St. Anthony Cowboy Poetry Gathering

As usual, we had a great time in St. Anthony again this year. Westbrook, Wayne Nelson and I stayed with Colt Angel and the jammin' started almost as soon as I got there Thursday night. Colt and I played until we were tired then we went out for a while so that I could try and find some pool games. No luck. Lots of terrible pool players out there but none had any money so I gave up and went to bed.

Friday was a blast! For those of you who don't get the allure of these Gatherings, let me tell you that the best thing about them is the people. We get to see friends who we might only see at St. Anthony each year. Like a family reunion but we don't have to put up with relatives.

John and I weren't scheduled on the Night Shows this year but we both backed up others. We'll don Anything (almost...we won't play "Achy Breaky Heart") to get up on the Night Show stage.

Saturday, Colt Angel, Kevin Peterson and I got up as the last Day Show act. I have been telling everyone that the "Western Music Nazi's"; those who insist on strictly cowboy music, were in for a shock. There are some really good rock bands who did "cowboy" songs. So we did the Marshall Tucker Band song; "Fire On the Mountain". Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

I played my flute for Gordon Peterson. I went up to the crows nest, by the spotlight, and played from there. Everyone said it gave just the right atmosphere to the poem. It was fun, too.

I was playing for a benefit in Townsend on Sunday afternoon so I left when the jam broke up at Colts...about 1:30AM. It was a fairly uneventful drive home. The elk near Cameron didn't surprise me as I'd been looking for them all along. About a dozen head on and beside the highway. I stopped in Ennis and slept for a couple of hours and got home about 8AM Sunday.

Another stellar weekend in Western Music. Another bunch of memories to take out and look at once in a while.

Where are the Heros? (Beware! Political post)

Where, today, are our heros? As our Country faces so many problems; economy, war, terrorism and so on, where are the Men with Principles? Men who will stand by their country and do what’s right without regard to the political expedient, the polls or the money?

Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. How about Houston, Travis or Austin? We used to be a nation of heros and the whole world saw us that way. Now, we are a nation of political correctness and weakness. No wonder Al-Quieda attacked us so forcefully. They were used to seeing America as a coward, hiding behind rhetoric and diplomacy. Did you ever try to talk a schoolyard bully out of picking on you? Did logic work with him?

I believe certain things about our country. I believe that there are still a significant number of strong, courageous and ambitious people living here in America. Most of them are those for whom our “leaders” feel nothing but contempt. They didn’t go to the “right schools”. Most of them either didn’t go beyond High School or went to local or state Colleges. But they WORK for a living and for America. They build the cars, they grow the food, they build the “infrastructure” that our elitist leadership takes for granted. Our enlisted military is made up of those people today.

I believe that if we are allowed to do our work, without Government interference then our economy will rebound on its own. Just lower the taxes and get out of the way!

I believe that if we are allowed to take the war against terrorism to them…wherever they may be and however that might have to be done and then terrorists will run and hide. And leave the 2nd amendment alone. Our ability to protect our homes and communities is part of the reason that those same terrorists don’t want to come to rural America.

We need cowboys, farmers and other working class folks from the flyover states running our government and all those elitist Ivy League fat cats can go back where they came from!

In around forty years, we have come from Rosa Parks to Barack Obama. We should be rejoicing at the fact that racism is no longer a block for anything. If it were, then President Obama would not have been elected! Instead, we watch more of the same politics as usual, with a figurehead out front being led by his teleprompter. We don’t need socialism in our financial market, our healthcare or our government. We need Freedom to do what we do and the rewards of doing it well.

Our country was not built on handouts from the government. The government didn’t subsidize the westward expansion. There were no bailouts to the makers of covered wagons or those who drove them. No food stamps or welfare programs. Neighbors helped each other. Churches took care of their communities.

So, what can we do today? Contact your congressmen. Let them know how you feel about increasing taxes, increasing our national debt and handing money out to those who already have it all! When there is an election or referendum in your community…VOTE! If there is an issue about which you feel strongly, then get out there and work for it. Volunteer to help. If political causes aren’t your thing, I’ll bet there are places that provide help for the poor and needy in your community. When was the last time you helped at the local shelter, donated food to the local food bank or gave of yourself for a local charity or benefit?

I believe it is again time for our country to be built from the bottom up. Those at the top screwed it all up so those of us at the bottom have to start again. The problem is that our elected leaders are standing on us and not letting America’s people do the work they are so capable of doing.

I’m going to the Tax Day Tea Party at the State Capital in Helena, MT. Find out where your closest Tea Party is and attend! Show Washington that it’s more than just a few out here who are not interested in paying more taxes so that things can just get worse!

http://taxdayteaparty.com

Congressional representatives: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Ruth Sweeten Obituary (From Becky Muench)

OBITUARY

Ruth Gerber Sweeten

February 2, 1922 – March 21, 2009

Ruth Gerber Sweeten, formerly of Malad, Idaho, passed away from natural causes on March 21, 2009 in the home of her daughter, Christine Goodwin of Orem, Utah.
Ruth was born February 2, 1922 in Spring Lake, Utah to Ether Lyman and Cornelia Hanks Gerber. She was the second of four children and the only girl. Ruth attended many schools as her father was a carpenter who moved the family from job to job. Ruth graduated from Shasta Union High School in Redding, California where she was on the diving team. Ruth served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in southern California where she met her future husband, Colen H. Sweeten Jr., who was also serving a mission there at that time. They were married in the Salt Lake temple on June 29, 1944 while Colen was on furlough from the U.S. Army during W.W. II.
Ruth spent most of her married life living in Malad and Holbrook, Idaho. She worked in the Ford Garage as bookkeeper and later in the Malad Department Store. Ruth developed the well deserved reputation of a great candy maker and sold many, many boxes of her wonderful chocolates over the years. Ruth and Colen raised their family in Malad and then lived in Boise, Idaho for nine years where she worked for Boise Cascade. She and Colen both worked and retired in Boise and then returned to Malad. They moved to Springville, Utah in December of 2000 to be closer to family.
Ruth was a member of the L.D.S. Church and held many positions over the years as she loved to serve her Heavenly Father.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Colen H. Sweeten Jr., her daughter, Jan Isom, her son-in-law, Charles Isom, her granddaughter, Jennifer Isom, Ruth’s parents and her three brothers, Dale, Clyde and Glade Gerber. She is survived by her children Susan (Bill) Erickson, Pleasant Grove, Utah; Eileen Hess, Springville, Utah; Christine (Bryce) Goodwin, Orem, Utah and Colen H. (Cindy) Sweeten III, Springville, Utah; fifteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held Friday, March 27 from 6 to 8 pm at the Horsley Funeral Home at 132 West 300 North in Malad, Idaho and also one hour prior to funeral services. Funeral services will be at 12 noon on Saturday, March 28 at the Malad 6th Ward building at 200 West 400 North. Burial will be in the Malad City Cemetery.

Kalispell weekend

Howdy all!!

Well, John Westbrook and I had a great time opening for the "Members of" the Mission Mountain Wood Band on Friday, the 20th. Let's get some links here and then go on with the story.

The Good Wood Band (some of the M2WB members)
Rob Quist (One of the original members of M2WB)

This was a benefit concert for the Kalispell Police Association. The KPA does a lot of anti-drug education, suicide prevention and other great things for the youth and schools in the Kalispell area. A very nice bunch to work with.

First, I think that if I'd been with Lewis and Clark, they'd have discovered Cleveland. I haven't been to Kalispell in a long time but I knew to go east from Helena, take 141 north at Avon, then 200 then 83. But somehow, I missed the junction at Hwy 83 (There's only a big gas station, Convenience store, rest area and campground there. No wonder I just didn't notice all of that along with the big reflective highway sign that says "Kalispell -->").

Anyway, we wound up going through Missoula and up Hwy 93 through Polson. Apparently, it's springtime. Road Construction season is upon us!

Despite my superior navigational skills, we actually got to Kalispell with plenty of time to spare and got over to the Fairgrounds for a sound check. Rob Quist's sound guy, Walt Peckham, ran the hardware and was very good. We were extremely impressed with the job Walt did for both groups.

One of the Kalispell PD detectives MC'd for us and after his introduction, as we were getting ourselves together on stage, John said to the crowd: "It's good to see a policeman nervous, isn't it?" They loved it and he got a big laugh. Our show went very well. We had the audience laughing, crying and singing along throughout our hour plus of time. I finished by doing Wayne Nelson's "Snowville" poem and when the MC came up to get rid of us, the audience didn't want us to get down. We got a standing O as we walked off stage. All in all a very great time.

The Out of the Blue-Grass (Mission Mountain WB) band did their usual fantastic job. I love to listen to these guys. With Rob's original songs and the bluegrass instrumentals and all the stuff they do they are a very entertaining group. I hope we get a chance to see them again.

I managed to find the right route back home so we cut about an hour off the trip on our return.

For you pool players out there, I went to a bar in Kalispell where they had one pool table. The nap was so thick that I thought they might have covered it in shag carpet. The cuestick tips were terrible and they were using that cheap Chinese chalk. You know the stuff. Anyway, if you made anything other than a centerball hit you got a miscue. The kids in there to hear the band were terrible pool players but they were willing to play for $5 a game all night. Pity I had such a short time to enjoy their company! Oh well, gas money, anyway.

Ok. I feel the need to debunk some current religious fervor. Global warming is a hoax. Climate change is not caused by the overuse of SUVs or the flatulence of cows.

It's 12 below zero here this morning. It's March. The coldest Montana March in over six years and really a normal condition for us here. The arctic Ice is increasing again. Las Vegas had snow this year for the first time in a long time. You notice that those who were crowing the most about Global Warming only a year ago are now calling it "Climate Change" to try and cover these weather situations.

I guess nature just does what she wants without our help. Sorry Algore, your Nobel Prize was issued a bit prematurely.

Later all, I'm on my way up to Shindolls to help feed cows this morning.

Modern Country Music...Yuck!

I've been somewhat disenchanted with the modern country music that I hear when I'm forced to listen to top 40 stations but I rarely have much exposure to it because I just don't listen to those stations much. Yesterday, though, I was practicing my pool game in a bar where they have continuous country music playing and a video screen which displays info about the artists. It was horrible.

They all sound the same. They all look the same. It was almost like one four hour song playing! The only time there is a semi-break in the monotony is when they switch from a male to a female singer. So far, you can still tell those apart.

One "Country" band had information about their "influences" U2, Elvis and some other rock bands I didn't really know. Their main influences were rock bands and their "country" music reflects that.

The argument is "That's what the kids want". Why, then is the popularity of Country Music dwindling? Could it be because; if you want to listen to Rock, you'll listen to a rock station?

I'm an old guy, I know. And I try not to sound like my mother who really hated my ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Styx and Creedence. But I can't help it. The modern rock is either Rap or way too hard for me and modern Country doesn't really exist. I listen to the local classic rock station if I listen to music radio.

That brings up another point. It's not hard to find a classic rock station in most areas. Something that plays the 70's and beyond rock. Try to find a country station that isn't top 40!

Oh well, I'm old and grouchy and I guess I plan to stay that way. I'm gonna put on some Jerry Jeff Walker albums (note: albums, not CDs) and relax.

Montana Global Warming

Twelve degrees this morning. We need to drive more SUV's up here and get this global warming thing started in Montana. Check out

www.westyellowstonewebcam.com and see what Global Warming looks like to us.

The 25th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

A Reunion of Cowboys

By Smoke Wade

Elko, NV. In 1985, when the first Elko Cowboy Gathering brought grassroots cowboy poetry to the stage, the organizers wondered if anybody would show up to listen to a bunch of old cowboys get up on stage and share their poems and stories. It was to be a one-time event, which was organized by a group of folklorists to gather and document cowboy stories, poetry, and song before the art form was lost to the world. Surprisingly, it was found the rhyming stories were, in fact, very much alive and, perhaps even more surprisingly, there were plenty of folks who wanted to hear these poems and songs of the cowboy. Perhaps it was something new for the media, or maybe it was just one of those celestial things where an event occurred at the right time and place. Whatever it was that occurred, the modern cowboy poetry gathering was born and the event organizers decided they would do it again in 1986. It was in this fashion that cowboy poetry became a household word and cowboy poetry gatherings began to spawn across the West.

Fast forward 25 years later to 2009 and we find not only the world has changed beyond our imagination, but also cowboy poetry has evolved greatly as well. Every weekend in North America there is a cowboy poetry gathering or festival taking place somewhere. In Australia, bush poets gather, while in our seaport cities, fisher poets hold their gatherings. Large gatherings occur on a regular basis across Canada, and cowboy lore from countries around the world is recognized and celebrated. Cowboy poetry has spread to schools, libraries, nursing homes, universities, churches, city parks and the Smithsonian Institute. Radio shows play cowboy poetry live and on the Internet. Cowboy poets appear on television shows and they have infiltrated musical organizations such as the Western Music Association. Dozens of cowboy poetry writer groups meet on a regular basis and cowboy poetry organizations and clubs boast large memberships. And all this time, cowboy and western musicians gathered with the poets and shared their songs of the cowboy.

During this 25 year span, the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering, sponsored by the Western Folklife Center, became known as The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. So it was fitting to hold a reunion – a Silver Reunion - to draw back many of those that were there in 1985, and to draw back those that have participated since, and to invite new poets as well. And for 8 days in January, they came and reunited, and told their stories once again.

The granddaddy of them all, the 25th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering took place January 24 – 31, 2009, in Elko, NV, as hundreds of cowboy poets and musicians descended upon the small Nevada town. They came from around the world, from the United States, Australia and Canada. And their appreciative fans came with them - thousands of fans that turned Elko into a boomtown like atmosphere. Motels filled to capacity, long lines formed at restaurants, while casinos and nightclubs booked cowboy singers, and everywhere could be heard the song and poetry of the cowboy. Open mic venues took place in art galleries, there were school performances, and the media swarmed in from everywhere looking for a slant on this Silver Jubilee.

The large crowds of folks at the Elko Convention Center and at the Western Folklife Center were extremely diverse. Old time cowboys mingled with friends and newcomers alike. Local people visited with city folk from virtually every big town in America. Folklorists beamed with satisfaction as they listened to the cowboy artists share their work. Youth performers stood along side of modern day folklore legends. What had possibly been a media phenomenon in 1985 had evolved into the greatest cowboy poetry spectacle on Earth!

With more than 75 featured cowboy performing artists, including 16 featured performers from the 1985 gathering, the reunion got under way on Saturday, January 24, 2009. The heart of the event took place over a 3 day period later in the week – Thursday through Saturday, January 29 – 31, 2009. Added to the featured performers was a long list of performers that contributed to reunion shows at the Western Folklife Center and at the Elko Convention Center. Also added to this group were all those that came for the various open mic stages around town, as well as the featured entertainers at almost every nightclub and casino in town. The list of cowboy performers was long and impressive, yet several names stood out - household names from the 1985 gathering like Waddie Mitchell, Wallace McRae, Baxter Black, and Ian Tyson. From the original 1985 group, Baxter Black has emerged, as possibly America’s most successful poet of any genre.

A special show was presented over a two day period at the gathering that is certainly worthy of mention. A Ride With Bob – The Bob Wills Musical which was written by Anne Rapp and Ray Benson, and featured Ray Benson and Asleep At The Wheel, along with a large cast of talented actors and musicians. The full capacity audience sat spellbound through the entire performance, grinning ear to ear from start to finish. And no small wonder, for A Ride with Bob Wills was an amazing stage production. To sum up the show in two words – Absolutely Fantastic!

Some performers brought their own special mixture of high energy with them to the reunion. Several musical groups rocked the house every time they took the stage. Wylie & the Wild West, the Quebe Sisters and Hot Club of Cowtown, along with poet, Paul Zarzyski, all presented superb performances much to the delight of audiences. Wylie & the Wild West also presented a very entertaining tribute to the Snake River Outlaws, an Idaho band, circa 1950, that had a successful radio show in Missoula, MT.

During the heart of the gathering, multiple performances took place at a half a dozen venues at the same time. A bustling crowd scurried about the lobby of the Elko convention center trying to juggle their schedules between the Cedar, Silver and Turquoise rooms and the main auditorium. Others gathered in the front atrium jostling for a place in line at the goody table to buy cookies, brownies and coffee. Some found quiet time sitting at a table in the back of the lobby while reading a new book of poetry they had just purchased from the performer product sales store.

Behind the scenes other folks were just as busy. Behind the main stage, performers calmed themselves in the Green room while waiting their turn on stage. Upstairs in the media room, Lora Minter and Darcy Minter – no relation to each other – busied themselves for long hours with the press corp.

Across town at the Western Folklife Center, volunteers ushered people into the Wiegand Gallery to view Between Grass and Sky: Trappings of a Ranch Life, a display of finely crafted saddles, bits and leatherwork. On the wall in the Gallery hung a quilt hand-crafted by Yvonne Hollenbeck. The quilt displayed the brands of 159 cowboy performers. In the main lobby of the Western Folklife Center, other volunteers took up the role as bartender in the Pioneer Bar. Adjacent to the bar, non-stop shows took place in the G Three Bar Theater.

The Pioneer Bar in the Western Folklife Center seemed to be the central gathering point for folks at all times of the day. As the sun went down over the high desert mountains, the facility filled with people and it became standing room only. From the front door of the Center, one could look across the plaza and see the blazing neon sign of the Stockman’s Casino advertising Michael Martin Murphey in concert. On the other side of the plaza hung a sign over the door of the Duncan Little Creek Gallery advertising open mic for poets.

With so much going on in addition to the poetry and music venues – workshops, ranch tours, and film sessions – and so many performers, it would be impossible to include them all. The essence to be captured is that this week was Cowboy Carnival, and what a grand celebration it was!

An often-heard comment was "What happens when all these old cowboys are gone? Will their poetry and music die out?"

One only needed to expand their horizons at the gathering and take a look around. One young performer, singer-songwriter, Adrian, seemed to step up to the plate in grand fashion. There was a Young Buckaroo poetry session on Saturday morning, and the open mic sessions were crowded with new performers from across America hoping that one day they, too, would step into the spotlight. It would appear from these performances, that the future of cowboy poetry and music is in good hands.

With so much entertainment and activity to absorb in such a short period of time, it was easy to suffer from image overload. By Saturday afternoon, folks were beginning to have a glazed look in their eyes. Yet they continued on like it was their last day at Disneyland, trying to catch one more ride before they had to leave for home. Long days and short nights apparently were the standard fare for the Silver Reunion.

Everyone wondered how the Western Folklife Center could come up with a National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 2010 that would top this most recent event. Yet the planning for the next gathering had been going on for some time. In 2010 look for "cracker" cowboys from Florida and swamp cowboys from Louisiana. And to top it all off, the Florida Folklife Program has created an exhibition entitled Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition that will be featured at the Wiegand Gallery during the Gathering.

As the Sunday morning sun laced the peaks of the Ruby Mountains with gold, the gathering of cowboys began to depart for all points of the compass. Poets, musicians and fans hugged and bade each other goodbye in motel parking lots. Each one departed knowing that they had shared in something special - an event of a lifetime – for they were there, in Elko, and they had contributed to the experience. They had been to Elko when cowboys gathered as each brought 25 years of new stories with them. This gathering of cowboys had been a Silver Reunion, yet the memories they took home were solid gold!

Smoke Wade

Valentines gig

Eric Nelson (Wayne Nelson's son) and I played at the Townsend American Legion last night. It was a good night and everyone had a good time.

The Legion has gone Non-Smoking (FINALLY) and business slowed for them quite a bit these first couple of weeks. I'm hoping that all those people who gripe about the smoky bars will start patronizing the Legion now and build the business back up.

Anyway, they had a mixed doubles pool tournament last night so we had a good crowd right from the beginning as well as the few who came in just for the music.

Eric and I are a good mix as he is an extremely good guitar player and is founded more in Rock than Country/Western. He can play along with my classic (old-guy) country and then throw in some good rock stuff once in a while for variety.

We were done about midnight and I played the male half of the tournament winning team for his share of the tournament winnings. That added to my take for the night!

No trip to West Yellowstone this weekend as I'm finishing up a couple of computers that I was working on so I just don't have time to run down to West for a pool tournament. Maybe next week.

Another Montana week

Well, it's still winter up here! Actually, it hasn't been bad lately. We had temps into the fifties last week for a day or two.

Westbrook and I are still doing our "Happy Hour" show at the Mint in Townsend, MT every Friday from about 5pm until about 8pm. We're starting to see more people coming in to hear us so our audience is building a little.

I'll be doing the Mint thing by myself this Friday (the 13th) as John will be playing with Country Traditions at the Lounge in Belgrade, MT on Friday and Saturday.

Eric Nelson and I will play at the American Legion, in Townsend on Saturday (Valentines) evening. I'm looking forward to that as it should be a lot of fun. I don't know how much advertising the Legion has done, though. We may be entertaining the bartender and ourselves!

I'm updating (slowly) the www.cowboyentertainer.com performers pages by changing the sample music from realplayer to MP3 files. It's kind of tedious work so it's going pretty slowly but I've been keeping at it a little at a time. My page, Wayne Nelsons and parts of Bill Chiles, Valerie White and John Westbrook are done.

Lacie Madison (Pierry)

When John Westbrook and I did our "Happy Hour" thing at the Mint Friday, we had a special treat. Lacie Madison stopped in with her Dad, Russ Pierry.

I met Lacie several years ago when they first moved here to Townsend. She was all fired up to be a singer/songwriter. Lacie was 15, I think, when I first met her. Very pretty and extremely "upbeat" about everything.

We invited her to Music Ranch, which Was in Belgrade, MT at the time, and she would come there every week and perform with us. She sang a lot of Civil War era songs and played the guitar ok.

Since then, she has been on TV shows in Hawaii, Memphis and Nashville and is currently living in Nashville where she is pursuing her musical career. She has one very nice CD out and is having some great success. Yesterday, I got an earfull of why.

Lacie had come home to attend the funeral of a friend of ours. Lacie had written a song about Dorothy and the family asked her to perform it for the funeral.

She has a lovely, clear penetrating voice, plays the guitar very well and delivers her songs extremely well. My only comment, as she finished, was: "Wow!"

In addition, of course, she has grown from a pretty young girl to a very attractive young woman. I'm suitably impressed. Keep at it Lacie!

Westbrook and Gibson together again

John and I were both pretty busy during the summer but we were either doing separate single shows or he was playing with the Country Traditions band from Bozeman.

We are scheduled to open for members of the Mission Mountain Wood Band in Kalispell on March 20th though so we are actually taking time to relearn each others material. The Kalispell thing will be at the Fairgrounds and is a benefit for the Law Enforcement Association up there.

Anyway, we've played at the Mint Bar in Townsend, MT the last two Fridays and we're scheduled there every Friday, during "Happy Hour" (from 5PM till whenever) for the forseeable future. Hopefully, we'll get our "stuff" together by March.

You can see info about us at www.cowboyentertainer.com .
John's Schedule is at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=242679604
and mine is at http://calendar.yahoo.com/grublinerider

Helena Bar-Box tournament

Saturday, the 10th of January, the Helena Bar-box pool tournament was held at the Edge Bar in Helena.

Lots of extremely good pool players showed up and we all had a great time. Most of the waiting time between matches was spent upstairs where we played on the 9' table, just to keep warm.

Besides the tournament purse, lots of other money changed hands upstairs. Some of it was (note WAS) mine!

Anyway, it was a good tournament and a good time. Jeff Boucher was the overall winner. He never even looked like he would lose a match all day. Josh Morgeaux and George Price were also in the semi finals. I have to admit that I was pretty beat (in more ways than one) so I wimped out and went home while the semi's were still going on.

Wayne is home

Wayne got home a couple of days ago. they were qable to fix him up with no major surgery and I guess he's pretty glad to be home again.

Wayne Nelson having heart probs again

On Sunday, Becky Nelson let me know that Wayne had been having heart probs again and had been hospitalized in Pocatello. He has since been transferred to the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City, UT.

Becky says he is feeling good, joking around with everyone and just being Wayne so far so we can all hope and pray that things go well for them.

When I know more, I'll let you know.

Montana weather

We've had our usual interesting weather for Dec and Jan this year. Our usual December cold snap hit two weeks before Christmas with 20 below zero temps and extreme winds. The wind blew the roof off of a business on Main St and the temps stayed sub-zero for almost two weeks.

Last Friday, it was 40 degrees and raining when I got up. About three hours later it was 10 degrees and snowing.

Colt Angel and I played a New Years Eve party at the Lakeside Lodge in Island Park, Idaho. It was plenty cold that night and snowing hard the next day. Pretty standard Montana winter so far.

If you'd like to check out current conditions in West Yellowstone, there is now a web-cam at www.westyellowstonewebcam.com

I also found a really good webcam list at www.bigskyfishing.com/Web-Cams/Web-Cams.htm

Go Sarah-Cuda!

I know this blog wasn't designed as a political forum but I get to put in my thoughts anyway.

PLEASE go vote. You are probably very aware of the fact that I don't want to see our country go Socialist and racist and I most certainly don't want to see the destruction to our economy, freedoms and rights that an Obama Presidency will likely bode.

On the other hand, I was never a big McCain fan and figured this was a "hold your nose and vote" election all along. Voting against Obama instead of for McCain. Then, enter Sarah Palin.

Wow! A regular person in line to be one of our national leaders? Not an Ivy League elitist attorney who knows the best restaurant in London but instead knows how to fix Hamburger Helper? Then the media assault on her. Anybody that the Main Stream Media hates so much MUST be exactly who I am looking for.

Think about this. We know all about Sarah's life, family, finances, hairstylist and anything else you can imagine. She's been hunted and haunted since McCain announced her as his VP choice.

Who paid for Obama's Harvard education? Who is financing his campaign? What is the real truth about his relationship with Ayers/Rezko/Wright and Raines? Why has the Media ignored all these things? Could they be shoving him down our throats for their own reasons? I resent that.

My vote for McCain was for three major reasons...I don't want to live in a Socialist, possibly totalitarian country so it was a vote against Obama. Second, I would like to see Sarah in the public eye for the next four years. If she's as impressive by then as I believe she would be, she'll be around for another 8. Third, I want to see the lying Main Stream Media take one in the shorts!

Oh well; enough. Please, just go vote. A vote for any other candidate than McCain or Obama is a vote for Obama. NOT voting is a vote for Obama.

Go Sarah-Cuda!

Not a great start

Well, I'm off to a not too auspicious start to my litle trip. The pool playing hasn't worked too well. Didn't place in the money at a tournament in Pocatello and then did my usual approach to gambling at pool. I'm like some guy who thinks he's tough, always picking on the biggest guy in the room. Oh well, I'm sure he needed the money more than I did!

Hopefully, I'll do better with my CD sales in Rupert. If not, I may have to get a REAL job in order to get home!

On the Road Again?

I'm planning to take off this weekend and head south. The Diamond Field Jack Cowboy Gathering will be in Rupert, Idaho November 7-9 and I'm going to take an extra few days to see if I can make a few bucks on the way.

If any of you have an idea about House Concerts or anything else, please let me know as I'm going to need gas money.

I'll try to keep y'all up to date on my experiences on the road.

My political post for the month

Hi everyone. I know. I still haven't gotten back into the groove of submitting to this blog regularly. Actually, my days are so much the same that there just doesn't seem to be anything new to post.

Anyway, I have some thoughts about our upcoming election and the "coverage" we seem to be getting in the left-wing media.

Since Sarah Palin was picked as our Vice-Presidential candidate there has been a lot of contemptuous talk among the “elite” members of our society, especially the celebutards on the TV, about small-town people; country people and others of us who do not have the right background. I’m a little tired of the condescending tone from these useless individuals who only survive because of those of us who are beneath them.

I don’t want another “leader” who knows the best restaurant in London (and really has no concept of the prices on the menu!). I want a real Leader who knows how to make Hamburger Helper!

Consider, if you will, two men of my acquaintance.
One, Ed, looks as tough and strong as he is. Wide shoulders, forearms as
big as my biceps etc. His brother, Tom, looks like any slender young man.
Not much to him. Looks like a strong wind would just blow him off the
mountain.

They are Farmers. They can empty 40,000 pounds of grain out of a truck
with a scoop shovel. And, it's not even noteworthy to them! Build a mile
of fence. Carry railroad ties over their shoulders; throw hay bales six feet
or more in the air. And not just for a few "reps". No. All day long!

Ed works at least two jobs and helps on the farm when he can. Tom has his
own business (As physically demanding as the farming) as well as working
full time on the farm. Their sister, Joann (who is easily as strong and
tough as I) works full time as a waitress and then as much time as she can on the
farm, doing the same job as the men.

They can fix a truck, build a shop, wire it for electricity, insulate it,
install their own furnaces and equipment, all on their own. Am I impressed? I
couldn't begin to tell you! They raise cattle and grain.
Food which literally feeds people around the world.

On top of all that, they volunteer for their community. Ed is the Rural fire Chief…a volunteer fire Dept.
Tom is also a volunteer Fireman and is on the County Fire Board. Joann has been an election judge in this county for over 30 years and is also active with the Fire Departments and other local events. Their mother, in her 70s, is on the Museum Board and is active in the American Legion Auxiliary. All this in their “spare time”.

Now, are they unique? Not at all. There are hundreds just like them, just
in this valley. Thousands all over Montana. Millions in our country. They
are pretty quiet. You don't see them on TV or in protest marches. You don't
see them as guests on Leno or Letterman. They just go on, every day, doing
work harder than most of us could stand, as a matter of course. If they are
mentioned on one of the TV shows, it's to snicker at them. "Hicks".

And they sure don’t do it for the money! For playing a game, sports stars get millions.

For keeping the whole world fed, Farmers and Ranchers get zilch. They don’t even get the respect they deserve. Regular people. It’s great to see one in Sarah’s position and our hopes, prayers and Votes go out to her…if McCain gets elected because of her, more power to him.

Wild West Fest: East Helena, Montana

Well, the Montana Wild West Fest was held over the last weekend and it was a lot of fun. I ran sound for the main entertainers stage as well as performing several times. There was a Cavalry encampment, numerous shootouts, vendors and displays.

For me, the highlight of the show was Jim Jones; an excellent Western Music performer from New Mexico. I had a great time talking with him and we got our guitars out and jammed a couple of times. If you get a chance to see him perform, I heartily reccommend it!

I encountered one frustrating episode at the WWF. As I have mentioned, I was doing sound for the main stage. The AM String Band from Helena was playing for the Frontier Ball on Saturday, August 10th. When I went to the stage area to meet with them and get them set up, I found that they had already torn down my equipment so they could set up their own! My cables were in a snarled pile by the sound table, speakers disconnected and moved, microphones and stands moved and the cavles tangled...It was quite the mess. At first, you can imagine the responses I was thinking of. But, on the bright side, if they didn't need me for sound, I could go home and go to bed. I got my stuff more out of their way and then did exactly that. It only took me a half hour or so to get things reset the next day. My only real comment was and is that my daughter, at 3 years old, understood the concept of "If it's not yours; don't mess with it!"

I'm back in Virginia City, MT for the week, then Parade Rest Ranch again Friday; Virginia City Cafe Saturday and Sunday and then Parade Rest again Monday. That's my basic schedule for the next few weeks. It's been a GREAT summer!

See y'all later.

I'm baaack!!

Ok. I know. I’ve been neglecting my blog really bad lately. Here I am again for a quick entry.

I’ve been keeping the highway warm between Townsend and West Yellowstone (West) since our Townsend Gathering ended. I play on Friday at the Parade Rest Ranch in West; run to Virginia City to play at the VC Café Saturday and Sunday, back to Parade Rest for Monday and then either back to VC for T-W-T or head back to Townsend to glance in the general direction of one or the other of my regular computer customers. Anyway, most of my running is in areas where blog entries are not easy to make.

It’s been fun so far this summer. I’ve also had a couple of gigs in the Big Sky area and one this last weekend at the Bale of Hay Saloon in Virginia City.

This is one of the worst mosquito years in West that I have ever seen. The skeeters around here aren’t very big but they make up for it in numbers…like piranha! If you walk into the tall grass anywhere within 20 miles of West, you may never be seen again!

Actually, I stopped tonight at Story Ditch (a BLM area along 287, between Ennis and West) as I planned on staying there for the night. Before I could even get out of the pickup, there were skeeters on the windows, staring hungrily in at me. I kept on heading upriver to a better place!

I had an interesting time with the >Yellowstone Club in Big Sky. First, they wanted my Contractors Insurance info so they could set me up as a vendor. When that didn’t work out, they found a way around it, I guess, as they finally did contract a small show with me. But, I had heard that it could take as much as 3 months to get a check from them so I insisted on payment up front. Then, they cancelled anyway, so now I have to send them a check for half of the fee already paid to me. Anyway, if you get a call from them, make sure you get your payment set up before hand.

I’ll do a better job of keeping this blog up to date from now on. Maybe I’ll see ya out here somewhere!

Getting the Townsend Gathering together

Ok. Several of you have mentioned that I haven't been keeping up the blog very well this spring. You are right. I've been trying to keep myself financially sound while at the same time getting the Gathering together. I'm not sure I'm very successful at either!

For those of you who don't know how we do this, Joann Shindoll and I (one or both of us) personally go into every business in Broadwater County and many in Bozeman and Helena, soliciting ads for our program book. Basically, the program book pays all the bills and we hope the audience is money for the Fire Department. We solicit the ads, Joann creates the ads on her computer and then the two of us compile the book before taking it in to the printer. It's a two or three month job and we are feeling pretty overwhelmed by this time each year.

In addition, the Fire Department will pit roast a pig and we will provide a dinner on Saturday night of roast pig, coleslaw, potato salad and dessert. Joann arranges most of this and the Fire Department helps the night of the dinner.

We will have art and craft booths in the High School lobby. Joann coordinates all of the vendors and gets them lined up.

What do I do? Well, mostly, I follow Joann around and look busy. Actually, I handle most of the promotion and I coordinate with the performers, get the motel rooms together, arrange the Night Show schedule, set up the Day-Show sign-ups and that sort of thing.

Anyway, that is my excuse for pretty much ignoring the http://www.cowboyentertainer.com/ website and this blogsite for so long.

Our Night Show has pretty much come together so far. We've had some cancellations and changes but things seem to be where they should be... finally. I will be posting the Night Show line-ups either today or tomorrow as well as a general schedule of events. This should all be at www.cowboyentertainer.com/ourshow.html .

I wish to thank all who have mentioned my neglect of the websites. This tells me that someone actually READS the things once in a while.

HANK CRAMER TO SING COWBOY MUSIC FOR DEPLOYED SOLDIERS

Hank Cramer, a Western Music Association cowboy singer from the Pacific Northwest, has been selected by the Armed Forces Entertainment Network to travel overseas and entertain American troops in combat zones later this year. The music tour will take him to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and the Philippines. Hank’s touring troupe will include cowboy poet-humorist Paul Steuermann as the opening act; Mark Iler on tenor guitar and harmonica; Davey Hakala on fiddle; and Kurt Mesford on lead guitar. Hank’s son, Hank Cramer IV, will run the sound system and serve as “roadie”.

Hank, a retired Special Forces soldier, volunteered for the music tour and was selected by an audition board that met in late January. The precise tour dates have not yet been set, but Hank and his band will travel for up to 45 days. AFEN provides a service similar to that of the USO. While the USO engages major celebrities, AFEN’s role is to bring high-quality but lesser-known talent to entertain troops in remote locations.

Hank served 28 years as a soldier in both the regular army and reserve, with deployments to Central America, the Philippines, and Afghanistan. He is also the son of the first American soldier killed in Vietnam (Captain Harry Cramer of 1st Special Forces Group). Hank is glad for the chance to bring some smiles to today’s young soldiers serving in faraway places. “I know they’ll be laughing at Paul Steuermann’s jokes and stories, and they’ll be tapping their toes and singing along when the band kicks in,” Hank says. “These kids are doing a tough job under hellacious conditions, and they don’t get a lot of entertainment out there. I’m glad for a chance to lighten their load, and deliver a big ‘Thank You!’ from back here in America”.

A national-touring folksinger, Hank is based in the tiny mountain town of Winthrop, Washington. He has fifteen CD’s and three movie sound-tracks to his credit. Heartland Public Radio chose his song “My Sweet Wyoming Home” as the #5 Cowboy Song of 2007, while Texas Public Radio’s “Random Routes” named two of his songs to their Top Twenty . Hank is a member of the Western Music Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a Life Member of the Special Forces Association.

When not on the road touring, he lives on a micro-ranch with his wife Kit, daughter Kelsey, and their many critters.

For more information, e-mail kitslivery@methow.com or call (509) 996-3528

Lee Earl Memorial Gathering; 2008

Well, the 4th Annual Lee Earl Memorial Scholarship Gathering (I did it all in one breath!) has come to a close. The Lee Earl Gathering is the first real gathering of the year and also always one of the best. John Westbrook and I have been going to the Lewiston Gathering for at least six years now; maybe more, even before it was the "Lee Earl" Gathering and we've kept going back every year, first, because of the people setting it up and second, because it's always such a fun show. John ran sound for the show again this year and I ran gofer for him when I wasn't either working the CD table or working the pool tables in the back room.

Smoke Wade and Donna Earl produce this show and they do a wonderful job. I know how hard it is to set up one of these gatherings and their results are impressive.

Yahoo Groups discussion about Western vs Country

There has been an interesting discussion at the Western Music Association Yahoo Group this week about the differences between Western and Country music.

Not long ago, Dallas Mcchord was talkiing about this subject and he was pretty much on the mark. Most of us play and perform several styles of music, depending on our venue. But people generally come to Cowboy Entertainer style events to hear Western music; not country, classic rock or rap. Save that for the jam sessions or other venues.

I believe that the Marshall Tucker Band song; "Fire on the Mountain" fits the general definition of Western music. But, I don't perform it at a Cowboy Poetry Gathering!

However, Jamie Parker-Frank and John Westbrook are also correct in that we are here to entertain the fans. If someone requests "Fire on the Mountain" from me, I'll do it!

Like Jamie, I perform at guest ranches and rodeos all over my area. I would agree that my audiences rarely place a high priority on whether "Mr. Bojangles" or my own "Cash on the Light" are country, Western or folk music. They just like good music.

"Cash on the Light" isn't, in my opinion, a Western song. But, it's the title song to my new CD so I can guarantee that the audience here in Lewiston this weekend will be hearing it! Shoot me.

What this all boils down to is that this is an interesting discussion and I believe we are all learning and growing from it. In my mind, one of my goals out here is to "convert" some fans to our style of music. Like John Westbrook and others have said, most of our fans have no interest in the pigeion hole we pull our songs out of. They just want to be entertained. If I can get a couple of new people to begin coming to Western/Cowboy shows (and buying CDs!) by singing a "country" song, then I'll do it.

Let's have fun out here! See ya all on the road someplace.

Larry Gibson
www.cowboyentertainer.com

In Lewiston again

John Westbrook and I left Bozeman (Bozeangeles Montafornia) yesterday and made our way over Lolo pass to Lewiston, Idaho for the 4th Annual Lee Earl Memorial Scholarship gathering.

This is the first real "gathering" of the year and we're happy to be a part of it.

The roads were good except for the incredible numbers of deer we had to doge all the way down the Lochsa and the Clearwater rivers. We were in my old pickup as we had to pull John's sound trailer over here. As this picture shows, my pickup uses oil by the gallon instaed of the quart!

We got to Lewiston about 0230AM local time; got ourselves moving and sound is all set up and ready to go. Tonight is the big "get together" at the Clarkston Moose Lodge and then the show starts tomorrow.

Global Warming; It's our fault!

This is a picture from West Yellowstone, Montana this year. Maybe we gave Algore his Peace Prize just a tad early?

Anyway, Westbrook and I are getting things together for our trip to Lewiston, Idaho for the Lee Earl Memorial Gathering. Pretty much the first real Gathering of the year and we're really looking forward to it.

I'm booked into Parade Rest Ranch, near West Yellowstone, for at least two days a week all summer long, beginning in June. It can't come fast enough; especially considering my financial situation.

Here's another West Yellowstone picture. Sure wish Global Warming would hurry up. We'd welcome it!

Thermopolis, Wyoming

Howdy All:

As I rolled into Wyoming, I got on the phone with Billy Rose and he told me that he and Colt Angel were snowed in and unable to come to Wyoming and do some shows scheduled by Jamie Parker-Frank.

I called Jamie and she had already either cancelled shows or found someone to handle them but there was still some opportunity for me if I came over...so I did.

I had a great time in Thermopolis, mostly because of the incredible hospitality I enjoyed from Jamie and her husband, Steve. They housed me, fed me and found me places to play music. I played two different days at the Prospector Italian diner in Thermopolis and Chris at the Prospector is just simply one of the best chefs I have had the opportunity to enjoy! If I lived in Thermopolis, I'd be even bigger than I am...but happy.

I also had a chance to play at the Cabin Fever Concert that Jamie and her friend Charles organize. There were some great performers there but the high point for me was that Hub Whitt was there. I haven't seen Hub in a long time and it was great to run into him again. He's a great songwriter and I have recorded two of his songs in the past.

Jamie then arranged for me to do my Cash on the Light song on the Comfort Food Radio show in Cody, Wyoming. That was a lot of fun and if you are in the Cody area on a sunday morning, the Comfort Food show is at the Irma Hotel and you should really take the time to go check it out.

I'm home now; back into my regular routine and things are settling down a little. But, I'm getting the old performance schedule filled out for my summer and it already looks like a good year. See ya out there!

Off the Interstate for a day

Saturday, February 2nd. I was hustling west on Interstate 40. I’d stopped at a rest area somewhere west of Memphis for a couple of hours and was now just rolling on down the highway. But, all I’ve seen was interstate! At exit 193, just decided to take the exit and head generally northwest. Des Arc, AR and then on to Beebe, Arkansas for breakfast. Near Beebe, I saw a highway sign that made a lot of sense to me. I wish I’d taken a picture, but I didn’t think about it at the time. Anyway, Arkansas was nice enough to inform me that “Roadway unsafe when under water”. Short, to the point and likely very true! I had a great breakfast in Beebe Arkansas; Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast and coffee for…$3.99.

Then, over to Conway and up US75 to Branson. I figured I’d check Branson out and decide if I was staying for any length of time. Sorry. It reminds me of Vegas a little but more…cardboard? Fake? I don’t know how to say it. If you go to Branson with the goal as staying several days and enjoying the shows, then it looks like a great place to go. During the summer season, when all the best country stars can be seen live; and with plenty of money in your wallet then Branson looks like a lot of fun. I turned my nose north and headed for Kansas City, MO and thus back onto the Interstate.

Nashville!! Just as I suspected

I got into Nashville about 8AM on Friday, Feb 1st. I drove down to Music Row and walked around for a little while. There were record producers next door to copyright attorneys next door to talent agents…on and on, with the BMI building looming over all.

Broadway was even better. There are several “honky tonks” side by side in about a two-block area. My friend Jason Deshaw has been a regular at Tootsies, arguably the most famous of the Nashville Honky-tonks. He got this opportunity because someone with an “in” saw Jason at a show in Montana. Jason doesn’t know and neither do I, how to normally get a slot in any of these places but I would assume you hand out brochures, Demo CDs and so on.

Anyway, the description of one place is pretty much the description of them all. They are about 30’ wide and 70-100’ long. Long and narrow, with very little room for the audience. In the evening, when they are busy, there is standing room only and it’s tough to move around through the room through the crowd. A couple were a little wider but not much.

The stage is in the front, by the door. Tootsies stage is so small that two performers have a hard time standing side by side. Drummer to the rear! The whole place seemed worn and rough. I actually haven’t played in a dive like that in a long time.

The bands start around 10AM. The ones playing in the morning, understandably, are not playing for much of a crowd. Since they are all playing for tips and CD sales, this is a bad thing. It looked to me like they changed bands about every hour or two. Jason and I went out Friday night and checked out bands at three different places, in addition to the bands I had seen during the day.

So, the effort to “make it” in Nashville is just what I have always heard. Play for tips in the local honky-tonks, hoping to make enough of an impression on the honky-tonk management to be moved into regular gigs with posters on the windows, maybe even mention on their website. Even then, no pay to play. Just tips and CD sales. Maybe you are so remarkable that someone from a talent agency or something drops in to see you.
There also were street musicians, just standing on the sidewalk, playing and singing to all those who were just walking by. Good luck, guys.

Don’t get me wrong. John Westbrook and I have made a pretty good summer living in Virginia City, playing for tips and CD sales. But, frankly, I think our chance of having the “right person” hear us in Virginia City is better than at one of these Nashville pits.
I don’t believe I would go to Nashville to try and “make it” in music unless I had something set up before I went, like Jason did. They'd better take a good look at Jason. He's head and shoulders above anyone I saw there as a singer, he does his originals as well as covers and even after seeing other bands working Nashville, I'm still impressed with Jason Deshaw.
I think he has a good chance to be noticed down there and I’m rooting for him.

As to the quality of performances, I was not impressed. Almost all of them are doing cover tunes…no originals. They are all playing basically the same stuff as the band next door and the same stuff as you hear on top country radio. I saw one band, at Roberts Western Way, that was very good. The guitar player would make Westbrook or Rose work to keep up and the whole band presentation was high energy and fun. Still, they were playing covers but the lead guitar player and the stand-up bass player were so good that they made up for it.

Nashville is missing out on real musicians and songwriters by not actively searching for the people I am privileged to perform with. If the Nashville “right people” would care to come to Lewiston, Idaho; St. Anthony, Idaho or Townsend, Montana this year they will see and hear much better musicians, singers and songwriters than anyone I saw in Nashville or anyone I see or hear on the radio. Not just my opinion. Fact.

The REAL adventure in Nashville is trying to find someplace to park! If you are overtime in one of the expensive public parking lots, I think they blow up your car or something.

Still "on the road"

Just a quick note. I've got comments on my trip through Nashville and Branson as well as some other things I've checked out on this trip. Right now, I'm in a Motel in Kadoka, SD. It's snowing, the interstate is slick and it's cold so I gave it up for the day. If I'd known what I know now, I'd have kept on peddling the last 100 miles or so to Rapid City.

No internet in the room (unless you want to shell out $60 for a motel room), no cafe open, no internet at the truck stop. One bar open with three people in it, no one playing pool. Let alone pool for money!

Anyway, when I get back near civilization (this from a guy from Montana!) I'll post the things I've got written on my own computer.

I'm about "pooled out".

I know. Most of my friends will have a hard time believing that, but I have been steadily playing pool for the last two weeks and it's been the center of my existence for the last week, between playing (gambling), watching and talking about pool, I'm reaching overload status.

I've learned a lot and had a lot of fun but I'm actually lookig forward to moving on. Not a lot of CD sales so far but most of my expenses have been covered and it's definitely been worth the trip. Matching myself against these top pro players has been an experience in itself.

I'm done with the tournament part

I got knocked out of the tournament before I could get into the money. What a shock!

I've got some philosophical comments here, comparing the pool world to our entertainment world.

At least an exceptional pool player can count on his talent to take him wherever he wants to go. If it's to be a top professional tournament player, the only obstacle is talent. The same if he wants to be the top gambler.

Musicians, however, have to be in the right place at the right time and be seen/heard by the right person. A great guitar player, songwriter, singer, poet...whatever, may never get anywhere in that field if they don't get lucky.

Another comparison for you. It's not uncommon for John Westbrook or myself to show up at a music show with enough cash in our pockets to give change for the first couple of CD sales. But, we usually do well enough on CD sales, tips and so on that we go home with cash in our pockets.

Pool players probably show up at a major tournament with hundreds; even thousands of dollars in their pockets and wind up borrowing gas money to get to the next tournament! A couple of bad rolls during a big money game can break them in no time.

These tournaments are very much like rodeo in that way. Great talent eventually shows through but there's always a chance of a bad roll or a little bad luck and...BANG...they're gone!

Lost one match but still trying

This has been a great learning experience. I played last night until 4 this morning and left only $20 lighter in my wallet than when I started. With the field of players to gamble with, that was very good! I'll get it back from somebody (maybe the same guy) today and he is planning to buy a CD anyway so I'll get it back that way if nothing else!

Shane Vanboening and Gabe Owen started a One-pocket game yesterday at about noon...for $8000 each! There is the definition of "Cash on the Light". When I left at 4AM, they were still playing and the cash was still on the light. Sometime late this morning (I was in my room, sleeping very well) SVB finally won.

An interesting aside. While I was playing last night (this morning) I caught myself checking to make sure I had enough quarters for my match today. Think about that. Two tables away from me, two of the top players in the world are gambling with $16,000 and I'm checking my pocket change. Different worlds.

While I'm on that "different worlds" theme, I want to examine that a little. Most who are reading this are musicians or entertainers of some kind. Although we often work on a handshake; mostly we live in a world of contracts and guarantees. Many of us have been stung by a talent buyer who doesn't deliver on the verbal promises so we get contracts and so on.

These pro pool players live in a world of maybes and hope. They're hustling in local bars on their way to the next tournament, hoping to make enough for gas money and a motel room. Usually they do fine but once in a while they run into a strong local player and they're in worse shape than when they started. Scrambling for gas money!

I was happy to win $20 or $30 in local bars on my way down here. These guys want to play for hundreds. One wanted to play me for $200 a game. I told him that was my life savings!

Anyway, I'm two matches away from winning a little money in the tournament. I'm doing better than they thought I would, I know. I lost a match today to Josh Johnson. Of course, I have nothing to lose. My car payment doesn't hinge on whether I place in this tournament or not. If I can peddle a few CDs I'll be ok.

Incidentally, the tables next to me were featuring matches with Shannon Daulton, Johnny Archer, Gabe Owen, Cliff Joyner and
Helena Thornfelt. For anyone with an interest in professional pool, this is a great place to be.

More later.

Chattanooga, TN

Well, I'm here. It was an interesting drive and we'll see how things go. Normally, I do a concert or show and then sell CDs afterwards. This time, I'm going to have a vendor booth and do one song several times over the weekend. The attention here, of course, is the Pool tournament.

Those of you who are familiar with the pool world will be impressed that I've already met Alex Pagulayan, Cliff Joyner and Shannon Daulton. Also to be here will be Buddy Hall, Johnny Archer and many others of that caliber. It's like doing a concert with Merle or Willie!

I doubt that I'll get to play against any of these guys as they only play for real money and I've never SEEN real money!

I guess the pool hall will be putting my CD on their jukebox today and I will have information and probably a video on www.azbilliards.com sometime today or tomorrow. Inside Pool magazine should also be doing an interview with me. I knew the song was pretty good, but I never expected all this.

Tennessee is pretty, in it's way and I enjoyed the trip out here. I'm very glad that I drove out instead of flying, even though the trip back already looms large in my mind.

Still on the road

I understand that all you guys back in Montana are under a bunch of snow and serious cold. Oh well. Life is hard. I'm in Omaha right now. For THESE people, it's cold and snowy too. I'm thinking of going for a swim!

It's been a while since I made a trip "back east" and some of the things I see here are kind of a chuckle. I have to call my sister and have her turn off the security system before I can come in at night. What a way to live! My house isn't locked right now...I'm not really sure I have a key to it.

I'll be on my way to Chattanooga in a couple of days and then the real fun should begin.

On my way to Tennessee

For those who don't know; I wrote a song called "Cash on the Light" (click on the title for an excerpt) and I have a video of it on youtube.

Shannon Daulton, one of the organizers of the Great Southern Nineball Tour heard it and asked me to come to the tour championships in Chattanooga, TN and play the song live there during their championship tournament January 24-27. so, I got the song recorded on a CD and as soon as the CDs came in I hit the trail for Tennessee. I left Townsend at 10:30AM the 17th with a goal of Cheyenne, WY before I bagged it for the night.

I hit a good blizzard just south of Hardin, MT and it got steadily worse as I kept on heading south. I thought about stopping in Sheridan, WY but figured I'd see if I could at least make Casper. Nope. Here I am in a motel in Buffalo, WY, listening to the wind howl outside and the snow rattle against the window. Hope the Interstate is even open tomorrow!

I know. I've got a week before I have to be in Chattanooga, but I will be stopping along the way, visiting friends and family.

I went out tonight and tried to get a cash pool game somewhere. Lots of guys wanted to play against me but no one would bet on themselves, no matter how badly I shot. I was hoping to at least get som 5 or 10 dollar games but...nothing. So, I'm spending money, not making it.

Anyway, once I get going, I'll keep y'all updated.

LA Homelss shelter gets burglarized

Ok. When I first heard the headline, my first reaction was: "So, how much could a burglar get at a homeless shelter?" The answer...THOUSANDS of DOLLARS! Here is the AP report:


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A burglar stole tens of thousands of dollars from a safe at a Los Angeles homeless shelter. The cash was taken early yesterday from Union Rescue Mission. It belonged to homeless people who saved earnings from jobs outside the shelter.

Officials say the thief set a fire to cover his tracks, forcing residents to evacuate from the downtown shelter. No one was injured.

The mission's chief executive says one man stored more than $10,000 in the safe while several others had about $4,000 each. The mission hopes to pay back the money, whether or not the theft is covered by insurance.

A police spokeswoman says firefighters told detectives about the robbery, but she has no information on possible suspects. The mission says a security camera captured the thief leaving the shelter.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Now, I don't mean to let my "Class envy" show here but I couldn't scrape 10,000 pennies together right now, let alone $10,000 in cash! And "Several others" had over $4000?!

First, it is ridiculous to me that I work steady, am a part of our local community, own my own home and there is no way I could put even the $4000 in cash together if my life depended on it. Apparently, I'd be better off living in a homeless shelter in LA. Maybe with my cardboard sign: "Will play music for food"!

Then, what does this say about the cost of living in the LA area when you can't move out of a homeless shelter with $10,000 in cash available?

Every day it is driven home to me that I don't fit into this world.

A picture from Iraq

I got this in my e-mail today. I have no way to check the accuracy of the message but decided that it didn't need to be checked. The thought...the reality...of our American Sentiment, ideals and beliefs is shown clearly in this photo. LG

John Gebhardt's wife, Mindy, said that this little girl's entire family was executed. The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head...but they failed to kill her. She was cared for in John's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan. The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing.

He is a real Star of the war, and represents what America is trying to do.

This, my friends, is worth sharing with the WORLD! Go for it!! You'll never see things like this in the news. Please keep this going. Nothing will happen if you don't, but the American public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that what we're doing over there is making a difference. Even if it is just one little girl at a time.

James Gates U. S. Navy

My recording of "Down the Road I'll Go", from my "Big Sky Dreams" CD, will be heard on Around the Campfire the week of November 10th. The show airs 6 times during the week.

To listen, go to http://www.heartlandpublicradio.org/ and click on HPR2. After that click on "Schedule" to find out when the show airs in your time zone (all times posted are Central Standard Time.) Then select "Listen" to hear the show.

Thanks again for the great western music. And for helping keep the west wild! Marvin O'DellAround the CampfireHeartlandPublicRadio.org

Big Sky, Montana with Westbrook and Nelson

We had a great time in Big Sky last weekend. John Westbrook, Wayne Nelson and I did a show for the Integrated Poultry Producers Association Board of Directors and their wives. We all had a great time.


On Friday, John and I played for their dance and dance lessons so we did a nice mix of our regular show and our old dance tunes.


Saturday, I played my regular list as background entertainment for the dinner and then Wayne got up and entertained the audience with his stories, poems and songs about the West. He was great, as usual, and held the audience enthralled for a couple of hours.

We visited with Buzzy Vick at breakfast Sunday morning and then went on our way. Another great weekend and another group of people who have been introduced to our kind of entertainment. Success all around!

Lots of comments on our "Anti-Cowboy Poets" poem

I've received several comments about the poem from "ShelterBelt Slim" both from people who haven't seen his missive and some who have. Everyone seems to agree with me that the message is acceptable but the language used is unnecessary. So far, I have only posted the longer and more lucid responses.

I have at least four responses that all basically say: "He's hit the nail on the head" so it's becoming apparent that many of us are a little disgusted with the current crop of performers who really don't seem to fit the "Cowboy" mold. Actually, I have gotten a couple of these quick "He's right" responses from people whom I would classify as "Californicators" themselves!

In a way, I sometimes feel the same way about our genre. It often seems that some of the more prominent performers have never had the "pleasure" of doing real ranch work and wouldn't know how. But, when I examine that opinion, I realize that I have addressed this issue before.

The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is my main example. Although their "rules" for being invited to the main stage specifically mention a cowboy/ranching background, we all know that some of their most popular performers have had nothing to do with ranching or being cowboys. Some are school teachers; some are from back east someplace where all they can do is dream of a romanicized western life. My response to this has always been: not that the rule should be more strictly enforced but that the rule is not acceptable in the first place. Would Roy Rogers or Gene Autry make the Western Folklife Center's grade? Probably not, if the cowboy/rancher rule is actually enforced.

So, my personal opinion is that the background or lifes experience of a Western Entertainer is not as important as the quality of their performance. If someone is a good writer and has produced good songs or poems portraying the Western or Cowboy lifestyle, then I will listen to and enjoy their material without regard to where they come from or how they made their living.

As to Shelterbelt Slim's rhyming rant, the most telling point I can see is that although I have had many responses to my post here, none are from the author. Apparently, his concept of Cowboy culture doesn't include the courage to stand up for his convictions. Pity.

Big Sky, Montana; October, 2007

John Westbrook and I had a great time doing our little show last night for some retreating executives and their wives at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge near Big Sky, Montana. Most of the audience is from North Carolina and points south so the two inches of snow and the steady snowstorm outside were kind of a shock for them. The first weekend in October and we're having a great storm here. Welcome to Montana!

There's about six inches of snow on the ground now and it's snowing hard. I talked with Becky Nelson from the American Falls, Idaho area and she says they have a couple of inches down there, but none in Townsend. I guess we don't get snow up there any more!

Wayne Nelson and I will be doing a little show for the same audience at the same place tonight. Should be just as good a time as we had yesterday.

Last night, I had a $10 hamburger at the Corral Bar. It was good, but not THAT good! Anyway, this morning I wanted some coffee. Here at this luxury resort, I had to climb into the old rusty pickup and head to Big Sky to find a breakfast. I asked at the gas station if there was a regular old fashioned cafe somewhere around Big Sky. You know, someplace with buiscuits and gravy and hot coffee? Not a chance. The closest thing was the "Bugaboo Cafe". They had good food and their prices were at least within shouting distance of reasonable. I even had a plate of ham and eggs, like a normal person. I skipped the blue crab and the florentine omelettes as just not in my regular breakfast list.

Anyway, that's my current report from "On the Road".

Hi there all:

I want to address a couple of things here today.

I got an e-mail last week from a fella (?) calling himself ShelterBelt Slim or Yardley Vanderwench. I'm sure many of you got it also as it was sent to a lot of people. All in the "To:" address bar also so now there are lots more addresses available to anyone! When you send a bulk e-mail, put all the addresses in the "BCC:" address bar. They'll go where you want them to but the e-mail addresses won't be visible to the recipients. There. That's one thing out of the way.

Anyway, the poem is a rant about Cowboy Poets not being real cowboys. The language isn't great but that isn't why I'm not posting it right now. I'd be willing to post it here for the opposing viewpoint kind of thing but I won't post under a psuedonymn. I have a good idea who it was from but I'm not saying. Here's the e-mail I sent back to "Yardley":

Hi there:

Interesting poem. Not exactly on the mark but I would be willing to post it on the blog except that I won't post anything under a psuedonymn. If ya can't sign it, I won't post it. A real Cowboy isn't afraid to let the world know what he thinks or how he feels.

Actually, I often have the same feeling when I see city boys and girls getting the gigs while those of us who are or were the real deal are pushed aside.

If you want to stand up and be counted, let me know, otherwise I guess it's all just air.

If I get a reply with a real name, I'll post the poem for everyone. Like I say, the language isn't great in a place or two. Obviously written "with a mad on" but I understand the sentiment, even though I don't agree with it.

As I've often mentioned, I like to get a good discussion going here as there are a lot of concerns we all feel out here that we're reluctant to bring out in front of everyone. That's one of the things Blogs are for. To vent.

Be good and I'll be b ack later.

Willie's Place Programming Change

I received the following message; forwarded by Bobby Newton of the Academy of Western Artists.

"My understanding is the on Monday, Willie's Place (XM Channel 13) has changed their programming from an emphasis on the Texas Honky Tonk type of music to a more top forty type of hits programming.

They have just about completely quit playing any artists like Justin Trevino, Bobby Flores, Tony Booth, Jody Nix, Jake Hooker, Heather Myles, Joe Paul Nichols, Mike Siler, Johnny Bush, Darrell McCall, Amber Digby, Leona Williams, Little Joe Carson, Curtis Potter, Johnny Seay or others in that category.

They are focussing on the more "legends" in the business. Now, I appreciate the legends as much or more than anybody and I think that any person that knows me will attest to that. Who else signs artists to record in their 80's?

It is amazing to me that the music and artists that made Willie's Place (and Hank's Place) the most listened to music channel on XM are now all but banned on the channel.

If you are a subscriber, I would urge you to email williesplace@xmradio.com and let your voice be heard.

I don't know much, but I do know that a service that is being paid for by subscribers should listen to subscribers.

If you don't want to hear Justin, Amber, Darrell, Curtis or those other guys on Willie's Place, please do not do anything and we can hear another Elvis or Margaret Whiting song on the channel that is supposed to be a Texas Honky Tonk.

> > Tracy Pitcox
www.heartoftexascountry.com "

"The Yellowstone Song" by: Terri Taylor

I got the following message from Terri Taylor, of STAMPEDE! today. Go to the Western Folklife Center website and check it out. A really good song!

"I have a song entered in the Yellowstone/Teton Song writing contest sponsored by the Elko and Gibson Guitar and so far it's doing really good. There were over 130 songs submitted and they picked the Top 16 and put them on the website for everyone to go in and vote for their favorite.

Mine is called "The Yellowstone Song". It's basically a kids song and I've got a bunch of kids singing it with me. I would appreciate anyone's and everyone's vote! You can listen to the song as well on the site.
Thanks
Terri"

I listened to all the songs there today but I haven't voted yet. I'm leaning towards Terri's but I'm also intrigued by Mike Hurwitz and his "Ed Trafton" as well as "The Great Yellowstone Buffalo" by; Virgil Stortroen. I now have a little better appreciation of the difficulty the Folk Life Center must have faced in selecting these 16 songs from all that were submitted.

All of the songs are very good and I enjoyed listening to each...most of them more than once. Certainly the artists are top notch and even the recording quality (not a factor in the initial judging) is very good. However; I didn't feel that a lot of them had anything to do with Yellowstone! I have a few songs about Montana that I didn't enter as they aren't about Yellowstone/Grand Teton. Just general Montana. So, I focused on songs that were obviously about Yellowstone/Grand Teton and that appealed to me personally.

Mike Hurwitz' song is in the great Western tradition of a ballad about a real occurrence. Add to that the fact that it is well written and of course extremely well performed and it is a tough contender.

Virgil Stortroen has written a nice, simple story, likely also about a real occurrence. It certainly sounds like Yellowstone and especially some of the experiences I have had around there. Kind of a chuckle for me and I enjoyed it.

Terri's song is very upbeat, happy and fun and I think it is something that kids around our area just might be found singing in school and at home! That's not an exaggeration. It's a very fun song and one I wish I had thought of first!

So, anyway, go to the Western Folklife Center website and check out the whole list. Go ahead and listen to all the songs a couple of times. They are all very good and you'll have fun just doing that. Then, I guess, close your eyes and click the mouse in the voting area??!

Thanks to the Folklife Center for this idea. It has brought some great music out for us to listen to. Several that I hadn't heard before.

Music Ranch Montana

Howdy Folks!

First, a history lesson.

When I first met John Westbrook, he was running the sound and most everything else at a pretty neat little facility in Belgrade, Montana called Music Ranch. This was the brainchild of Frank and Karen Smith and what a great idea it was!

They had a small stage area and enough room to seat around 160-200 people, a small kitchen, bathrooms and showers, a good sound/recording room and video recording/sound recording equipment set up already. At the time, most of the sound/recording equipment belonged to John but he had semi-permanently installed it for it's most effective use.

We had several good shows there over the years and a regular monthly "Hootenany". John produced my first two CDs there as well as CDs for several other performers.

A couple of years ago, Frank needed the building for his regular business so Music Ranch went on hold while he built another one. Well, the new one is almost complete and we even did a "housewarming" show there on September 15th. It's located on te Smith property in Paradise Valley, about ten miles south of Livingston, Montana. Frank has built a really nice barn-like structure, with a great kitchen/serving area, performers lounge and dressing rooms, good stage, great sound system and seating inside for about 300-400 people. The south side wall consists of Garage doors which can be opened to a natural ampitheater which will seat another 400 people when he is all done.

The stage is nicely set up with direct access from the upstairs performers lounge to the wings so that you can wait in the lounge until almost time for your appearance and then go down the stairs and be waiting in the wings.

The kitchen is very nice and food can either be prepared right there or brought in and placed on the serving counter.

Lots of bathrooms for audience and performers with dressing rooms/showers on the upper floors.

All this will make a facility that is comfortable and useful for performers and audience and creates a very intriguing venue for anyone who wants to do a show in the Livingston/Bozeman area.

Frank and Karen would like to see performers out there whenever we are traveling through. They would like to set up frequent shows and say that if you are travelling through, you are welcome to stop in and say "howdy".

When we did the little event on September 15th, people were there from as far away as Spokane, Washington and we had a little crowd of about 100 people, including performers. I had a chance to see several local entertainers whom I hadn't met before as well as those who had always been a big part of Music Ranch in the past.

John Westbrook played guitar for most of those who got on stage including Kostas, a well known Nashville songwriter. Dave Brackett, Ed Marsh and myself also did a few songs as well as several other great performers (As usual, I'm not going to try and give a complete list as I always forget someone).

Karen and Frank don't have a website up yet but you can contact them at 406-581-2509 or musicranch@wispwest.net . Let them know you heard about Music Ranch here and you'd like to be included in any mailings or promotions. I'm sure Karen would be happy to let you know once they have everything built and the events start.