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' Thanks to Nevada poet and writer Hal Swift, who tallies the number of poets and songwriters and poems and lyrics at CowboyPoetry.com each year. Hal found over 1100 poets/songwriters (1,137) and over 6,200 poems/lyrics (6,254) on December 31, 2011. Find the index for all here. Posted 1/5     We're pleased to announce the availability of The BAR-D Roundup: Volume Six, the Center’s annual compilation recording of the best in classic and current cowboy poetry. This sixth annual edition of The BAR-D Roundup has several threads running through it. Among them: the passing down of traditions through generations, enduring friendships, connections, and the Lone Star state. It includes several poems written by Texas poet Larry McWhorter (1957-2003) and poems from two respected Texas poets who are also National Endowment for the Arts Fellows, Joel Nelson and Buck Ramsey (1938-1998). J.B. Allen is included, as are top Texas cowboy troubadour Don Edwards, who lends a spoken-word piece; popular past Texas Poet Laureate, singer, songwriter, and cowboy poet Red Steagall; and Linda Kirkpatrick, who recites a classic Texas poem. There are many additional tracks of classic and contemporary poems, most from poets who frequently please audiences from today's gathering stages, including Randy Rieman, Linda M. Hasselstrom, Waddie Mitchell, Jerry Brooks, Jay Snider, Andy Hedges, Doris Daley, Elizabeth Ebert, DW Groethe, Yvonne Hollenbeck, Sam Jackson, Carole Jarvis, Rod Miller, Dick Morton, Jane Morton, Andy Nelson, Abi McWhorter, Rodney Nelson, Pat Richardson, Jesse Smith, and Bob Schild. Popular singer, songwriter and poet Brenn Hill recorded a Center for Western and Cowboy Poetry public service announcement that is included on the CD. The BAR-D Roundup cover images are vintage photos of poets or their forebears. This year's cover features legendary fiddler and cowboy Frankie McWhorter (1931-2008) and his dog, Hank. Frankie McWhorter was the father of cowboy and poet Larry McWhorter (1957-2003) and grandfather of reciter Abi McWhorter. The photograph was taken in about 1986 by Kris Erickson (www.hankthecowdog.com). Inside each year's CD, a contemporary ranch family photo is featured. For 2011, there's a photo of  Andrea McWhorter Waitley, Frank Waitley, and Abi McWhorter, along with Sunday, a horse started by Larry McWhorter as a two-year old. Sunday, who was ridden by four generations of McWhorters, was nearly 30 when he died in 2010. Each year, as a part of Cowboy Poetry Week, The BAR-D Roundup is offered to libraries (along with the Cowboy Poetry Week poster) in our outreach Rural Library Project. The CD is also a premium for our supporters and available for purchase.   Read much more about the CD here, including a narrative description of the tracks.   Find a comprehensive index of all of the series' CDs here.