Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter - Backforty Bunkhouse Productions

Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter
Cowtown Society of Western Music ‗2009 Publication of the Year‘
Distributed by BACKFORTY BUNKHOUSE PRODUCTIONS
106 Roswell St., Ruidoso, NM 88345 (575) 808-4111
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Joe Baker
Publisher
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Joe Baker's Top 20 – February, 2010
Est. January, 2007
Western Swing
Howard Higgins,
Co-Founder & Advisor
Joe Baker, Co-Founder
& Publisher
Totsie Slover, Editor
mtdradio.com
backfortybunkhouse.com
nchacutting.com
mtdradio.com
backfortybunkhouse.com
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Rebecca Linda Smith, True Love
Johnny Lyon, Wynn Stewart Fav. Vol #2
Carolyn Martin, Cookin‘ With Carolyn
Hank Stone, Somewhere In Texas
Cornell Hurd, American Shadows
The Desperados, Lucky Seven
Jerry Webb, Theres A Song In That
Kelly Lee James, Did You Take Time
D. McCall-C. Potter-T. Booth, The Survivors
Brady Bowen In My Spare Time, Vol.#5
Wendell Solis, The Sidekicks
Kevin Carter-Little Red Hayes, East Texas
Willie Nelson, Willie & The Wheel
Billy Mata, This Is Tommy Duncan Vol.#1
15. Ron Knuth/Chris Reeves, Things That
Swing
Tony Grasso, Doin‘ It My Way
Bobby Flores, Eleven Roses
Dugg Collins, Looking Back-1977
Liz Talley, More Than Satisfied
Stephanie Davis, Western Bling
Western Music/Cowboy Poetry
westernmusic.com
wsmss.com
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Charming Billy, Frank Fara
Patty Parker, Southwest Serenade
Mark Compere, Cowboy Songs
Bar D Roundup, Vol.#4 Various Cowboy Poets
Troy Bateson, Midnight Moon
Ken Cook, Cowboys Are Like That
Stephanie Davis, Western Bliss
Rich Flanders, Ride Away
Chuck Woller, (D.L. Johnson Vocals)Desert
Moon
cowtown-swm.org
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Lynn Anderson, Cowgirl II
Fred Hargrove, My Sacred Ground
Gil Prather, Last Of The Border Cowboys
Mel Brown, 1977
Horse Crazy, Daughters Of The West
Linda Lee Filener, One Life To Live
Backforty Roundup Vol. #43
Stardust Cowboys, Ridin‘ Back To You
Bob & Johnny Boatright, Lost Trails
Chuck Cusimano, Wind Blow My Blues Away
Flying J Wranglers, My Adobe Hacinda
Lefty Frizzell
AKA William Orville Frizzell
Born Mar 31, 1928 in Corsicana,
TX Died Jul 19, 1975 in
Nashville, TN
Lefty Frizzell was the definitive
honky tonk singer, the vocalist
By Dugg Collins
that set the style for generations of
vocalists that followed him. Frizzell smoothed out the
rough edges of honky tonk by singing longer, flowing
phrases — essentially, he made honky tonk more acceptable for the mainstream without losing its gritty, barroom roots. In the process, he changed the way country
vocalists sang forever. From George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson to George Strait, John Anderson, Randy Travis, and Keith Whitley, hundreds of artists have emulated and expanded Lefty's innovations.
Frizzell's singing became the foundation of how hard
country should be sung.
Despite his influence, there was a time when Lefty
Frizzell wasn't regarded as one of country's definitive
artists. Unlike Hank Williams — the only contemporary
of Lefty that had greater influence — he didn't die
young, leaving behind a romantic legend. After his
popularity peaked in the early and mid-'50s, Frizzell
continued to record, without having much success.
However, his recordings continued to reach new listeners and his reputation was restored by the new tradi-
Joe Baker‟s Backforty Bunkhouse Show is broadcast on 100,000 watt KNMB, 96.7FM “New Mexico Bear” & 100,000 watt KWMW, 105.1FM, “Regional
Radio W-105” every Saturday morning 6 am to 10 am in Ruidoso, New Mexico covering New Mexico & West Texas. Member: Western Music Broadcasters Association (WMBA). Also available „Streaming live‟ 24/7 on the internet at W-105
1
tionalists of the '80s, nearly 10 years after Lefty's
death.
awaawards.org
nwwsms.org
westernswingsociety.org
ifco.org
swinginwest.com
demingradio.com
realwestoldwest.com
Lefty Frizzell (born William Orville Frizzell) was born in
Corsicana, TX, in 1928, a son of an oiler; he was the
first of eight children. During his childhood, his family
moved to El Dorado, AR. As a child he was called
Sonny, but his nickname changed to Lefty when he
was 14, because he won a schoolyard fight; it was
later suggested that he earned his nickname after winning a Golden Gloves boxing match, but that was
eventually proven to be a hatched publicity stunt by his
record company. Initially, Lefty was attracted to music
through his parents' Jimmie Rodgers records. He began singing professionally before he was a teenager,
landing a regular spot on KELD El Dorado.
Frizzell spent his teenage years playing throughout the
region, singing on radio shows, in nightclubs, for
dances, and in talent contests. He travelled throughout
the south, playing in Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico,
and even Las Vegas. During this time, he was refining
his style, drawing from influences like Jimmie Rodgers,
Ernest Tubb, and Ted Daffan. Lefty's career was going
fine until he was arrested in the mid-'40s, serving a jail
sentence for statutory rape.
Frizzell's run-in with the law led him away from music,
as he temporarily worked in the oil fields with his father. However, his time as an oiler was brief and he
was soon performing in clubs again. By 1950, he had
landed a regular job at the Texas club Ace of Clubs,
where he developed a dedicated following of fans. At
one of his concerts at the Ace of Clubs he caught the
attention of Jim Beck, the owner of a local recording
studio. Beck recorded music for several major record
labels, and he also had connections within the publishing industry. Impressed with Lefty's performance, he
invited the singer to make some demos at the studio.
In April of 1950, Frizzell cut several demos of his original songs, including a new song called "If You've Got
the Money, I've Got the Time," which Beck took to
Nashville. Beck intended to pitch the song to Little
Jimmy Dickens, but Dickens disliked the song. However, Columbia record producer Don Law heard the
tape and liked Frizzell's voice. After hearing Lefty live
in concert, Law signed the singer to Columbia; within a
few months, he had his first recording session.
"If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time," Lefty's
first single, climbed to number one upon its release. It
was a huge hit — its B-side, "I Love You a Thousand
Ways," even hit number one — with other artists hurrying into the studio to cut their own versions; over 40
performers wound up recording the song. Within 17
days of the single's release, Columbia had Frizzell
record another single. The result, "Look What
Thoughts Will Do"/"Shine, Shave, Shower (It's Saturkalhlp@earthlink.net day)," wasn't as big a hit, but it did reach the Top Ten.
cowboypoetry.com
cowboysymposium.org
By now, the Lefty Frizzell sound was being perfected by
the vocalist and Don Law. Frizzell was working with a
core group of Dallas-based studio musicians, highlighted by pianist Madge Sutee. In the beginning of
1951, he formed the Western Cherokees, which was led
by Blackie Crawford. Soon, the Western Cherokees
became his primary band for both live and recording
situations. Lefty was in the studio frequently, recording
singles. His third single, "I Want To Be With You Always," was number one for 11 weeks and its follow-up,
"Always Late (With Your Kisses)" spent 12 weeks at
number one. At one point in early 1951, he had a total
of four songs in the country Top Ten, setting a record
that was never broken. Frizzell was a popular concert
attraction, playing shows with the Louisiana Hayride
and the Grand Ole Opry. He had three more Top Ten
hits in 1951 — "Mom And Dad's Waltz," 'Travelin'
Blues," and the number one "Give Me More, More,
More (Of Your Kisses)."
The hits continued throughout 1952, as "How Long Will
It Take (To Stop Loving You)," "Don't Stay Away (Till
Love Grows Cold)," "Forever (And Always)," "I'm An
Old, Old Man (Tryin' to Live While I Can)" all went to the
Top Ten. Even though he was at the peak of his popularity, things began to unravel for Lefty behind the
scenes. Frizzell fired both his manager and his band.
He joined the Grand Ole Opry, but he decided he didn't
like it and left almost immediately. Lefty was earning a
lot of money but he was spending nearly all of it. He
worked with Wayne Raney, but the sessions were a
failure. In early 1953, he moved from Texas to Los Angeles, where he got a regular job on Town Hall Party.
That year, he had only one hit — the Top Ten "(Honey,
Baby, Hurry!) Bring Your Sweet Self Back to Me."
Early in 1954, he reached the Top Ten with "Run 'Em
Off," but it would be his last Top Ten record for five
years. During the mid-'50s, Frizzell felt burned out and
he didn't have the energy to invest in his career. He had
a total of two hits between 1954 and 1959 — "I Love
You Mostly" in 1955, "Cigarettes and Coffee Blues" —
because he decided to stop recording. Lefty was frustrated that Columbia wasn't releasing what he believed
to be his best material, so he simply stopped writing and
Ruidoso, New Mexico
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mountainannies.com
recording songs. However, he did tour spo- but in the mid-'80s, the kind words of George Strait and Randy
radically, occasionally with his brother, David Travis were supported by a series of reissues, beginning with
Frizzell.
Bear Family's 14-LP set, His Life — His Music (later replaced by
the 12-CD Life's Like Poetry). In 1982, he was inducted into the
Deciding it was time for a change, he began Country Music Hall of Fame, but the greatest testament to his
radioksey.com
working with Jim Denny's Nashville-based
music remains the fact that his voice can be heard in every hard
Cedarwood publishing company in 1959.
country singer that followed.
Cedarwood gave him "The Long Black Veil,"
duggcollins.com
a song written by Danny Dill and Marijohn
Wilkin that had overt folk music influences.
ralphsbackporch.com
Lefty recorded the song and it became a
Graham Lees Top Ten CDs and Songs
surprise Top Ten hit in the summer of 1959. HWD Radio - United Kingdom
Encouraged by its success, Frizzell moved
to Nashville in 1961, after Town Hall Party
Top Ten CDs
closed in 1960. He began touring and recording at a more rapid rate, although it only
1. Cornell Hurd Band - American Shadows
resulted in a couple of minor hits. Lefty's last
2. Carolyn Martin - Swing
3. Donnie Blanz - From The Wagon To The
waynettawwr@aol.com big hit arrived early in 1964, when "Saginaw,
Michigan" climbed to number one and spent
Wire
four weeks on the top of the charts. After
4. Sons Of The San Joaquin - Live
that, he came close to the Top Ten with
5. Diamond W Wranglers - Cowtown
1965's "She's Gone, Gone, Gone," but he
6. Wendell Solis and The Sidekicks - The Sidekicks
7. The Saddle Cats - Herdin‘ Cats
wswing.home.texas.net usually struggled to have any of his songs
break the Top 20 for the next decade.
8. Ian Tyson - Yellowhead to Yellowstone and other Love Songs
9. Barry Ward - Joy Sweet Joy
10. Bob & Johnny Boatright - Lost Trails
Top Ten Songs
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8.
sblackwell18
@comcast.net
cdtex.com
texascountyline.tv
Frizzell didn't stop recording, but he did develop a debilitating alcohol problem that
came to plague him throughout the late '60s
and '70s. However, alcohol wasn't the only
thing holding his career back — Columbia
was only releasing handfuls of albums and
singles, though Lefty was recording an
abundance of material. Since his records
weren't as successful, he drastically cut
back the number of concerts he performed.
Sons Of The San Joaquin - Is It Because
Donnie Blanz - Taking Pictures With My Heart
Reggie Brown - There Goes My Everything
Lynn Davis - Woman
3 Trails West - Baby Doll
Annette Hawkins - Ridin‘ High
Ian Tyson - Bill Kane
Diamond W Wranglers - You Just Can‘t See Him From The
Road
9. Janet McBride - Mama (I Got Here As Fast As I Could)
10. Sons Of The Rio Grande - Carry Me Back To The Lone
Prairie
graham@grahamlees.com
The Big Fred Walker Show
WOES 91.3 FM Mid-Michigan
TOP TEN Songs
gabeandtony.com
In 1968, he cut some songs with June Stearns under the name
Agnes and Orville, but none of the tracks became hits. The lack of
success helped him sink deeper into alcoholism.
01 Rebecca Linda Smith – Texas State Of
Mind
02 Pat James – Camelie
03 Liz Talley – You Can‘t Take The Texas
In 1972, Lefty left Columbia, signing with ABC Records. Though
the change in labels helped revitalize him artistically, he didn't sell
that many more records. However, he did have the enthusiasm to
record albums, as well as play concerts and television shows.
Frizzell's alcohol addiction worsened and he developed high
blood pressure, but he wouldn't take the medication because he
thought it would interfere with his drinking. As a result, he looked
older than his 47 years when he died of a stroke in 1975.
Out of Me
04 Wild Oats – Back In The Saddle Again
05 Glenn Lendermen – Here To You
06 Gil Prather – Jack Cates
07 David Church – I‘m Over You
08 Bobby Flores – Are You Teasing Me
09 Jerry Webb – Here In Old Fort Worth
10 James Hand – In The Corner At The Table By The Jukebox
Years of mediocre and mis-marketed records had diminished
Lefty Frizzell's reputation, but after his death, a new generation of
artists hailed him as an influence and an idol. Merle Haggard,
Willie Nelson, and George Jones had all sung his praises before,
01 Rebecca Linda Smith – True Love
02 Liz Masterson – Roads to Colorado
03 Ginny Mac – Wishing River
04 Billy Keeble – Sings Wynn Stewart
TOP TEN CDs
3
05 Starline Rhythm Boys – Masquerade For Heartache
06 James Hand – Shadow On The Ground
07 Stephen Pride – Pride On The Wild Side
08 Bobby Flores – Neon Nights
09 Leon Seiter – In The Shadows Of A Honky Tonk
10 Johnny Johnson – One Last Time
djcountryone@charter.net
Multi Award Winning Western Swing Disc Jockey
Mike Gross
By Joe Baker
February 17th, 2010 marked 30 years that
the legendary Mike Gross started his
"Swingin' West" radio show from Fairfield,
CT. To this day, Mike continues to bring us
all, the finest in western swing music.
I first met Mike in 2001 and we have been
good friends ever since. Although we never
shook hands as a lot of us have done in this
Mike Gross
business, one of these days we will find ourselves at the same place to make that hand shake a reality. Mike
and I share a lot of music between us and I have always considered him a good friend but more so a mentor, the same way I feel
about another radio legend, Larry Scott.
Mike is the producer and host of the weekly Swingin' West program on WVOF Radio, in addition, this western swing Hall Of
Famer's love for the swinging sounds of hot fiddles and steel guitars has allowed him to review western swing albums and books
for many publications all over the world. Mike has worked the
Pedal Steel Guitar Association's annual concerts as Master of
Ceremonies since 1989 and has written hundreds of liner notes in
western swing CDs.
Mike was interviewed and featured throughout in a 2004
documentary movie on the life of western swing legend Adolph
Hofner. Mike Gross received the Disc Jockey Of The Year Award
from the Academy Of Western Artists in 2000 followed by his induction as a Pioneer Of Western Swing from the Western Swing
Music Society Of Seattle in 2002, the Western Swing Society Of
Sacramento in 2004, the Western Swing Music Society Of Kansas Hall Of Fame in 2005 and his latest but certainly not his last,
Mike was inducted into the Western Swing Music Of The Southwest Hall Of Fame in 2008.
Mike also served as Master of Ceremonies at the Lincoln Center
in New York City for Leon Rausch, Tommy Allsup, Curly
Hollingsworth, Bobby Koefer and Bob Wills' Texas Playboys in
June, 2007.
I have always thought that the definition of western swing music
was best said by Mike Gross and here's what he says; "An American music form born in Texas and Oklahoma in the 1930's. It's an
amalgamation of Scotch/Irish fiddle music, New Orleans jazz and
Black blues, and it evolved in the 1940's parallel to Big Band
Swing. It uses fiddles, mandolins, guitars and steel guitars, in lieu
of or along with trumpets, reeds and trombones. The words and
vocals tend toward the light happy side. Over the years, there
have been many different groups with varied and different styles
playing what can be considered Western Swing music. In Addition, many artists in other fields of music have recorded Western
Swing songs and used Western Swing style musicians and
sounds."
Be sure to visit Mike's website at: www.swinginwest.com.
There you can learn how to listen to Mike Gross' Swingin' West
weekly radio show and also find much information. Backforty
Bunkhouse Productions tips our hat to our fellow disc jockey and
multi award winning Mike Gross!
joe@backfortybunkhouse.com
Bill McCallie‘s Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show
Classical 90.5 WSMC-FM Chattanooga, TN
I guess in the middle of the summer I'll wish
that it would rain, but right now I've had about
all the rain and snow I can take. I'm ready for
some warm, dry weather. Even when it's raining and snowing though, the bunkhouse is
warm and toasty with Asleep at the Wheel gettin‘ the month kicked off with several cuts from
that great CD "Ride With Bob", Bob's Breakdown", "New San
Antonio Rose", "Roly Poly,‖ and "You're From Texas" were my
favorite picks. Since the Saddle Up celebration will be in full
swing Feb. 25th thru 28th in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, I thought I
try to play some music from some of the folks who'll be appearing at Saddle Up. Sounds like a Who's Who of cowboy music. Red Steagall, R W Hampton, Dave Stamey, Don Edwards
and Waddie Mitchell will all be there. Red Steagall's "I'm Sleepin‘
In My Leggings Tonight" kicked off the Saddle Up set followed by
R. W. Hampton's "Night Rider's Lament," Dave Stamey‘s "May
The Trail Rise Up To Greet You," Waddie Mitchell's "An Evening
Chat" and Don Edward's "Deep Water Ice and Snow." I sure am
looking forward to seeing all these guys and getting some interviews for the show. Dave Stamey's "Somebody Needs To Go
Back Home" sticks in my mind like a cocklebur. I love that
song. J. B. Allen has always been one of my favorite of the cowboy poets and his "Habitat" coupled with some Don Edwards‘
songs made a nice segment. I did group of songs and poems
about the rain and its importance to farmers and ranchers this
month. Elizabeth Ebert's "Cowboy," Virginia Bennett's story about
the "smell of rain," Bill Wood's recitation of S. Omar Barker's "Rain
on the Range" and Ian Tyson's "Since the Rain" sorta rounded out
that segment. I also read some history about Billy the Kid and put
a couple of tunes with that. MMM, Patty Parker and Frank Fara
provided the music with "Charming Billy" and "Billy the Kid." Jody
Nix with Cindy Walker's "Tater Pie" and Bobby Flores and "Too
Many Rivers to Cross" along with the Saddle Cats and "Mission to
Moscow" contributed western swing for one show this month. Incidentally, I'm looking forward to Carolyn Martin's new CD "Cookin
With Carolyn." I've already heard that it's 1940 all over again with
some really great swing presentations and an original tune by
Carolyn and Dave Martin called "That's What I Call Cookin‘." As
soon as it comes in, I'll definitely get it on the play list. Carolyn
always does consistently good music. The Bar D Round Up series
continues to be a great source for Cowboy Poetry and I play the
whole series a lot on the show. Joel Nelson's "Shadow in the Cut
Bank," preceded a full set of horse songs from CMH's CD "Great
Songs About Horses."
That's just about all the news that's fit to print and I'm getting
packed up to go to Pigeon Forge. Lila Wilson with the Pigeon
Forge Dept. of Tourism asked me to come up and be a judge in
the Chuck Wagon Cook Off at this year‘s Saddle Up. Being and
old bachelor, I never turn down a chance to get some free grub.
Cowboy Jubilee airs every Sunday at 6pm EST and is streamed
to the internet at www.wsmc.org. We broadcast with 100,000
watts from beautiful downtown Collegedale, Tennessee...."Where
the air always smells like a big oatmeal cookie." Our website
is www.cowboyjubilee.com and Facebook is Bill McCallie's Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show. Each week we have our playlist for the
next week listed. Ride Safe and remember what my friend Jim
4
Wilson says....."The pen is mightier than the sword...but you
might keep a sword around, just in case you run outa ink."
Waynetta‘s Roundup on LIVE 365
Waynetta Ausmus
KJIM, 1500 AM Sherman/Dennison, TX
Happy Trails Always,
Bill McCallie
January Playlists
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billmccallie@gmail.com
Sundays at 6:00 pm - wsmc.org/webstream.html
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Andy and Jim Nelson‘s
C. O. W.
Playlist
1/29/10, Games Cowboys Play
Corb Lund: Hurtin' Albertan
Joyce Woodson: Waddie Get Your Boots On
Hank Snow: Yodeling Cowboy
Red Steagall: Bob's Got a Swing Band in Texas
Jay Snider: Shorthorn Pete
Richard Lee Cody & Mary Kaye: Homeward Bound
1/23/10, Methane Madness
New West: Chows On
Riders in the Sky: Phantom of the Chuckwagon
Hugo Montenegro: The Good, the Bad, And the Ugly
Ben Crane: One Cheek Sneak
Baxter Black: Blazin' Bloats
Curly Musgrave: Ode to Tofu
1/16/09, Pendleton Book Review
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Cowbop: After I'm Gone
Matt Robertson: Dreams of Gold
Gene Pitney: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
Kacey Musgraves Til There's Not a Cow in Texas
Jess Howard: The Sweepstakes
Michael Martin Murphey: Close to the Land
Timber Trail – Sons Of The San Joaquin
Tico & The Cow – Pat Richardson
South of the Border – Bobby Flores
The Auction Sale – Yvonne Hollen-
beck
Keep The West Alive – Mike Puhallo
Cute Boot – Devon Dawson
The World is Waiting On The Sunrise – Billy Mata
Cowboy Wisdom – Bob Upchurch
March Winds – Jean Prescott
Daddy Said – Teresa Burleson
Livin‘ Off the Land – Donnie Blanz
Cup Of Memories – Linda Kirkpatrick
In Those Alabama Hills – Kip Calahan
Take Me Back To Tulsa – Pop Wagner & the Twin City Playboys
Plano Man - E Flat Porch Band
The Wealthy Texan - Jerry Clower
I've Got A Woman Crazy For Me - Saddle Cats
Sleepin‘ Out Under The Stars - TJ Casey
Stackin' Hay - Jerry Schleicher
The Wild West Is Going To Get Wilder - Michael Martin Murphey
Woman Of The Wind - Paul Hendel
The Schoolmarm - Ray Owens
Cheek To Cheek - Ginny Mac
If I Hadn't Seen The West - Joyce Woodson
Working Class Man - Lacy J. Dalton
waynettawwr@aol.com
"Swingin' West"- Mike Gross
WVOF-FM
February 1, 2010
Songs
1. Over the Hill- River Road Boys
2. Oklahoma- 1955- Les Gilliam
3. Night Coach Out of Dallas- Jake Hooker
4. California Mountains- The Stardust Cowboys
5. Tacos, Enchiladas and Beans- Buck Pizzarelli & West
Texas Tumbleweeds
6. I‘m A Texas Boy- Jerry D. Hobbs
7. Brownsville- John England & Western Swingers
8. Are You Teasing Me- Bobby Flores
9. Southern Hospitality- Cornell Hurd Band
10. Crystal Canyon- Patty Parker
Albums
1. Houston- River Road Boys
2. Western Bling- Stephanie Davis
3. Oklahoma- 1955- Les Gilliam
4. Lost Along the Way- Jake Hooker
5. Herdin‘ Cats- The Saddle Cats
6. Diggin‘ Up Bones- Buck Pizzarelli & West Texas Tumbleweeds
7. This is Tommy Duncan- Billy Mata & Texas Tradition
8. Last Call for Heartaches- Price Porter
9. Open That Gate- John England & Western Swingers
10. Now Playing! Willie and the Wheel- Willie Nelson &
Asleep at the Wheel
swinginwest.com
1/9/10, Stay-at-Home Benefit Concert
Curly Musgrave: Cowboy True
Culry Musgrave: Range and Romance
Roy Rogers: Movie Trail Medley
Curly Musgrave: The Irish Drover
Curly Musgrave: Thanks
Curly Musgrave: A Cowboy Farewell
1/2/09, The Best of '09
Joe Merrick: New Bad Habits
Don Edwards: Angels Can Do No More
Marty Robbins: Cowboy in the Continental Suit
The Texas Trailhands: Pico de Gallo
Milton Taylor: The Pearl of them All
Carin Mari and Pony Express: Always a Road
cowboypoet@wyoming.com
5
Wyn Machon
Oamaru Heritage Radio 88.3 & 107 FM
5 Lowther St. Oamaru 9400
Whitestone City, New Zealand
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Hank Snow, Riding Along Singing A Song
Livin‘ In A Cheap Motel – Heybale
Rose Of The San Joaquin – Old West Trio
Smile When You Speak Of Texas – Joaquin Murphey w/T.
Texas Tyler
www.LeeSwing88.se
www.123minsida.se/cowswing
Georgie Fame, Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde
Goombay Dance Band, Lovely Land
B Jeff & Patricia Stone, Come A Little Bit Closer
News From The Back Porch
Buddy J, Branded Country
The Back Porch is ON THE AIR on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
night 7 til 9 pm Central time and
you can find us
at www.blogtalkradio.com/
ralphsbackporch. Limber up your
dialin‘ fingers and give us a call we love to hear from folks!
Eric & Terri Powell, I'm Not Taking Anymore
Willie Nelson, On The Road Again
Guy Mitchell, She Wears Red Feathers
Hank Ballard, The Twist
Charley Boyter, Twilight Zone
Johnny Greenwood, The Tragedy Of Burke & Wills
Tell your neighbors about us so we
can help YOU grow!
Ken "Chainsaw" Lindsay, Victoria The Place To Be
Lynn Davis, Woman
Bobby Huckaby, What Kind Of Marriage Do We Have
Back Porch Picks in no particular order.....
Albert Huizeling, Follow Your Heart
Big Al Downing, Be Bop Cat
Barry P Foley, Boom chicka Boom
Deb Beckett, Rambling Weatherboard Shack
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash, Jackson
Patti Page, Changing Partners
Jean Stafford, She's A Rose From The Garden Of Prayer
Tresa Brewer, Music , Music , Music
Brooks & Magee, Are You A Cowboy Mister
1. Corb Lund - Losing Lately Gambler
2. Cornell Hurd - Any old album
3. Tony Vice - Music From The Redwing Ranch
4. Daron Little - The Faraway Look
5. Shane Mathews - The Truth About You
6. Fred Hargrove - My Sacred Ground
7. Paul Bogart - Paul Bogart
8. Tim Hus - Bushpilot Buckaroo
9. Dan Roberts - There's A Little Cowboy In All of Us
and....drumroll please!
10. Richard Lee Cody & Mary Kaye - We're waitin on the album!
Rhonda Lee Wallace, It's Only Love
wynjoy@orcon.net.nz
LEE SWING TOP 12 CDs
Lillies Ohlsson
Kountry Korral Magazine
Bennerstigen 120
SE-733 95 SALA * SWEDEN
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TOP 12 CDs
 Bad Bob – Prairie Rose
 Bill Dessens – I‘ve Waited A Lifetime
Bonebreak Syncopators – That Da Da Strain
Clelia Adams – Wildflower
Gaylynn Robinson – Love & Heartache
Howard Kalish – What The Hey
Kelli Grant – Swing-a-Billy
Kenny Seratt – The Best Of Kenny Seratt
Rod Moag - AH-HAA Goes Grass!
Shoot Low Sheriff – Mockingbird Sessions
Texas Swing Band – Welcome To Texas
Wayne Hancock – Viper Of Melody
TOP 12 SONGS
 Across The Alley From The Alamo – River Road Boys
 Big Texas – Shoot Low Sheriff
 Concho To The Colorado – Gaylynn Robinson
 Convict And The Rose – Rod Moag & Dayna Wills
 Crafton Blues – Quebe Sisters Band
 Forgotten Trails – Old West Trio
 Hank & Lefty Raise My Country Soul – Kenny Seratt
 Highway Patrol – Junior Brown
 Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy – Clelia Adams
tamaraboatright@hotmail.com
Rockin‘Boy Saloon
Every Sunday on
Lyonpremiere.com
Nashville 1pm - 3pm
Christina Heywood - Here They Come
Again
Caitlin & Will - Even Now
County Lane Junction - Real Love
Montgomery Gentry-Long Line Of Losers
Rebecca Linda Smith - Committed
Ivy Raye - America, America
Dave Parks - Free As A bird
Martina Mc Bride - Make The World Go
Away
George Longard - Are You Lonesome Tonight
Arthur Pottinger-UK-A Fool Such As I
Sylvia Winters - You're The Rock I'm Leanin' On
Leslie Ryan - France -Trail Of Tears
Tennessee Rose - France - Right Now
Vicky Layne - France - Willing Or Able
Chattahoochee - France - Betty Has Got A Bass Boat
Dan Tyminski - Sunny Side Of The Mountain
Stacy Grubb - Hurricane
Easton Corbin - A Little More Country Than That
Bill Rhoads - Too Many California Memories
Kelly Pickler - Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You
Merci pour l'écoute - Thanks for listening
Jacques DUFOUR
"Rockin'Boy Saloon"
Lyon 1ère - Country Web Bulletin
country@lyonpremiere.info
6
Ken Bass - KALH - Variety 95.1 FM
Serving
Alamogordo - La Luz - Holloman AFB &
Tularosa, NM
Dallas McCord
AWA Disc Jockey of the Year
KNND 1400AM Sunday 1PM to 4PM
Cowboy Culture Corner
―Keep Out Of The Wire‖
Hot List for January 2010
Rich O'Brien - Santa Rosa Serenade
Prairie Rose Wranglers - Rollin' Kansas
Plains
Dallas McCord - Cowboy
Chris Isaacs - Change On The Range
Colen Sweeten - Cow On The Fight
Virginia Bennett- Dad Was Like A Colt
Billy McCoy - My Dreams Just Keep Coming True
Larry Gibson - Cross The Brazos At Waco
Juni Fisher - Sideshow Romance
Juni Fisher - The Dog & The Pig, Ike & Betsy & Me
The High Strung Band - Cherokee Shuffle
The High Strung Band - Amazing Grace
Eli Barsi - Far Side Banks Of Jordan
Eli Barsi - Closer To Home
Eli Barsi - Keep On The Sunnyside
Latigo - Colors Of The West
Eli Barsi - Land Of The Living Skies
Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys - San Antonio Rose
BJ Thomas - Old Chisholm Trail
Howard Steele - Oregon
Dallas McCord/Van Criddle - Danny Boy/Land of Erin
Charlie Walker- Rest In His Promise
PJ McCord/Kathy Criddle - Same River
Joni Harms - Louisiana Hot Sauce (GO SAINTS)
Joni Harms - Oregon Trail
dallasmccord@yahoo.com
The Real West from the Old West
AM 1230 KOTS DemingRadio.com
Totsie Slover
01. Liz Talley - Rock-a-Billy Baby
02. Michelle Turley - Caroline
03. Devon Dawson - Play Faded Love
04. Amber Digby - I'm Not Your Kind of Girl
05. Ned VanGo - So Long, I'm Gone
06. Johnny Lyon - If I See My Baby
07. Waylon Thibodaux - Cher Bebe
08. Kori Jean Olsen - Next Big Nothin'
09. Brenda True - Sugar Moon
10. Luke Bryan - Rain is a Good Thing
11. Lynnae Winnie - Country Music USA
12. Karli Whetstone - I'm Having a Good Day
13. The Right Five & Billy Martin - Big Blue Diamonds
14. Patty Parker - She Rode a Horse Called Buttermilk
15. Billy Mata & Texas Tradition - Dinah
16. Jimmy Engine - Savin' it Up for Saturday Night
17. Red River Mudcats - Texas Eagle
18. Liz Talley - This Land is Your Land
19. Doughboys - Queen City
20. Kate Russell - Kick Down The Door
kalhlp@earthlink.com
Well, we‘ve set the date so mark it on your
calendars. This year the Day of the Cowboy in
Georgia will be on October 9, 2010 at The
Rock Ranch in Barnesville, Georgia. Ya‘ll
come on out and get a wagon load of entertainment, the cowboy way. We‘ll share more as
we get things finalized.
We had a big birthday bash for our pal Fuzzy
in January. I think he is over 100 years old but,
I‘m not sure. Anyway we had a blast and the
party was all cowboy. Lots of singing and everyone was dressed
to the max including packing irons. See the attached picture of
Wrangler Marv and Cowboy Bill having fun with Fuzzy.
Until then, we want all
you pards out there to
stay warm, keep your
powder dry and keep it
cowboy. Just remember, There‘s the right
way, the wrong
way and the …
Cowboy Way!!!!
Top 20 CDs
Ian Tyson – Yellowhead To The Yellowstone
Dan Roberts – Viva La Cowboy
Photo by Lori Faith Merritt Brady Bowen – In My Spare Time Vol. 5
Les Gilliam – Oklahoma-1955
Carolyn Martin – Cookin‘ With Carolyn
Jim Jones – Back Home On The Range
Hot Club Of Cowtown – The Best Of
Call Of The West – You Are The Rose Of My Heart
Liz Talley – More Than Satisfied
Mary Kaye – Clean Outta Luck
Cornell Hurd Band – Texas By Night
Jennifer Lind – Cowboy State Of Mind
Bobby Flores – Festival Favorites
Ken Moore – Bringin‘ The Wild Ones In
Tommy Thomsen – Western Jazz
J. C. Needham – He Rides The Wild Horses
River Road Boys – Houston
Reid Wells & Segovia 1862 – So In Love With You
Billy Mata – This Is Tommy Duncan Vol. 1
Dave Stamey – Come Ride With Me
RealWestOldWest.com
As always, we continue to get CDs from
many artists and
groups and we welcome them all. If you
want to send us your
CD, we are at:
The Cowboy Way Show
146 Hwy 139 #230
Monroe, Georgia 30565
Cowboy Bill‘s top ten playlist for February, 2010 is:
1. Listen to the Wind…Larry Gibson
2. Charming Billy…Frank Fara & Patty Parker
3. Little Joe the Wrangler…Michael Martin Murphey
4. In Old McGee Canyon…Dave Stamey
5. She Rode a Horse Called Buttermilk…Patty Parker
6. Old Faithful….Linda Lee Filener
7
7. Corrine Corrina….T.J. Casey
8. Tequila Sheila…Bobby Bare
9. Cowboy‘s Prayer….Don Edwards
10. Tennessee Stud…Larry Gibson
Cowboy Bill
whether it is through my writing or by simply lending a helping
hand. I reckon your perspective is changing as well, be sure to
hold on to your beliefs and values but make certain you settle on
the rights ones cause just like that bull the wrongs ones can hurt
you.
cade@cadeschallacowboypoetry.com
wilrand@comcast.net
Cade‘s Cadence
(Watch yer step!)
Cowgirl Sass & Savvy
by Julie Carter
Cabin Fever And Tater Tots
Beliefs, Values and Perspective
When I saw what bull I had drawn I
was thrilled. I had ridden him before
and last time I was 85 points and won
the rodeo. I was sure I could ride him
again and I knew if I did I would either win or place high. He was
a big high horned brindle that typically blew out of the chutes and
turned back to the right, into my hand. I rarely bucked off a bull
that went into my hand. The other bull riders knew this and commented on how lucky I was and I just smiled and said ―Why don‘t
you all just hand me over your money right now and go home.‖
In hind sight I may have been a little too overconfident.
There I was looking at my face in the rear view mirror of my truck,
my right eye was swelled completely shut, my nose was bleeding
profusely and I was sure my jaw was broken. He had whipped
me down and had whacked me in the face and I probably should
have let the ambulance take me to the hospital but I refused. I
was a thousand miles away from home, the entire right side of my
face was crushed and I had 62 dollars to my name. But hey, I was
a rodeo cowboy.
Back then all I really cared about was riding bulls and bucking
horses and I traveled up and down the road all over the west
chasing that dream called rodeo. I had no bills, no responsibilities
and no worries. I got to travel and I got a chance to see a lot of
this country. There were ups and downs, bumps and bruises,
excitement, adrenaline rushes and peaceful solitude. I remember
I rode in Calgary on a Thursday and then spent Friday, Saturday
and Sunday camping out next to a beautiful mountain lake in the
Canadian Rockies. I caught a brown trout on a fly rod and
watched a young Bull Moose in velvet drink from the bank. My
truck broke down somewhere in West Texas and a kind old man
not only gave me a ride into town but also bought me lunch at a
small café. I also got stranded in the deserts of Southern California once, but that is a whole other story.
That was 14 years ago and my outlook on life has changed dramatically since then. I miss it, I won‘t lie to you but for three reasons I wouldn‘t dream of getting on the back of a bull today. Actually four reasons; my three children and a promise I made to my
wife. It‘s interesting to me how a person‘s perspective changes as
one goes through life. The things that were so important to you
when you were a kid are no longer important to you as an adult.
Single people tend to value different things than do married couples and when your first child is born your perspective is sure to
change. Change is inevitable we all know that and because we
are always in a constant state of change our perspective will constantly have to be adjusted. The key as I see it is to establish
some core beliefs and values and to stand by and hold on to
those beliefs and values no matter what comes your way. I think if
you can do this you can ride out any storm no matter how bad it
gets. It has been a long time coming, but for me it‘s the Lord
above, my family, the church and my desire to reach out to others
Like the roads across the West, winter has gone on forever. For those of
us living here in the usually balmy
Southwest, we are like spoiled children whining and sighing over the
extended length of an extraordinary snow season that ushered
out October and has every intention of using up February.
The roads are rutted in mud created in those few warmer days
between storms. Everything that could conceivably break has
done so, be it a pipeline, a vehicle, a storm door or the drain on
the washing machine. Cold inevitably brings on streaks of
"breaking" luck. In spite of the discomfort and inconvenience, a
rancher won't ever turn down moisture or a live baby calf.
The horses are haired up like bears and the cattle are eyeballing
the portable hand warmers that a few well-outfitted cowboys got
for Christmas and thought they'd never use.
Electric and gas bills, feed bills, firewood bills ... the meters spin
and the check book balance plunges.
The little woman looks for every opportunity to not have to gear up
for ice breaking and outdoor chores. Cabin fever, while only a
temporary inconvenience, is sometimes preferable to freezing
one's back pockets off. In her solitude she is bombarded with
thoughts that she jots on paper in some hope of making sense of
her fleeting flashes of philosophy. Deep thoughts along the lines
of: Is there a resemblance between our lives and the creation of
tater tots?
Most everyone generally loves tater tots. They are dependable,
easy to cook and a familiar source of sustenance. Like our friends,
they are crusty on the outside, tender on the inside and seasoned
to preference. And while I'm always happy to find them in cafes,
stored in my freezer and in dishes cooked up for the cattle working crews, I've never devoted much deep thought to wondering
how they became that perfect little cylindrical shape that makes
them uniquely identifiable.
Hang with me here.
Potatoes are pulled from their earthen womb looking dirty and
misshapen. They are handled down an assembly line where they
are pressure washed, sorted for size and then peeled, sliced and
diced according to the plans for their end use. The scraps from
this process - the bits and shreds that are left from the slices and
cuts - are made into tater tots. They are cleaned, seasoned and
pressure-shaped along yet another assembly line. We accept
them in that form without question. They are what they are.
The tater tots depend on me to bring them from the freezer to the
table in a cooking plan of some sort. However, I appreciate them
more now that I know how they came to be.
The same philosophy is surely applicable with people. As with
tater tots, I have accepted the people in my life at face value. I
have found those that endured to be dependable, encouraging,
nurturing and great a comfort to me because their substance
never changes.
8
In taking the time to look beneath the shredded crust - perhaps a
bit freezer burned and toasted by life's heat - I believe that inside,
their substance will be as presented and their imperfections will
mirror mine. After all, we all started in the same place. Maybe
they too will have buried deep the bruises of being cast off from
the prime of the crop only to be pressure-washed by society and
recreated into a unique version of the same thing. And maybe,
just maybe, if they should happen to recognize the same in me,
our friendships will be enriched with a new level of appreciation.
After all, a lot happened along life's assembly line to bring us to
where we are today.
Julie can be reached for comment at jcarter@tularosa.net .
Cowboy Jam Session:
Western Culture News & Reviews
By Jeri Dobrowski
ing his Western heritage-based poetry in public. (Read several of
poems at www.cowboypoetry.com/slimmcnaught.htm.)
Incredibly resourceful, Slim designs and prints his own poetry
books and maintains a My Space page: www.myspace.com/
slimthe1st. I suppose a keyboard and printer aren‘t that much of a
challenge after carving and assembling leather projects for 35
years.
He did enlist the aid of a couple fellows when he recorded his
album of cowboy poetry. His first spoken-word project, entitled
Reminiscin‘, was selected as the 2009 Cowboy Album of the Year
by the Academy of Western Artists. Preview the 11 tracks at
www.cdbaby.com/cd/slimmcnaught, where you can also order. If
you prefer to order directly from him, send $18.50 to Slim
McNaught, PO Box 274, New Underwood, SD 57761; 605-7546103; www.slimscustomleather.com. Call or write to inquire about
his selection of poetry books. He has several.
Among the folks I hope to see in Elko during the National Cowboy
Poetry Gathering the end of January are Belinda Gail and Kathy
As I headed out the door to run an errand Musgrave. Belinda and Jim ―Curly‖ Musgrave performed as a duo
this past week, I grabbed Gary McMahan‘s at festivals and venues across the country; Kathy and Curly were
married. Curly died December 13, 2009, succumbing to an agGoin‘ My Way? I hadn‘t listened to it yet
gressive brain tumor. (For more on Curly and tributes to him:
and was anxious to hear his first studio album since 1992. The
first recording of Gary‘s that I bought was a cassette tape version www.cowboypoetry.com/curlymusgrave.htm)
of Saddle ‗em up and Go! That tells you how long I‘ve been listenCurly and Belinda sent me an autographed copy of Forever West
ing to his music.
in July 2008, shortly after Belinda‘s husband passed away. The 14
tracks include several Western and cowboy genre standards:
A Colorado native, Gary describes himself as "a singer, song―Roly Poly,‖ ―Silver Spurs,‖ ―Wheels,‖ ―Texas Plains,‖ and several
writer, yodeler, humorist, cowboy poet, and general nuisance."
He‘s all that and the recipient of a National Cowboy and Western you might not expect on a cowboy album: ―I Gave My Love a
Heritage Museum Wrangler Award for ―The First Cowboy Song,‖ Cherry/The Twelfth of Never,‖ ―Last Thing on My Mind,‖ I'll Twine
'Midst the Ringlets/For Lovin' Me.‖ There are also titles penned by
co-written with Doug Green. The song appears on his album, A
Curly and Belinda, such as ―This Cowboy's Missing You‖ and
Cowboyin' Day. Folks who have recorded Gary‘s songs include
Garth Brooks, Ian Tyson, Chris LeDoux, Riders in the Sky, Dave ―Mule Ears in the Sand.‖
Catching up with Old Friends
Stamey, and Juni Fisher.
jamsession@robscabinets.com
But back to Goin‘ My Way? It was good to catch up with Gary
after so many years without a new recording. He scored a hat
trick with three tracks in succession that I especially liked: ―Yodel
Poem,‖ ―Okeechobee Joe,‖ and ―Chaps.‖ Come to think of it,
they‘re the perfect combination of his talents: a yodeling poem, a
song, and a poem. I also thought his arrangement of Sunny Hancock‘s ―The Horse Trade‖ was among the best I‘ve heard. You
can hear all 10 tracks and those from previous albums at
www.singingcowboy.com under "Music."
Cowtown Society of Western Music is
proud to "welcome aboard" our newest
Board of Director, Tom Lee. Tom comes
from a classic small town in the Panhandle of West Texas called Seymour. Tom
has been a long time supporter of Western Swing and Western Music. He has
been active in promoting western music
events in the past. He also has been a valuable asset in promoting the Academy of Western Artists and helping to preserve the
Order Goin‘ My Way? online at www.singingcowboy.com for $15
cowboy way of life for several years. We are proud to have Tom
+ shipping. To order by mail, send $17 to Horse Apple Records,
on our team and feel his expertise and background will prove very
PO Box 90, Bellvue, CO 80512.
beneficial to the growth of Cowtown Society of Western Music.
We look forward to working with Tom to promote and preserve
It‘s been too long since I‘ve seen South Dakota cowboy poet Slim
this rich, musical heritage we all love.
McNaught. We keep in touch via email, but it‘s been a while since
Joe Baker has known Tom Lee for 40 years. Tom knows western
we‘ve been in the same place at the same time. I hear him every
swing music inside out. He's a great promoter and loves what he
now and then on Live! With Jim Thompson. Slim serves as the
does. In Tom Lee's words, "I'm a lifelong inspirational advocate for
official cowboy poet laureate for the afternoon radio show which
more western swing and Texas honkytonk music." Tom will be a
broadcasts from beautiful downtown Spearfish, S.D.
tremendous asset to the Cowtown Society Of Western Music.
Raised on a ranch on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the
Joyce Miller
South Dakota, Slim started writing poetry in high school. He and
CSWM
wife, Darlene, ranched and raised a family in the Buzzard Basin
Secretary/Treasurer
area south of Eagle Nest Butte. Since 1976, they‘ve operated a
custom leather shop. Nearing his 70th birthday, Slim started recit-
joyce@accentwholesale.com
9
Cowboy Poetry at the BAR-D Ranch "He'll Do!"
by Margo Metegrano,
Editor, CowboyPoetry.com
Don't call me no star in the bronc bustin' game—
Sech words is plumb natcherly wrong.
This year's Cowboy Poetry Week—the
Us cowboys jest say, when a feller is game:
ninth annual—is celebrated April 18"He'll do, boys, fer takin' along!"
24. Inaugurated by CowboyPoetry.com, which is a non-profit proDon't call me no "prince of good fellers" nor say
ject of the Center for Western and Cowboy Poetry, the celebration
I'm "bold, brave an' fearless" nor such!
has been recognized by unanimous resolution of the United
Don't claim I'm no "marvel"—no fine "sobrikay"
States Senate. Twenty-two states' governors and other officials
Like "world-beatin' champeen"! Not much!
have issued Cowboy Poetry Week proclamations, and the week
Fer I never hanker fer high-soundin' praise
is celebrated with activities across the West and beyond.
A cowboy can't half understand.
I'd ruther be told, in the old puncher phrase:
"Born to This Land," a painting by premier Western artist Bill
"Say cowboy, yuh'll shore make a hand!"
Owen (www.billowenca.com), was selected as this year's Cowboy
Big words never warm up no cowpuncher's heart
Poetry Week poster art. The painting's title is from an outstanding
In praise of him doin' his best
poem by Red Steagall, past Texas Poet Laureate, singer, songLike them simple phrases. A man does his part—
writer, radio and television host, and entertainer. Posters are sent
"He'll do, boys!" they say in the West.
to libraries as a part of the Center's Rural Library Project and are
© S. Omar Barker, reprinted with the permission of the estate of
available to Center supporters.
S. Omar Barker, further reproduction without explicit permission is
prohibited.
For 2010, there's a new edition of "The BAR-D Roundup," the
Vintage and contemporary photos of featured poets and their
Center's annual compilation recording of classic and current cowfamilies are a part of each year's CD. This year's cover features a
boy poetry, a collection intended to grow as an archive of today's
circa 1940s photo of octogenarian cowboy, poet, and Cowgirl Hall
cowboy poetry ―scene.‖ The annual recording's focus—and that of
of Fame inductee Georgie Sicking. Inside, there's a contemporary
the Center and CowboyPoetry.com—is to preserve and celebrate
photo of Diane Tribitt's family, taken on her Minnesota ranch.
the stories of the real working West. The CD is also offered to
libraries and available for purchase; proceeds help fund the CenPast editions of ―The BAR-D Roundup‖ have enjoyed wide radio
ter's programs.
airplay, and the new edition will also be distributed to hundreds of
Western radio stations, thanks to Joe Baker of New Mexico's
This fifth annual edition of "The BAR-D Roundup" includes vinBackforty Bunkhouse (who also recorded this year's radio public
tage recordings by Charles Badger Clark Jr. (1883-1957) telling
service announcement). Wyoming's Andy Nelson, poet, writer,
how he came to write "A Cowboy's Prayer," followed by his recitahumorist, popular emcee and co-host of the award-winning Clear
tion of the still-popular work. Noted reciters Jerry Brooks and
Out West (C. O. W.) Radio show is the CD's co-producer.
Randy Rieman perform two of Clark's poems, ―The Legend of
Boastful Bill‖ and ―Married Man,‖ respectively. Nevada poet and
―The BAR-D Roundup‖ is offered for sale, with proceeds supportwriter Hal Swift recites one of Clark‘s lesser known poems, "Jeff
ing CowboyPoetry.com ($20 postpaid from CowboyPoetry.com,
Hart."
PO Box 330444, San Francisco, CA 94133 and at CowboyPoetry.com).
Other CD highlights include the somewhat boisterous first track, a
piece of "cowboy brag talk" by the legendary Harry Jackson, from
Take part in Cowboy Poetry Week: Get your schools, libraries,
a rare Smithsonian Folkways recording. Top cowboy poet Waddie
and community involved! Perform your poetry, donate a book,
Mitchell makes his first appearance on the compilation, with his
share your knowledge. Read more about it all at CowboyPothoughtful poem, "No Second Chance."
etry.com.
Continuing a proud tradition, there is a fifth selection from
"Grass," a master work by the late Buck Ramsey, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, recognized as the modern spiritual
leader of the genre. Another "modern classic‖ is included: "Waitin'
on Drive," by the late Larry McWhorter from an acclaimed, justreleased two-CD collection of his complete works.
margo@cowboypoetry.com
Other top poets' offerings include recent NEA Fellow, rancher and
poet Joel Nelson's "Awakenings" and Red Steagall's "The Fence
That Me and Shorty Built." Frequent gathering headliners Yvonne
Hollenbeck, Pat Richardson, Doris Daley, and Andy Nelson present their poems, along with a host of other popular poets, many
of whom frequently appear on contemporary gathering stages.
Included are Marty Blocker, Ken Cook, Janice Gilbertson, DW
Groethe, Chris Isaacs, Dee Strickland Johnson, Rodney Nelson,
Jay Snider, Georgie Sicking, and Diane Tribitt.
Classic poems are recited by Linda Kirkpatrick, Susan Parker,
Rex Rideout, and Jim Thompson. Jim Thompson presents a
poem published in 1928 by S. Omar Barker:
10
A-10 Etcheverry, Creative Achievement Award Winner
Cowtown Society of Western Music 2009 - CrayolaCowboy.com
Cowtown Society Of Western Music's
12th Annual Swing Fest will be at the
holiday Hills Country Club in Mineral
Wells, Texas on May 1st, 2010. Our
host hotel is the Mineral Wells Best
Western. When making your room reservations make sure to mention
"Cowtown Society" for the special
$59.95 room rate. Best Western phone number is 940-325-2270.
The address is 4410 Highway 180, East. The Holiday Hills Country Club is located directly across the highway from the Best
Western Hotel. Food will be available for purchase throughout
Swing Fest along with a cash bar.
We will have four swing bands playing your favorite dance music
from 11am to 11pm with Western Swing Hero inductions throughout the day. This is a special time to see old friends and make
some new ones.
On Friday evening April 30th at 5:30pm, Charlie and Linda O'Bannon will host a Jam Session where they have a really cool metal
barn complete with tables and chairs, band stand and a dance
complete with corn meal. And you can dance to live western
swing music. This will be a bring your own beverages jam.
O'Bannon's address is 10708 Mineral Wells Highway which is
about 3 miles east of the Best Western Hotel.
If you need additional directions and more information you can
call Linda at 940-452-1118 or Joe Baker at 575-808-4111.
-Joe Baker
Rick Huff‘s Best Of The West Reviews
Jim Jones
"Back Home On The Range"
I think Jim Jones must be the record holder...or
would that be "CD Holder??" He has released
four albums in just over a year!! Well, if ya got it
in ya...
With three exceptions
this collection is basically Jim's nice
acoustic version of
That One I've talked
about -- the album of
repeatedly requested
classics that artists
seem to do well to
have available for
their fan bases.
"Home On The
Range," "Cattle Call,"
"Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Back In The
Saddle," "Colorado Trail" "Ragtime Cowboy Joe"...you know the
group. Also present are solid takes of "Waltz Across Texas" and
"Stay All Night." And there are three originals at the end of the
eleven song offering.
CD: $15 plus $3 s/h from Jim Jones, PO Box 2264, Corrales, NM
87048 or $12.97 through cdbaby.com (search Jim Jones) and
$9.99 for MP3 downloads.

by Rick Huff
bestofthewest@swpc.com
News From BobWill.com
I was thinking the other day
about the recent program we aired
with the late, great Adolph Hoffner
as our guest. It was great fun to
hear again after so many years! I
think you‘d enjoy it as Adolph was
one of the very first great pioneers
of Texas Swing type music. It got
me to thinking about how these
interviews came about.
I was a DJ on a small country station near Houston in the 1980‘s when I was determined to get
publicity for so many of the living pioneers in the area. I had first
produced a 30 minute TV pilot called ―Houston Country‖, but could
never get any assistance trying to get sponsors. That‘s when I
decided it would be easier to produce a one hour radio show that
would include interviews and music of those Texas Swing pioneers.
I called the shows ―Rhythm Roundup‖ and before long I had at
least 40 of these programs produced and aired once a week on
the little station near Houston. There were plenty of guests nearby
to do programs. Legendary players like Herb Remington, Cliff
Bruner, Floyd Tilman, Pappy Self etc. I had a state of the art recording studio near Sugarland at the time and when possible I
had the guests come there to record.
I also had a portable tape recorder and traveled around the state
to visit with other great musicians that were instrumental in creating the music we call Western Swing. The Adolph Hoffner show
was recorded at his house in San Antonio. All of the many folks
we interviewed were gracious and anxious to talk about their careers.
We‘ve been doing Bob Wills Radio now for some seven months
and many of these classic interviews are already archived on the
site. You can be sure that all of them will show up there in the
near future. We‘re still searching out contemporary musicians who
were influenced by the Bob Wills‘ style and will continue to bring
them to the show as well.
Once again thanks for all your support and remember, ―it don‘t
mean a thing if it ain‘t got that swing‖!
Jim Gough
jimgoughmrtexas@aol.com
Jim's "Freedom's Getting Harder To Find" is a tribute to our military, and a wonderfully creative new song co-written by Jim with
Bruce Huntington (formerly with Trails & Rails) called "Wyatt's
Lament" deserves to be picked up by other artists. The final song
I'll refrain from commenting on, except to say Jim and I co-wrote
it. It's called "Light (Tribute To Wilson Hurley)." Obviously I'm
going to be pretty partial to it, but I'll let you review that one when
you hear it!
Sponsored in part by:
11
badbob1026@aol.com
12
Cowtown Society of Western Music
3709 E Hwy 67, Cleburne, Texas 76031
President
Gary Beaver
Vice President
Larry Lange
Secretary
Joyce Miller
Treasurer
Joyce Miller
Board Member
Jerry Tatum
Board Member
Joe Baker
Board Member
Tom Lee
Advisory Board Member
Brady Bowen
Buddie Hrabal
Chuck Curtis
Membership Director
Joe Baker
Webmaster
Howard Higgins
Website
www.cowtown-swm.org
E-mail
info@cowtown-swm.org
*********************Press Release*********************
Official 2010 Western Swing Heroes
th
12 Annual Western Swing Heroes-May 1st, 2010. Holiday Hills Country Club.
Mineral Wells, Texas
Raymond Keller, Rockwall, Texas Hero
Maryann Price, Austin, Texas Hero
Tommy Harvell, Blackwell, Texas Hero (Posthumous)
Bill Mitchell, Weatherford, Texas Hero
Eddie Ferguson, Bowie, Texas Hero
Cornell Hurd, Dripping Springs, Texas Hero
Ken Carter, Arlington, Texas Hero
Larry Lange, Wichita Falls, Texas Hero
Clint Finley, Wichita Falls, Texas Hero
Chris O’Connell, Alameda, California Hero
Jim Grabowske, Austin, Texas Hero
Buddy Stephens, Garland, Texas Hero
Billy McBay, Garland, Texas Hero
Frank Johnson, Weatherford, Texas Hero
Jerry Van Kirk, Fort Worth, Texas Hero
Chuck Curtis, Mineral Wells, Texas President’s Choice
Ray & Beth Willingham, Angleton, Texas Fans Of The Year
Pat Jacobs, Burleson, Texas Publication Of The Year
Lex Graham, Winthorst, Texas Creative Acheivement
Allen Bailey, Meade, Kansas Disc Jockey
Brook Wallace, Burleson, Texas Rising Star Of The Year
MB Corral, Wichita Falls, Texas Venue Of The Year
Living Legends Awards Presented By Backforty Bunkhouse Productions
Leon Rausch, Fort Worth, Texas Living Legend
Roy Lee Brown, Aledo, Texas Living Legend
Billy Dozier, Denison, Texas Living Legend
Joe Baker
Membership Director
Member, Board Of Directors
Cowtown Society of Western Music
Joe Baker, Membership Director, 106 Roswell St, Ruidoso, NM 88345 (575) 808-4111
Email: joe@backfortybunkhouse.com
13
14
National Cutting Horse Association
260 Bailey Ave. * Fort Worth, TX 76107
Zack T. Wood Jr., 19262010
Zack Wood, who served as Executive Director of the NCHA for
28 years from the 1960s until
1990, passed away February 13
in Fort Worth, Texas. Services
will be held 3:00 p.m. February
20 at Holy Apostles Episcopal
Church, 3900 Longvue Ave, Fort
Worth 76126. A reception will
follow at the church. At the request of the family, memorial donations may be made to
NCHA Charities Foundation, 260 Bailey Ave., Fort Worth,
TX 76107. There will be a tribute to Zack Wood in the April
issue of Cutting Horse Chatter.
Seminar postponed
Due to Zack Wood's funeral, the Judges Recertification
Seminar scheduled for February 20 in Carthage, Missouri,
has been postponed.
Last call for Eastern National Championships entries
All entries fro the NCHA Eastern National Championships,
presented by 6666 Ranch, are due. Fax your entry to the
$200,000-added show in Jackson, Mississippi to the NCHA
office at (817) 244-2015 no later than 5 p.m. Central time
on Friday, February 19. The show will be March 8-20.
Eastern National Championships Program going to
press
The deadline is Thursday, February 18 for advertising in
the Eastern National Championships Program. The program
will be distributed for free at the show, and will also be
available to cutters everywhere through the online edition
on the world wide web. Get your 2010 program started off
right by contacting Mark Herron today.
Pooley, Hansma win Mercuria NCHA World Series
San Antonio finals
Don Pooley marked 222 on Peppys Shorty Nino to win the
Open finals at the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting
at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo on Superbowl
Sunday. The 9-year-old son of Peppys Boy 895 is owned by
Larry and Alice Irvin. Julie Hansma marked a career best of
226 to win the Non-Pro on 6-year-old Al Poocino, by Dual
Pep. Each division carried $25,000 in added money.
With the support of Mercuria Global Energy, the NCHA
World Series has expanded to 8 shows in 2010. The next
stop in the Mercuria NCHA World Series will be the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, March 3-5, following a full
slate of AQHA cutting and NCHA classes beginning February 25.
Judges seminars
All NCHA approved judges are required to attend at least
one Recertification Seminar in 2010 to keep their judging
card for 2011. For the convenience of the judges, NCHA
will be holding twelve (12) Judge's Recertification Seminars
throughout the year at various locations in the United
States. The 2010 fee for recertification is $125 and and pre
-payment and pre-registration is required. For more information, contact the NCHA Judges' Department at 817-2446188 extension 158 or email hdavis@nchacutting.com.
Judges may attend more than one seminar at no extra
cost.
1. February 20th Carthage, Missouri POSTPONED. New
date to be announced.
2. March 11th in Jackson, Mississippi
3. April 7th during Super Stakes in Fort Worth, Texas
4. May at the B.I. in Tulsa, Oklahoma (date to be determined),
5. June 4th in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania
6. June 27th in Reno, Nevada.
7. Canada (date and location to be determined)
8. August 10th in Oregon. (location to be determined)
9. September in Rancho Murieta, California (date to be determined),
10.October in Columbus, Ohio (date to be determined),
11.November 5th , Batesville, Mississippi
12.December in Fort Worth, Texas (date to be determined).
A European Judge Applicant Clinic and Recertification
Seminar is scheduled in Italy on May 13-14. All current
European Judges are required to be recertified in 2010.
Pete Fanning, NCHA Judge and Monitor will be the instructor. Please contact Claudia Zanoni at for more information
regarding this event.
Video Support Team launched
An NCHA Video Support Team has been organized to help
video businesses better meet the requirements of recording NCHA-approved shows. Visit the new Video Support Team website.
NCHA membership
Renew your 2010 NCHA Membership now! And if you plan
to compete at the Amateur or Non Professional level, don't
forget to complete your Amateur/Non-Pro Application . For
more information, contact Julie Davis or Peggy Cox, or call
817-244-6188.
Bonanza continues through Saturday
The $100,000-added Bonanza Cutting is underway at its
new home of Alvarado, Texas, and continues through February 20. There is a live webcast.
Who's winning?
Having trouble figuring out the breeding on this year's big
winners? Can't remember who won what? Blogger, author
and statistician Sally Harrison has compiled an interactive
guide to the results of this season's major events, at
www.sallyharrison.com, an official news outlet of the
NCHA. You can review the details on all the finalists, and
click on a horse's name for a listing of all the events where
15
Futurity videos are here
The action-packed telecast of the
2009 Borden Milk NCHA Futurity is
now available. The 2-disc set features
Open Champion Rockin W, ridden by
Tony Piggott for Walton's Rocking W
Ranch; Non-Pro Champion Kelle Earnheart riding Badgers Perscription; and
Amateur Co-Champions Kim Ziegelgruber on Mates Special Boy and Jamie Goertz on Desires Prissy Cat. Order the 2-disc set now for just $29.95, plus S&H and tax.
it was a finalist. New results are added as they become
available, including these recent events:
Bonanza
Mercuria NCHA World Series, San Antonio
Tunica Futurity
Augusta Futurity
Abilene Spectacular
NYCHA Stallion Service program second phase ends
June 1
The first section of the 2010 NYCHA Stallion Service Program has ended and now enters the second phase where
2010 NCHA Cutting Academy Grassroots Clinics
breedings can be purchased at 60% of the stud fee until
scheduled
June 1. Check out nychastallionauction.com today for
The NCHA Cutting Academy grass roots clinics are targeted
more details. Here are just a few of the great breedings
toward Amateur riders and are designed to help improve
that are available for purchase: ARC Sparkle Surprise,
showmanship in the arena. Session I of the Cutting AcadHaidas Hook, Jazzy Joe Fajita, Peptoboonsmart,
emy includes understanding rules and improving showRazz O Taz, Silver Gun and Zacks Little Lena.
manship, equine nutrition and more. The cost, which inThe Stallion Service Program is the
cludes a light breakfast and lunch, is just $25 at the door.
primary fundraiser for the NYCHA.
Session II features live work critiques with some of the
These stallion owners have generindustry's leading experts. Prepayment of $125 required,
ously donated the breeding to their
contact Julie Davis at the NCHA office for additional inforstallions to support NCHA's youth
mation and reservations. Here's a schedule for upcoming
program. 100% of the money from
clinics, sponsored by Purina Mills:
the winning bids goes to the NYCHA.
Funds raised from this program help
June 4 – Mountain Springs Arena – Shartlesville,
support youth scholarships, youth
Pennsylvania Grass Roots Seminar - June 4 - 8:00 am
awards and various youth activities.
to 4:00 p.m. with NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord
Thank you to all those who have donated a breeding so far
and Hall of Fame Trainer Chris Benedict. Contact Julie
this year, this program would not be possible without your
Davis at the NCHA office for additional information and
continued support. If you would like to register to bid it is
reservations. PA CHA Show - June 5-6 – NCHA Weekend
not too late, please visit nychastallionauction.com for more
– Mountain Springs Arena, Shartlesville, PA.
information!
November 5 – Arena One – Batesville, Mississippi
Grass Roots Seminar – November 5 - 8:00 am to 4:00
p.m. with NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord and Hall
of Fame Trainer Phil Rapp. Contact Julie Davis at the NCHA
office for additional information and reservations. Mid
South CHA Show – November 4, 6-7 -Weekend & LAE
Show – Arena One, Batesville, MS. Judges Recertification Seminar - (Judges only) - Friday - November 5, 2010
- 7:00 pm
Super Stakes schedule
The tentative schedule for the XTO Energy NCHA Super
Stakes is online. The $2 million show begins March 26 and
runs through April 16 in Fort Worth, Texas. The Western
Mercantile in the Exhibit Hall will open for business April 1.
No cutting on Easter Sunday, April 4.
Super Stake Open and Non-Pro final payments are now
due and entries in all "auxiliary" classes must be received
no later than February 25. All slots must be named by that
time to avoid an additional $500.
Tune in to NCHA Radio
NCHA has launched a new internet radio station, ncharadio.com,
bringing "Real Country for Real
Cutters," around the clock and
around the world. The innovative
The race is on . . .
Here's a look at the early leaders of the 2010 point year:
Open
Ms Peppy Cat
$10,068 Mocha
$7,221
Cappuccino
Non-Pro McKenzie
Mullins
$50,000 Elizabeth
Amateur Booth
$6,314 Mary Jo
Milner
$4,424 Teri Lynne
$3,893
Waggoner
$35,000
Katherine
Non-Pro
Hall
$15,000
Gordon
Amateur
Gowdy
$3,000
ARC Kitty
Novice
Cat
$5,000
Stephen Norris’ $6,156 Sally
Novice
Peptowood
$1,056 C D
$1,026
DeHaan
$1,443 Tom Luge
$1,242
$4,023 Silver Pepto $3,760
Pistol
Nakawawa’s
Cat N Charm
16
$5,360
$2,701
station is believed to be a first for an equine association,
offering the world’s most popular country music, along
with up-to-the minute news of NCHA events, promotions
and more. The new venture is a partnership between the
National Cutting Horse Association and Internet Cowboys,
LLC.
$2,000
Must-have DVDs for 2010!
NCHA's brand new video, How to Score Higher, is a 2-DVD
set featuring Matt Gaines and Roger Wagner, telling you
how to get the score you're looking for. Guest stars include
Lindy Burch, Tom Lyons, Chubby Turner and Zack T. Wood
Jr. Plus there's a new DVD featuring Tom Holt's Top Ten, a
selection of great rides from the Voice of Cutting himself.
Order now!
Western Bloodstock Announces Major Changes at the
2010 Super Stakes Sale
The new year brings major changes to the scheduling of
the NCHA Super Stakes Sale. NCHA will dedicate a separate weekend of finals competition to the open division as
well as to the non-pro/amateur divisions at this year's
show. In cooperation with this change, Western Bloodstock
will host its annual sale during the open finals weekend.
The dates, details and deadlines for this year's sale are as
follows:
 NCHA Super Stakes Sale - April 3
 Limited to: Riders Under Saddle, Breeding Stock
 Consignment Fee: $450.00
 Pass-Out Fee: FREE
 Entry Deadline: March 1 due to earlier sale
date.....consign now
Free pass-out (RNA) fees at the 2010 Super Stakes
Sale
In response to the current state of the economy, Western
Bloodstock has dropped all pass-out (RNA) fees on horses
that do not meet the reserve at the 2010 Super Stakes
Sale. Be sure to take advantage of this first time offer.
Download a consignment contract or call Western Bloodstock at (817) 594-9210.
Cool it!
Here's a unique and “cool” new item
for your barn or backyard: a custommade wooden ice chest with the NCHA
logo and your ranch name or brand.
Email info@abarr.net for more information.
Limit
Rider
Roper
Curtiss
$1,137 Blayne
Edney
$1,029
Senior
Youth
Taylor
Carbo
15 (tie) Alannah
Chalmers
15 (tie)
Junior
Youth
Skylar
Kidd
15
13
$10,000
Novice
Smooth
Little Cat
$6,169 Mates Irish $3,547
Mist
$15,000
Novice
Sherry Graham’s $4,672 Steven
A Hillbilly
Norris’
Cat
Don’t Hick
Up
Aubrey
Pigg
$3876
A million hits a month
Sallyharrison.com, the world's most popular cutting horse
blog, is averaging more than a million page views each
month. Written by author, historian and Daily Chatter editor Sally Harrison, sallyharrison.com is an official news outlet of the National Cutting Horse Association. Recent posts
include the influence of an old-time sire, the breeding
home of three of 2009's top sires, recaps of the Abilene
Spectacular, deadly cold weather in the 19th Century, the
top sires of 2009, recommended reading from an NCHA
Hall of Famer, the latest all-time sire standings, the leading
riders, leading sires and leading dams of 2009, and lots
more.
Besides keeping up with the latest news and greatest features, you can find out about cost-effective advertising solutions on the world's most popular cutting horse blog.
Million-dollar bonus offered
The David McDavid family has announced a $1 million bonus to any horse sired by Hes A Peptospoonful that wins
the NCHA Open Futurity through 2013. The McDavids, who
sponsor the live telecast of the NCHA Futurity on RFD-TV,
are also offering a sizable bonus to Non-Pro, Limited NonPro and Amateur winners sired by Hes A Peptospoonful or
Widows Freckles at all three of NCHA's Triple Crown
events, through the 2014 NCHA Summer Spectacular. Read
more here.
Cutters on TV
Don't miss NCHA Rode to the Winner's Circle on RFD-TV this week,
Friday at 2:30 p.m. Central. This
week's show features Cutting industry highlights and interviews
from across the country. See the
week's complete schedule for re-broadcast times and see
what's scheduled in coming weeks here.
Hey folks, when you tune in the NCHA Radio, you will hear a familiar voice, Jim Gough. Jim is doing
some voiceovers plugging the National Cutting Horse Association. In addition to the NCHA Radio you can
find Mister Texas every Monday at Noon hosting Bob Wills Radio at www.Bob Wills.com complete with
western swing music and interviews with some of the legends in the industry and some how or another,
he still finds time to play dances around the Austin, Texas area. Here at the Backforty Bunkhouse, we're
proud of ol' Jim. He's the Real Deal!
-Joe Baker
17
Tri-Son News
Biggest Little News Sheet In Country Music (Since 1963) • February 2010 Issue
__________________________________________________________________________
Loudilla and Kay Johnson • P.O. Box 40328 • Nashville, TN 37204 • Ph. 615-371-9596
__________________________________________________________________________
Kenny Rogers, universally known icon of American entertainment, will be performing at the event of his lifetime this spring. A "Kenny
Rogers: The First 50 Years" television spectacular. The star studded, rollicking celebration, will be filled with music and comedy
from some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world performing, appearing and sharing stories about Rogers and his music. Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss, Wynonna and The Oak Ridge Boys are just some of the early names already
announced to appear on the show. The array of artists will be part of the performance, and a few will host different segments of the
show travelling through Kenny's six decades of hits. The show will tape on April 10 at the MGM Grand At Foxwoods (Mashantucket,
CT) and will be produced by Dreamcatcher Artist Management and Locomotive Entertainment Group. Tickets may be purchased
starting Feb. 11 online at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com, by calling the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Box Office at 1-866-646-0609, by calling Ticketmaster, or in person at the MGM Grand Box Office.
News Briefs: Kenny Chesney is set for 4 dates at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, first on May 14 & 15 and
then July 2 and 3. ••• Wynonna Judd announced last week that she will reunite with her mother, Naomi Judd, for a final “The
Judds” tour. Details and schedule to be announced. ••• Sugarland will kick of their 2010 tour, dubbed “The Incredible Machine,” on
April 23 in Primm, Nevada, then move on to more than 55 cities nationwide. ••• Rural Rhythm Records will release the new album, Carolina Hurricane by bluegrass band, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road on April 13. ••• Michael Martin Murphey and
his Buckaroo Blue Grass friends ride again on the Feb. 9 album release of Buckaroo Blue Grass II. The album expands on his
passions of his Grammy nominated album, Buckaroo Blue Grass, creating fully acoustic bluegrass versions of songs about the region to which Murphey has been deeply connected for a lifetime – the American Southwest. ••• Nashville's Buck Howdy, a 4time Grammy nominee, walked away with his first official prize at this year's Grammy Awards -- in the Children's category for spoken
Word -- which included such stiff competition as the acclaimed Ed Asner. Howdy's trophy was awarded to the family entertainer for
his self-produced album, AHHHHH! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs on Prairie Dog Records.
The 20th annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge http://www.cityofhope.org is set for June 7 at Greer Stadium in Nashville. Considered as an unofficial kickoff to the CMA Music Festival, the high-profile game features country stars, athletes and celebrities taking the field to represent team sponsors Grand Ole Opry Live and After MidNite with Blair Garner.
Carrie Underwood will be among the stars performing as part of Nightly Concerts on the Concert Stage at LP Field during this
year's CMA Music Festival June 10-13 in Nashville. Festival tickets are available now. Four-day ticket prices range from $110 to
$185. To purchase, call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit www.CMAfest.com; or www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-byphone at (800) 745-3000. Prices do not include applicable handling fees. and are subject to change without notice. All sales are final
and non-refundable. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMAFEST (262-3378).
General Tommy Franks (Ret.) has been confirmed as the keynote speaker at Operation Yellow Ribbon to be held at Lipscomb
University March 23. Special acoustic performances by Charlie Daniels and Amy Grant will also be a part of the evening activities.
Operation Yellow Ribbon features a daylong symposium sponsored by Lipscomb University and Challenge America. The symposium will focus on discussions about solutions for the transition from battlefield to home front for returning military. Breakout sessions
will address a variety of topics including returning injured military and adapting to life after those injuries.
Music City, Inc. has announced the sixth class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame, presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Dr. R.H. Boyd, Cowboy Jack Clement, Mike Curb, Marty Stuart, Josh Turner and CeCe Winans. Honorees
will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on April 19 in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown
Nashville. The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public.
News Briefs: Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® has announced Eric Church and Emily West will perform for the Capitol Nashville luncheon during CRS 2010, to be held Feb. 24-26 in Nashville. ••• Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® has announced the
talent lineup for the Sony Music Nashville luncheon at CRS 2010. The show, held in the CMA Performance Hall, will include performances from Alan Jackson and Danny Gokey, plus a special announcement from Brooks & Dunn.
Country breakout act Burns & Poe has signed on with the Dan Post Boot Company for their Dan Post brand. The Clarksville, Tennessee-based western boot company will outfit Keith Burns and Michelle Poe with footwear as they embark on a tour and appearances to support new single and 2010 album release.
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will present rare program with Brenda Lee, Marty Stuart and Tanya Tucker on Feb.
20. The Kid’s Got Talent: Child Stardom in the Music Business, which is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Brenda
Lee: Dynamite, Presented by Great American Country Television Network, will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum‘s Ford Theater. The program is included with Museum admission and is free to Museum members.
When tickets went on sale last week for Brad Paisley's August 2 show at Boston‘s Gillette Stadium, not only did it become the latest
venue to sell-out, it also happens to be the biggest venue to sell-out, as more than 50,000 tickets were sold. Appearing with Paisley at
Gillette Stadium for the 7th Annual New England Country Music Festival: Jason Aldean, Sara Evans, Darius Rucker and newcomer Easton Corbin. Paisley‘s American Saturday Night Tour was recently touted as the #2 tour in attendance of all genres
in Billboard’s Hot Tour tally for 2010 so far.
18
Dallas-based independent record label, Carved Records, has officially opened for business and signed Texas country charttoppers, No Justice, a five-piece band from Stillwater, Okla. The group has enjoyed significant regional success and airplay in Oklahoma and Texas, playing more than 150 dates per year and landing numerous No. 1 singles on the Texas charts, including ―Never
Come Back‖ and ―Don’t Walk Away.” No Justice is currently in Nashville completing their debut album for the label with producer Dexter Green. The project expands on the group‘s Country, Rock and Roots sound and is scheduled for a late spring 2010
release.
The lineup of stars slated for the 3rd annual Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival shines brighter and brighter. Organizers have announced the addition of Dierks Bentley, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Matt Kennon and Houston
County. Previously announced were Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, LoCash Cowboys, Jake Owen, Colt Ford, Blackberry
Smoke, plus Hank Williams, Jr., who will appear at BamaJam in what will be his only Alabama appearance in 2010. Three-day and
1-day flex tickets, along with camping packages, and the first time Premium Preferred seats for the extravaganza may be purchased
by visiting www.bamajamfestival.com or by calling (877) 422-6252. Take advantage of special early-bird pricing for a limited time only.
• Feb. 24-26 - Country Radio Seminar 41 - Nashville
• Apr. 14-17 - Country Thunder USA - Florence, AL
• Jun. 3-5 - BamaJam Music & Arts Festival - Enterprise, AL
• Jun. 10-13 - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival - Manchester, TN
• Jun. 10-13 - CMA Music Festival - Nashville
• July. 22-25 - Country Thunder USA - Twin Lakes, WI
• Oct. 3-5 - IEBA Conference - Nashville
These events and more are listed on our LINKS page! www.ifco.org/
__________________________________________________________________
Tri-Son News • Annual Subscription $25 (U.S. Funds) • Distributed electronically to subscribers worldwide
and updated on www.ifco.org (Online subscription form available.)
CSWM ADVERTISING FOR
12th Annual Swing Fest
Program 2010
Kennewick, WA. 7th Annual Columbia River
Cowboy Gathering, April 9 -11, 2010. Contact Ed
Dailey: email: ed.dailey979@yahoo.com website:
www.cowboygettogether.com Phone: (509)-9475785
Kennewick, WA. The 7th Annual Columbia River
Cowboy Gathering will take place April 9 -11, 2010
Smoke Wade
at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick,
WA. The event is organized by Ed Dailey of the Legends Of
Country syndicated radio show, Tri-Cities, WA, along with his
wife, Angie and Budd & Judy Massengale.
Business Card Ad…………..……...$15.00
1/4 Page Ad……………………..…...$35.00
1/2 Page Ad…………………...…......$60.00
Full Page Ad……………………......$100.00
Inside Back Cover Full Page….....$115.00
Outside Back Cover Full Page…..$130.00
Featured performers this year include cowboy poets, BJ Smith
and Sam DeLeeuw. Sourdough Slim returns for his third year at
the gathering. Headliners include Grand Ol' Opry star, Stonewall
Jackson. Also headlining the show are Nashville stars Sage Keffer and Jimmy Fortune. Fortune spent twenty years with the Statler Brothers.
All ads will be black and white. $25 extra for color per ad
Checks or cash only. No credit cards accepted.
Deadline for ad - March 15, 2010
Scheduled daytime performances will be presented on Friday and E-mail ad to: joyce@accentwholesale.com
Saturday, April 9 – 10, 2010, from noon to 6:00 p. m. There will
Joyce Miller
be open mic sessions throughout both days. Headliner Shows will Mailing address:
3709 E Highway 67
take place at 6:00 p.m. each evening, followed by a cowboy
Cleburne, TX 76031
dance with Zac Grooms and his band Unwound. A Cowboy
Church will be held on Sunday morning featuring a special gospel
Name:
concert by Jimmy Fortune.
One of the highlights of the weekend will be a contest for both
poets and musicians during the gathering hosted by Smoke
Wade. In addition, all open mic performers will be judged throughout the weekend with a prize money and trophies to the winners
of all events. Contest applicants contact Smoke Wade smokewade@clarkston.com 208-746-7652
For information regarding advance ticket sales, RV parking, special Motel rates, or vendor & performer applications, visit
the Website: www.cowboygettogether.com . Or contact Ed
Dailey: Email - legendsofcountry@cs.com or
ed.dailey979@yahoo.com or mail to: Columbia River Cowboy
Gathering, P.O.Box 6438, Kennewick, WA 99336 Phone (509)
947-5785 .
Address:
City:
Business phone:
State:
Zip:
Cell:
Ad size:
Copy attached: Yes
Mailing ad:
smokewade@clarkston.com
19
No
E-Mailing ad:
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Chuck Paul, Owner
Your Online Source for Everything Western... CRAZYHORSEWEST.COM
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Hey folks,
want to see some of the finest western swing and traditional country music, I like to call it Real Texas Music. Simply go to http://TexasCountyLine.tv and click on "View
Shows" and you can experience some of the finest the
Lone Star State has to offer. Ray Price, Jody Nix, Heart Of
Texas Artists, Bob Wills, Dennis Ivey, Bobby Flores, Jake
Hooker and the list goes on and on. Always check back to
the Texas County Line for new shows. Just add to your
favorites,
http://TexasCountyLine.tv
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The Backforty Bunkhouse Calendar
has arrived and is located on the last page of
this Newsletter. An original drawing by the
Cowtown Society Of Western Music's
2009 Creative Achievement Award honoree,
A-10 Etcheverry
from T or C, New Mexico.
Be sure to print our calendar for your
use throughout the 2010 year.
-Joe Baker, Publisher
―Always…Patsy Cline‖ Opens
at The Texas Opry in Magnolia,
Texas on April 10th.
formances are Saturday at 2p.m. and 7:30p.m. with a Sunday
afternoon matinee at 2p.m- April 10th, 11th, 17th, and18th. Despite
the likelihood of sold out performances, the show WILL NOT be
extended. For tickets, call the Texas Opry Theater Box Office in
Magnolia, Texas at
281) 356-6779. Tickets are $25/each.
The worldwide smash hit
musical, Always…Patsy
Cline written and originally
directed by Ted Swindley
will open for a two week
run at the Texas Opry on
Saturday, April 10, with a
matinee at 2pm and an
evening performance at
7:30p.m., and Sunday
matinee at 2pm, running
thru April 18th.
From The Messenger…
Rhonda Craig, Enid OK
Canton Texas Valentine Western
Swing Festival:
I could write pages about this festival
and still not capture or convey how
awesome it was. The joy of socializing
with old & new friends, the music, the
dancing, the laughter, the vendors, the
food… that just can‘t be expressed through text… I guess it is
just…‖better felt than telt‖ …but I‘ll try.
This enormously popular
show gives the audience a
remarkable opportunity to
spend an unforgettable
evening with the ―First
Lady of Country Music‖ –
Miss Patsy Cline. Aside
from being a showcase of more than two-dozen of Patsy Cline‘s
greatest hits, Always…Patsy Cline is a hilarious, touching tribute
to the singer‘s relationship with her biggest fan – Louise Seger.
The Festival planners and promoters:
Jim Fuller and the Canton Chamber of Commerce started this
festival last year and it was terrific then…but this year they outdid
themselves! There was something for everyone. Both listeners
(Those who don‘t dance) and the dancers (who demand good
dance music) were appeased and that is a tough call! Last year
the ticket buyers made lots of suggestions, to which they listened,
and many implemented. The main suggestion was please do not
compromise the music…that‘s what brings us to your festival.
Another suggestion was to extend the festival to three days inDirector Marjean Creager is thrilled to be sharing this delightful
stead of two. Both of these requests were honored. What an acevening of musical entertainment with the fans of country music. complishment for this dedicated group. They laid themselves and
―The casting of a two-character show is essential to the ultimate
their money on the line in good faith believing if they built it…we
success of the production. Finding a musical performer who can would come. Jim Fuller said ―I can pick everything but the
capture the signature style of Patsy Cline, and who must have the weather.‖ I believe had it not been for the snow storm of the centraining and discipline to perform over 26 songs at every perform- tury that blanketed all of north Texas with 12 inches of snow, the
ance is a daunting task. Creager feels blessed to have found
Canton Civic Center would have had standing room only.
award winning singer/songwriter Mary Allen-Keating for the role.
The Faithful Western Swing Fans:
―Mary channels the sound and style of Patsy Cline and astonishes us with every performance.‖
Many of the faithful western swing fans refused to be denied by
Although Mary handles the singing in the show, the vast burden
of the dialogue goes to Lastelle McVey, playing Patsy‘s ―Number
One Fan,‖ Louise Sager, from Deer Park, Texas. Lastelle is a
talented singer and actress in her own right and embodies the
warmth of a Texas honky-tonk gal while remaining true to the
heartfelt sentiments of the play. ―Louise is a bigger than life character who loves people and loves a good story‖ said the director.
―I‘m especially excited to have some spontaneous fun with the
audience…so don‘t be surprised if you buy a ticket and become a
part of the show!‖
Rounding out the cast is the legendary Western Swing band The
River Road Boys with musical director, Cindy Rohe. These world
renowned musicians have been exciting audiences with their up
tempo dance tunes since 1971. The entire River Road Boys band
was inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame in 1998.
Additionally, every individual member of the band has been inducted into various Western Swing Halls of Fame around the
country. ―I am honored to sing with these amazing musicians!
Some of whom have actually played with Patsy Cline! Their great
Western Swing style brings the energy of the show to life.‖ says
Allen-Keating.
Always…Patsy Cline opens Saturday, April 10 at 2p.m. Per-
the storm and still drove in treacherous weather to get there. Others came days in advance. The 2010 Cowtown Society Heroes,
Ray and Beth Willingham from Huston, 2009 Heroes Buddy and
Darlene Thornton, 2008 Heroes, Buddy and Sue Howe were all
there greeting us as we arrived, cheering the bands and their
friends on. Soon, the Queen of Legends of Western Swing, Gloria
Miers, then the Mena AR Dance Festival promoters, Bill & Hope
Reed, arrived, shaking the snow off their feet ready to dance.
Fans from Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas,
Oklahoma, north, east, central, and south Texas were there. But I
was amazed at how many of our far west friends from west &
northwest Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico were there in force.
Indeed, this western swing family is amazing.
The unbelievable music:
Thursday: The River Road Boys from Huston kicked it off. Wow!
Then those sharp dressed Round Up Boys from Tulsa kept us
going strong. Bobby Flores and his Yellow Rose Band finished up
both sessions Thursday with the touch of class that only Bobby
Flores can add. Just divine! What a wonderful musical day it
was… while the biggest snowflakes I had ever seen fell outside! I
guess it‘s true…everything‘s bigger in Texas!
Friday: The day started out on the doubtful side. The rumors flying around at breakfast spread like wildfire among the fans via cell
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phones. Messages like Jake Hooker couldn‘t get out of his driveway; Dave Alexander was only going to give one performance in
the evening and the Lonestar Troubadours were there but had no
drums so the music was going to be postponed until I can tell you
folks… tantrums were being rehearsed by the restless fans who
had no desire to sit in their rooms all day since they had came to
dance or listen to the best music on the planet.
‗Lord …Here am I …send me‖ Isaiah 6:8
Larry Lange (Lonestar Troubadours), who always has his finger
on the pulse of the fans, saw a disaster in the making. These heroes stepped up to the plate for Mr. Fuller, the Chamber folks,
and us WS fans. They had wisely made the 9 hour trek from
Wichita Falls during the storm the day before (Thursday) fearing
travel conditions on Friday would make a Friday noon performance impossible. Having only a snare drum (bass drum had not
yet arrived) was no reason for the show to stop so Larry said,
―We came to play…let us play‖…and play they did… for over 4
hours with only a 10 minute break. Folks, that‘s a band with a
heart for the fans and we wanted them to know how much we
appreciated it. We gave them our ―Victory lap‖, which is really an
―appreciation lap.‖ The dancers show their gratitude and approval
for a band‘s performance by dancing single file between the Listeners and the stage with their thumbs up and offering other signs
of approval. That gesture touched the band members…they knew
exactly what we were doing and they appreciated being appreciated.
Jake Hooker arrived after the dinner break and he too did Yeoman‘s duty that evening, performing for over three hours. His little
toddler son played his drums down on the floor in front of the
stage adoring every move his daddy made. (We have another
musician in the making) The ―Appreciation Lap‖ was launched
again. What wonderful dance music Jake played that packed the
dance floor. Dave Alexander and his Big Texas Swing Band
rounded out another phenomenal day of music with their 90 minute performance. What could have been a lemon was turned into
lemonade and we drank our fill!
Saturday: The snow was melting under the warm Texas sun and
the fans kept coming. The Quebe Sisters‘ music was just what the
listeners had been waiting for. ..Fast perfect fiddle harmony and
beautiful perfect vocal harmony. The listeners were mesmerized.
Eddie McAlvain & the Mavericks and Jody Nix & his West Texas
Cowboys fueled the dancer‘s fire that the other bands had
started. Eddie is a genuine Western Swing band, complete with
sax and fiddle. Oh dear gussy…just thinking about his music
makes my feet twitch even as I type. And Jody…now folks if you
can sit still during Jody‘s performance and particularly during his
final dueling Fiddle breakdown then I suggest you make an appointment with your heart doctor! You must be dead!! Oh my!
Incredible! No wonder Jody has been successfully playing his
wonderful music 50 years for his adoring fans and presidents as
well.
This Canton Western Swing FIX may hold me until I can get to
Wichita Falls the last of March for the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest (WSMSS) Showcase that will be at the Elks
Lodge.
Hope to see you soon on the dance floor... If not I hope to hear
from you on the WSEN/WSPN (Western swing email and prayer
network) rhondacraig@suddenlink.net
Love to all,
For more than one
hundred years,
people have been
fascinated with the
American cowboy.
As a cowboy
fan myself, I felt
compelled to write
my own story about
this icon of the
Western plains.
Research for the
book has taken me
nearly five years to
complete. Much of
my research came
from individuals who
have lived and
worked the land.
Many of those men
and women spent
countless hours with
me in personal interviews, telling me their story.
It is my desire that throughout the book you might share the same
feelings that I have. As I stated, a lot of my help came from the
very people whose stories are told in this book, thus allowing me
to ―tap‖ into their knowledge about the cowboy life. I also spent
hundreds of hours making telephone calls and going through old
newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, documentaries, old books,
and libraries to help find the stories I needed. If you were born in
the 1930‘s, then radio played a big part in your life. This was a
time when cowboys came galloping across the airwaves with The
Lone Ranger and Death Valley Days. Perhaps you were born
during the 1940‘s and 1950‘s. You may well remember what it
was like on Christmas morning, when under the tree you found
your first set of Roy Rogers cap guns. Can you remember being
ten years old and waiting for Saturday mornings, just so you could
watch a double feature of Rex Allen and Gene Autry at your local
theater? If you were part of the baby boomer generation like me,
then your entertainment was black and white television
and half hour TV Westerns. You may have watched The Gene
Autry Show, the Roy Rogers Show, or perhaps The Gabby Hayes
Show. Whatever you liked there was one thing that remained the
same with every kid in America – he all wanted to be a cowboy.
The American cowboy remains a mystic icon for millions of people
around the world.
Many of our heroes are based on TV shows and movies. Despite
their popularity, the life of the real cowboy was much different than
the Hollywood type. Through the years I have met many of Hollywood‘s legends. I have also met a few real cowboys. These men
knew what it was like to work fourteen hours a day, rounding up
strays herding cattle. I have made it a point to cover stories from
both sides.
Here are a few of the subjects covered in the book: stuntmen,
stuntwomen, western festivals, cowboy music and tradition, western authors, cowboy & cowgirl celebrities, cowboy artists, Christian cowboys, movie locations, Cowboy poets, Cowboy poetry,
Cowboy singers, Hispanic cowboys, movie directors, western
bands, western radio stations, and National Day Of The Cowboy.
Along with the movies, television, dime novels, comic books, and
newspapers, the cowboy has remained an icon to many western
fans. So may your trails all be happy ones as you journey along
with me through The Heart Of A Cowboy.
The messenger…Rhonda Craig
John Conley
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jonpatconley@q.com
Norma Austin
a programming schedule that is still under construction. Tarleton Fred Berry
Jimal Bible
State University was given the station in July of 2009 and hopes
Lou Bischoff
to fully launch our new public radio format in February 2010.
Nell Bridger
Tom Burgess
KTRL 90.5 FM covers a ten-county area of the Cross Timbers
from our transmitter located between Stephenville and Granbury, Richard Neal Clemens
Dugg Collins
with our strongest signal available in Stephenville, Granbury, Glen
Mary Corley
Rose, Hico and Dublin, covering about 100,000 people in this
Jim Cox and Family
area, with over 200,000 people in our full coverage area indicated Billie and James Dobbs
by the middle circle on the map below.
Glynn Fairburn
Joann Gillean
Paige Haas
Briggs Hill and his family
Bud House
Marian Howell
Mary Hunter
Dennis Ivey
Family of Johnny Johnson
Millie Mack
KTRL 90.5 is a brand new public radio station with
Walt & Je Neal‘s grandbabies
Bob Nible
Joe Paul Nichols
Beverly & Joel North
Rich O‘Brien
Vada Parker
Walter Pate
Carolyn Patterson‘s Great
Grandson
Johnny Patterson
Lyall Paulson
Jim Quisenberry
Louise Rowe
Connie Stom
Jimmy Tomlinson
Darlene Thornton
Mike Ward
Ed White
Kenny Williamson
Ray & Beth Willingham
Jimmy Wyble
Jimmy Wyble (b. Jan. 25,
1922, Port Arthur, Texas
d. Jan. 16, 2010 Los Angeles, California) is an
American guitarist, noted
for his contributions to
both jazz and Western
swing.
KTRL hopes to offer a variety of public radio music, news and
entertainment programming to the Cross Timbers.
Our programming schedule currently includes a variety of programs, from our eclectic daytime music mix format to nationallyrecognized public radio news and entertainment programs.
Wyble played country
music in the early 1940s
with fellow guitarist Cameron Hill on local Houston radio. He was
playing in Foreman Phillips's band when Bob Wills hired him and
On Sundays, our current classical offerings include Sunday BaHill to play in his group, the Texas Playboys. He served in the
roque from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Classical Guitar Alive at 1 p.m.
Army from 1942 to 1946, and returned to work with Western swing
Weekdays, we‘ve also added Undercurrents, Folk Alley, Le Show groups into the 1950s.
with satirist and actor Harry Shearer, Celtic Connections with
Brian Kelso Crow, E-Town, The Vinyl Cafe with writer Stuart
In 1953, he released his first record as a bandleader, The Jimmy
McLean and The Putumayo World Music Hour. Click on the proWyble Quintet. The album featured accordion, clarinet, guitar,
gram schedule link for times.
bass, and drums. That same year, he recorded with Barney KesNew to Saturdays is Primetime Radio at 7 a.m. and Travel with
Rick Steves at 8 a.m. Folk, Bluegrass, Blues and Jazz round out
the rest of the Saturday Schedule.
Much of what you hear on KTRL will be determined by you, the
listener, and listener contributions. Tell us what you think. If you
have any comments on what you hear or suggestions for what
KTRL should air, be sure to click on the comment link to the left.
KTRL 90.5 Info:
KTRL is located on the campus of Tarleton State University in
room 138 of the Math Building, which is building 509 on the campus map.
Business Office: 254-968-9586
E-mail: KTRL@tarleton.edu
Mailing Address:
KTRL Public Radio
Box T-0095
Stephenville, Texas 76402
sel. Soon after he played in the bands of Benny Goodman and
Red Norvo; with Norvo he toured Australia backing Frank Sinatra.
Wyble's output decreased in the 1960s and 1970s, playing mainly
as a session musician in Los Angeles. In 1977 he recorded an
album entitled Jimmy Wyble & Love Brothers, which featured neither a musician nor an ensemble called "Love Brothers". During
this time Wyble played on TV shows such as The Flip Wilson
Show and Kraft Music Hall, and studied classical guitar with
Laurindo Almeida. Wyble also taught others; among his students
were Howard Roberts, Steve Lukather and Larry Koonse. Wyble
played guitar on soundtracks including The Wild Bunch, Ocean's
Eleven, and Kings Go Forth.
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Archie Francis
son's Little Dog Studio, it contains 13 original songs all written or
co-written by Archie, and reunites him with his Palomino buddies,
Jay Dee Maness and Al Bruno. A unique mix of acoustic, electric,
country, rockabilly, cowboy songs and even folk, "Money in the
bank" is as original, genuine and charming as its author.
Los Angeles, Ca., Thursday
Jan 28, 2010
Archie loved his church and those who knew and admired him for
his generosity in giving his time to help those in need loved him.
Archie Francis, the "King of
Corn", has peacefully left the
building.
In keeping with Archie's sense
of joy and humor and attempting to keep the moment light,
despite how much his family
and many, many friends already miss him.
We love you very much Arch and we will miss you. You will remain in our prayers, in our thoughts and in our hearts.
William Jacobson
1957 – 2010
Bill Jacobson passed away
this week after a brief illness. Bill
Archie passed away Thursday January 28, 2010 after a long hos- was a founding member of the
Western Music Association. At
pital stay, due to complications from surgery.
the initial meeting in Las Vegas in 1988, volunteers were
Archie was raised in Wichita, Kansas, graduating from Wichita
High School West in 1956.He had ambitions of becoming an en- needed to launch a publication
tertainer so he started taking tap dancing lessons and learning to that would pick up where the
Sons of the Pioneers newsletter
play the drums. With absolute dedication and lots of practice he
left off. It would broaden the
became a permanent member of a local country western band
scope of coverage to include new
and played with them and other bands in the area for several
Photo by Darrell Arnold
music releases, articles of historiyears, mastering his craft. He decided it was time to move on to
cal
interest,
and
help
bring
tobigger arenas so he made his way to the California country westgether musicians and fans who were interested in preserving and
ern music movement in Los Angeles. So, on August 1st, 1963,
this western swing drummer, fresh off the bus from Kansas found continuing Western music. Bill Jacobson & Mary Rogers volunemployment as the resident drummer at the legendary Palomino teered. As Gary McMahan says, Bill fanned the embers when
Western music had started to fade, until there was a small flame
Club, his first day in Los Angeles. As proven by the 11 ACM
"Drummer of the Year" awards and the 4 ACM "Best Non-Touring and Western music could take hold again.
Band' awards Archie Francis became a central figure in the hisUntil Bill had to have brain surgery and his illness took its toll,
tory of West Coast Country Music. On and off he found himself
leading to his retirement from involvement in Western music acworking at the "Pal" for 12 years, backing California entertainers
tivities, he was instrumental in spreading the word about Western
such as Gene Davis, Jerry Inman and Tony Booth, as well as
national acts such as Joe Maphis, Skeets McDonalds, TG Shep- music, both classic and contemporary. With their journal, Song of
the West, Bill and Mary set the standard and led the way for the
herd, Moe Bandy, Doug Kershaw, Hank Williams Jr, Johnny
WMA to launch publications that gradually took on a professional
Rodriquez, Molly Bee, Wanda Jackson, Larry and Lorie Collins,
look that has helped promote the image of the WMA. He was talTanya Tucker and countless others, and sharing the stage with
ented and very knowledgeable, but more importantly, he was a
his best friends, world-renowned steel guitar player Jay Dee
good guy.
Maness and guitarist extraordinaire Al "Bruno Bear" Bruno.
Quickly becoming L.A.'s country drummer of choice, Archie embarked on the road with legendary performers, Johnny Western,
Hank Thomson, Roger Miller and Freddie Fender with whom he
recorded a live album at Carnegie Hall, and he also maintained a
busy studio schedule on countless country music and rockabilly
sessions. Archie's western swing roots came full circle when he
Joe Baker‘s Recognition and Honors
played in Bob Wills' big band. Beyond his distinguished career as
Cowtown Society of Western Music Heroes
a sideman, Archie also developed as a singer/songwriter in his
Academy
of Western Artists Disc Jockey of the Year
own right.
Cowtown Society of Western Music Disc Jockey of the Year
His first effort, "Corn, Corn, Corn", was cut as a single for CresWestern Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame
cendo Records. As the title suggests, a healthy sense of humor
Membership Director—Cowtown Society of Western Music
and love for all things "corny" were a big part of Archie's personalBoard of Directors—Cowtown Society of Western Music
ity, and the song was to become the starting point of the worlds
Seattle Western Swing Music Society POWS Hall of Fame
Backforty Newsletter—CSWM‘s Publication of the Year 2009
largest "corn collection".
The Western Swing Society Sacramento CA Hall of Fame
Those same qualities also pushed Archie towards a career as a
KNMB, Western Music Assn. 2006 Radio Station Of The Year
character actor in the movies and commercials. "Whenever they
KWMW, Western Music Assn. 2007 Radio Station Of The Year
needed some sort of hillbilly, hick, homeless guy or drunk, I'd get
a call," joked Archie, who for the record was perfectly sober and
did own a house. In 2008, Archie finally released "Money In The
Bank", his first complete studio album. Recorded at Pete Ander-
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