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Smoke Wade is a regular contributor of gathering reports to Rope Burns, Cowboy Troubadour, CowboyEntertainer.com, and CowboyPoetry.com and he writes cowboy poetry CD reviews for those publications and web sites and others.
Additionally, he reviews CDs and will feature poets on the weekly Western Heritage Show.
You can send cowboy poetry CDs for consideration for reviews and KRLC airplay to:Smoke Wade
355 W. Mesquite Blvd. #D-30
PMB #404
Mesquite, NV 89027
More About The Western Heritage Show
Back during the time Kathy and I decided to start up a gathering in Lewiston, I was President of Cowboy Poets of Idaho, Inc., and Vice President of the Charlie Russell Western Heritage Association (CRWHA). We were seeking a way to promote current members of these associations, and to attract new members. We also wished to raise the standard of where and how Cowboy Poetry gatherings were held.
Kathy tossed many new ideas into the hat, and through the years, she has worked diligently to see them come about. Many of her ideas have proved to be very good, and others have been discarded. One of the most important things that contributes to the success of a gathering is advertising. You can have the best performers in the world, but if the event is not advertised, no matter how much work you do, nobody will come. This all leads up to how we became involved with KRLC and how the radio show became a reality.
In order to work the advertising angle, Kathy contacted the station to request advertising rates, and fill them in on what it was we were doing. There was a window of opportunity there as a dear friend and local poet Mr. Lee Earl (who was and is heavily involved in the rodeos in the area) knew a lady at the station who was also involved with the rodeo. Introductions came about and an interview was arranged with the Program Director, who at the time was Stephen Kingsley. We actually did a one hour show and it was called the Western Heritage Hour. The show was such a hit that at that time consideration was given to making it a weekly event.
The format for the show was never cast in stone, but it was accepted as being 100% Western, in music, poetry, and content. Until that time, the Station (KRLC) was Classic Country only. From that time on we started calling Performers that were friends of mine I had known for years. We would laugh and tell old stories, and involve the audience by leaving the phones open so they could actually talk with the performers. That was and is to this day, a feature that will not change.
I feel that performers need to be in contact with their fans, and this serves as a way to do so. We have talked with all the big performers that are willing, and always are open for more. We never try to embarrass anyone or talk about anything they do not feel comfortable with. Our audience loves the banter back and forth, and we receive calls on every show from people calling to say its the best show on the radio. We even have people who because of geographic location are unable to receive our signal in their home, drive tractors or trucks to a spot on a high ridge where they can pick us up. We get cell phone calls from truckers picking up our signal in locations we never figured we would be reaching, all saying how much they love the program.
Another thing that we do is have live music from any Western performers (Poet or Musician) who happen to be passing through our area, and all of those who come to our festival. We have live all-day radio coverage by KRLC at our festival. Our guest list of live performers who have been in the studio reads like a Who's Who of the Academy of Western Artists (AWA), and the Western Music Association (WMA) memberships.
Stephen Kingsley and I were the original team on the show for several years. Then Bob Vanover came on to replace Stephen, and we worked the show together for a short period. After that "Toe Tappin" Tommy Tucker came on, and we have hit the air waves every Friday since that time. During this time, due to the popularity of the show, we have expanded from a one hour, to a two hour show. We are currently and have been for some time, rated the number 1 program in our time slot. This is out of 16 stations in the valley, including FM Stations.
The show is currently rated at the very top of the AWA Ratings. We wish to thank all the performers who have appeared on the show, all of those who send us CD's. We wish to thank all the listeners just for their loyalty and all the business establishments who play our show on their radios.
Charlie Camden on the air
