two, she has been honored by the Nevada Cattleman's Association for having spent "100,000 Miles on Horseback."
Georgie Sicking, now 86, was invited to the first National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, has returned many times since, and is again an invited performer in 2008.
Read more about her and some of her poetry in our feature here.
To Be a Top Hand, produced and recorded by Andy Nelson, is available for $18 postpaid from Georgie Sicking, PO Box 11, Kaycee, WY 82639.
Posted 8/21
Sandy Seaton's
Montana Legacy CD includes 13 original
poems, some accompanied by her vocals, including "They Call the Wind Maria,"
"Night Rider's Lament," and "I Ride an Old Paint." See
the complete track list
here .
From the official description:
Listening to the moaning whip of the "Wind" or the howl of a newborn pup in "The Wolf", Sandy Seaton's Montana Legacy CD is a saga of the West. From the true story of Cattle Kate in "Code of the West," the legend of the Crazy Mountains in "Mountain Madness," or Sandy's own hilarious wilderness adventures in "Pack Trippin'," you will experience the past and the present with her heartfelt delivery. Travel through her family tree with "Grandma's Gift," or share her childhood misadventures in "Six Mule Hitch." Craig Hall backs many of Sandy's original poems and historical song with his incredible guitar picking. Montana Legacy was produced and mastered by Emmy nominated Gil Stober's Peak Recording in Bozeman, Montana.
Montana poet and writer Gwen Petersen reviewed Montana Legacy in her "In a Sow's Ear" column in The Fence Post. Read the entire review here at the BAR-D.
Sandy Seaton Sallee writes and rides from her home in Paradise Valley, Montana. Sandy grew up in Yellowstone National Park, where she rode horseback among the elk and drove four-up stagecoaches. After cowboying in New Mexico, she returned to her native Montana where she met her future husband, Scott, in a wilderness hunting camp. Sandy and Scott now own and operate Black Mountain Outfitters , a wilderness and ranch outfitting business. They also raise and train hound dogs, horses, and mules.
Sandy has been an invited performer at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering five times (and will return in 2008) and is also featured at the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival in December, 2007.
Read more about Sandy Seaton and some of her poetry in our feature here .
Montana Legacy is available for $17 postpaid from: Sandy Seaton, P.O. Box 117, Emigrant, MT 59027; (406)222-7455; BlackMtn2@aol.com; www.blackmountainoutfitters.com
Updated 7/23
Popular Utah poet and Lariat Laureate Brenda
"Sam" DeLeeuw has a new CD,
Spreadin' Sunshine.
Spreadin' Sunshine includes 16 original poems, both old favorites and new poems. See the entire track list here . The CD's photography is by Lori Faith Merritt (www.photographybyfaith.com).
Sam is the past president of the Cowboy
Poets of Utah, and is now serving on its Board of Directors. She is a
member of the Cowboy Poets of Idaho, Cowboy Poets of Wind River, the Utah
Chapter of the
Western
Music Association (WMA) and was one of five finalists
for the WMA Female Poet for 2006. Sam won three of four events in the Western
Legends Poetry Rodeo in Kanab, Utah, held in August of 2006 and was named
the 2006 Silver Buckle Category winner.
She will be a featured poet at the Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering
in Sierra Vista in February of 2007 and a featured poet at the Cedar City Cowboy
Gathering in Utah in March of
2007.
Read more about Sam DeLeeuw and some of her poetry in our feature here.
Spreadin' Sunshine is a vailable
for $18 postpaid from Sam DeLeeuw, 5579 South 2800 West Roy, Utah 84067;
435-835-8662.
Updated 7/17
California poet Susan Parker's new
CD, She Rode a Wild Horse,
includes her original poems and others by
S. Omar Barker,
Dee Strickland Johnson,
Elizabeth Ebert,
Sally Bates,
Virginia Bennett,
Henry Herbert Knibbs, and Will Ogilvie. See the
entire track list here.
Susan Parker was chosen to perform at the
California Rodeo Cowboy Poetry
Gathering in Salinas in July, with Red Steagall,
Curly Musgrave
and Belinda Gail, Sourdough Slim,and
Pat Richardson. She was a standout from the gathering's 2006 open mike
performers. It's a gathering tradition to choose a poet or musician from the
event's popular open performances (delivered from the main stage to the full
event audience) to be featured the following year. She also looks forward
to taking part in the
National
Cowboy Poetry Rodeo in Hot Springs, South Dakota
in September.
The CD was produced by Open Path
Music, and each track is accompanied by their inspired music. Performers
include Renata Bratt, Jason Lewis, Charles Littleleaf, Tim Volpicella, Scott
Sorkin, and Gordon Stevens.
The CD's photography and stunning design is by Jeri L. Dobrowski.
Read more about Susan Parker and some of her poetry here .
She Rode a Wild Horse is available for $18.00 postpaid from Susan Parker, P.O. Box 865, Benicia, CA 94510, www.susanparkerpoet.com.
Posted 7/2
Arizona poet Audrey Hankins' new
CD, First Light,
includes 17 original poems (see the entire track list
here).
In 1988, Audrey attended her first gathering, which was also the Arizona Cowboy Poets' first gathering. Ten years later, she received the gathering’s prestigious Gail I. Gardner Award. This year, she’s a featured performer on the twentieth anniversary stage. Audrey Hankins has also received the Will Rogers Top Female Poet Award from the Academy of Western Artists.
Jim Jones (www.jimjonesmusic.com) produced the CD and provided the music. Lori Faith Merritt (www.photographybyfaith.com) designed the attractive CD packaging, which features her photography.
Read more about Audrey Hankins and some of her poetry here.
First Light is available for $17 postpaid, from Audrey Hankins, P.O. Box 688, Congress, AZ 85332.Posted 6/29
Monty Moncrief Teel has a new CD, A Country Kid Looks Back,
on which he recites poetry co-written by James Terry. An additional
CD by the same name includes the soundtrack from the poetry CD, which
includes musicians Dave Alexander, Ginny Mac, Devon Dawson,
and others.
Each CD is available for $20 postpaid from Monty Moncrief Teel, PO Box 992, Euless, TX 76039. Read more and find additional order information here at his web site.
Posted 6/22
California poet Vince Pedroia has released a
companion CD for his recent book, A Mano. (Read more about the
book above, including the high praise from Paul Zarzyski).
The CD includes Vince Pedroia's distinctive recitations of all of the poems in the book, and well-selected music by Mark McDonald. (The book includes 20 original poems, vintage photos, family photos, and contemporary photos by Vince Pedroia and his wife Trisha and others.)
The A Mano CD is available for $20 postpaid from Trisha Pedroia, 13799 Occidental Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472, vpedroia@monitor.net. The book is also $20 postpaid; you can order the book and CD together for $25 postpaid.
Posted 5/30
Andy Nelson's
newest CD, Full Nelson Shoeing,
is a perfect showcase of his talents. The CD is filled with
poetry, "politically incorrect short poems," and some of the humorous
commentary that keeps him in demand as an emcee--some recorded with live with
audiences. Some poems are backed up by the impressive musical talents of Rich
O'Brien, and there's the occasional "just right" touch of sound
effects. Material ranges from contemplative to knee-slapping. Best known for his
wild humor, and the majority of pieces tilt in that direction, there are also
poems that show Andy Nelson's more serious side, with an emphasis on the things
that are most important to this well-liked performer: his family and his way of
life. (His oldest son, Dylan Nelson, shares the stage on "That's Not
What I Said.") The well-designed package includes comic cover art by
acclaimed cartoonist Daryl Reed and excellent photography by Stuart
Johnson.
Andy Nelson was recently named the Western Music Association (WMA) Male Poet of the Year. He is also the co-host of Clear Out West (C. O. W.) radio, with his brother Jim Nelson (who likes to describe himself as "the better looking half of the full Nelson").
You can listen to the title track, "Full Nelson Shoeing," at Andy Nelson's web site, where you can listen to other tracks from his previous CDs, find his schedule, and order Full Nelson Shoeing for $18 postpaid from www.CowpokePoet.com, PO Box 1547, Pinedale, WY 82941; andy@cowpokepoet.com.
Posted 3/13
Utah poet Stan
Tixier's new CD, An Average
Lookin' Mule, contains 20 original poems. See the entire track list here
and read some of Stan Tixier's poetry here.
An Average Lookin' Mule is available for $10 postpaid: Stan Tixier, 5538 E. 2300 N., Eden, Utah 84310 801/745-4121 email
Posted 1/23
Nevada poet Hal Swift's new CD, Holiday
Poems by Hal Swift, contains 24 poems, celebrating 11 holidays: 4th of
July, Christmas, Easter, Fathers' Day, Halloween, Memorial Day, New Year's Eve,
Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Veterans' Day. See
the entire track list and read some of the poems here.
Holiday Poems by Hal Swift is available for $10 postpaid:
Hal Swift, 632 #1 Pine Meadows Drive, Sparks, NV 89431Posted 1/22
The BAR-D Roundup: Volume Two (2007) is CowboyPoetry.com's compilation of contemporary recordings of some of today's best classic and contemporary cowboy poetry.
This second annual CD includes Badger Clark's vintage recording of his
first published poem, "Ridin'"; recent poems considered modern classics,
recited by their authors, including "The Breaker in the Pen" by
Joel
Nelson and "The Horse Trade" by the late
Sunny
Hancock; noted reciters
The BAR-D Roundup: Volume Two CD includes a radio Public Service (PSA) Announcement by poet, humorist, and radio host Andy Nelson (listen below). Andy Nelson engineered and co-produced both the 2006 and 2007 editions of The BAR-D Roundup.
See detailed track descriptions with references in the on-line liner notes here.
The stunning cover for 2007 is a photo of poet Virginia Bennett's father-in-law, Orville Bennett, Texas cowboy, 1920. Inside, there's a photo of South Dakota rancher and poet Ken Cook and his sons.
Read more and find order information here.
New in 2007: Mixed Cowboy Poetry and Music Recordings
The Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival has released their 2005 Best of Event CD, filled with top performances from the popular event. The CD includes 16 tracks featuring: Dave Stamey and Virginia Bennett performing together, his "McGee Creek" and her poem, "As You Ride"; Don Edwards doing "Ghost Train": Paul Zarzyski performing his poem, "Of Man and Mouse"; Chris Isaacs, reciting his poem, "Michael Bia"; Dee Strickland Johnson (Buckshot Dot) doing "A Family Story"; Waddie Mitchell reciting Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee"; R. W. Hampton singing "Sunset Trail" and "The Ballad of Hazel O'Neil"; and more from Valerie O'Brien; Riders in the Sky;the late Charley Hendren; Richard Chon & Rich O'Brien; Cowbop; Oscar Auker; Henry Real Bird; and Prickly Pair.
See the entire track list here. The CD is available for $20 plus postage from the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival web site.
