Cowboy Crossroads

Working cowboy, filmmaker, songwriter, and poet Gail Steiger talks about his family background, Arizona politics, writing cowboy songs, and tells the facinating story of how he got into the cow business.      Find out more about Gail Steiger at www.gailsteigermusic.com     Find out more abot Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

This bonus episode of Cowboy Crosroads features a segment that Andy Hedges narrated for the American Songcatcher podcast about the first cowboy song collector Jack Thorp.  In March 1889, Jack Thorp, a born-to-privilege Easterner who had grown into a leather-tough, saddle-wise trail hand, decided to track down the words to songs about cowboy life from cowboys singing in cow camps, at chuck wagons and line camps, in saloons—anywhere Thorp could find them, mostly in New Mexico and Texas. His course proved crucial to the evolution of cowboy culture and the publication of his Songs of the Cowboys, the first collection of folk songs in America in 1908.    Find out more about the American Songcatcher podcast at www.americansongcatcher.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads      

Bob Kinnan, the resident historian of the iconic King Ranch gives an overview of the history of the King Ranch from the ending of the Civil War to modern times and discusses the life and legacy of National Golden Spur Award recipient Helen Kleberg Groves.    Find out more about the King Ranch at www.kingranch.com   This episode is sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more bout them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Bob Kinnan, the resident historian of the iconic King Ranch, discusses his background and interest in ranching history and tells the story of the King Ranch from 1853 to the end of the Civil War.    Fnd out more about the King Ranch at www.kingranch.com   This episode was sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Legendary western artist William Matthews discusses his early life and influences, traveling the world, painting album covers, using watercolor as a medium, and discovering and painting the buckaroo culture of the Great Basin.    Find out more about William Mattews at www.williammatthewsstudio.com   This episode is sponsored by B2 Trading Company. Find out more about B2 Trading Company at www.b2tradingcompany.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Andy Hedges previews his new album "Roll On, Cowboys" and takes a close look at the songs on the second disc with special guests Rod Taylor, Dom Flemons, Pipp Gillette, Corb Lund, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Michael Martin Murphey, Tom Russell, Randy Rieman, Brenn Hill, and Andy Wilkinson.    FInd out more about Cowboy Crossroads and order the new album at www.andyhedges.com   Become a partron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Andy previews his new album "Roll On, Cowboys" and takes a close look at the songs with special guests Brenn Hill, Dom Flemons, Corb Lund, Pipp Gillette, Tom Russell, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Brigid Reedy, Waddie Mitchell, and Andy Wilkinson.      Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads and order the new album at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Cowboy, photographer and retired General Manager of the Pitchfork Ranch Bob Moorhouse talks about managing the Pitchfork Ranch, pulling out the wagon, tradition, cowboy etiquette, photography, horses, and preserving the authentic cowboy image.     This episode is sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Singer, songwriter, poet, and fiddler Brigid Reedy talks about growing up in Montana, the influence of her parents, playing music with her brother, attending the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, reciting poetry with Wallace McRae, playing music with Glenn Ohrlin, building gear with George Holt, and her future with music, poetry, and horses.    You can find out more about Brigid Reedy at www.brigidreedy.com   This episode is sponsored by the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas. www.lonestarcowboypoetry.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads 

Fourth-generation rancher Jon Means tells stories from a lifetime of ranching in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. Jon talks about his great-grandfather coming to West Texas in 1884, ranching in the desert, stewardship, and the challenges that face ranching today.    This episode was sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads    

Cowboy poet, humorist, and farrier Andy Nelson talks about traveling the Great Basin with his farrier father, his horse shoeing and cowboy mentors, cowboy humor, and writing poetry.   Find out more about Andy Nelson at www.cowpokepoet.com   This episode is sponsored by Flint Custom Hats. Find out more about Flint Custom Hats at www.flinthat.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Fifth-generation rancher and poet Deanna Dickinson McCall shares stories about her ranching heritage, raising her family on a ranch in the remote Great Basin region of Nevada, and absorbing the cowboy poetry tradition from her Texas grandparents.    Find out more about Deanna Dickinson McCall at www.deannadickinsonmccall.com   This episode is sponsored by Jeff Tant with Tant Natural Resources.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

94 year-old, third generation rancher Jimmie Powell shares stories from a lifetime of ranching in West Texas. Jimmie discusses raising sheep and cattle, ranching conservation practices, his friendship with Elmer Kelton, and tells the story of his grandfather settling in West Texas.   This episode is sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

This is the second episode of a two part show exploring the life and work of the late Texas cowboy poet and singer Buck Ramsey. In this second part, cowboy poet Joel Nelson reflects on the importance of Buck Ramsey's book-length poem "Grass."     This episode is sponsored by Jayson Jones Bits & Spurs. Find out more about Jayson Jones at www.jaysonjonesspurs.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

This is the first episode of a two part show exploring the life and work of the late Texas cowboy poet and singer Buck Ramsey. In this first part, Buck Ramsey's widow Bette Ramsey shares about Buck's childhood, the influence of his Uncle Ed, his tragic horse wreck, and how Buck found his tribe through cowboy poetry.    This episode is sponsored by Jayson Jones Bits & Spurs. Find out more about Jayson Jones at www.jaysonjonesspurs.com     Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Third-generation California rancher and Golden Spur Award recipient John Lacey talks about his grandfather first coming to the Owens Valley in 1870, the values he learned from his father, raising Quarter Horses, and the challenges in the future for the ranching industry.    This episode is sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Part two with horseman, rawhide braider, and reciter Randy Rieman discussing the life and letters of Charles M. Russell. In this episode, Randy talks about Russell's poetry and reads from letters that touch on Christmas, Buffalo Bill, Hollywood, prohibition, the changing West, and Russell's relationship with pioneer preacher Brother Van.   Find out more about Randy Rieman at www.randyrieman.com   This episode was sponsored by Flint Custom Hats. Find out more about Flint Custom Hats at www.flinthat.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Horseman, braider, and reciter Randy Rieman returns to Cowboy Crossroads to discuss the Illustrated Letters of Charles M. Russell. In part one, Randy talks about Russell's life and work, discusses early Montana history, and reads from a few of Russell's letters.    Find out more about Randy Rieman at www.randyrieman.com   This episode was sponsored by Jayson Jones Bits & Spurs. Find out more about Jayson Jones at www.jaysonjonesspurs.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Singer/songwriter Trinity Seely talks about growing up in the remote Chilcotin country of British Columbia, working on ranches in Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Montana, becoming the Director of the Horse Program at The Thatcher School, and conveying emotion through music.    Find out more about Trinity Seely at www.trinityseely.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Part 2 with rodeo announcer, boot salesman, history professor, and writer Dr. Charles "Bud" Townsend. In this episode Dr. Townsend talks about teaching history, how rodeo influenced his academic career, and how he became a salesman with Olsen-Stelzer Boots.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads