Cowboy Crossroads

Dr. Charles Bud Townsend shares stories from a lifetime as a rodeo announcer, boot salesman, history professor, and writer. Tune in to hear about his family history, how he became a rodeo announcer, and the story of writing the definitive biography of Bob Wills. Along the way he tells stories about Jimmie Rodgers, Ruth Roach, and Bob Wills.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Fourth-generation rancher Linda Davis talks about growing up on the Tequesquite Ranch in the 1930s, becoming a part of the Bell Ranch cowboy crew as a 5 year old, and spending her life on the historic CS Ranch in northeastern New Mexico. She tells stories about rattlesnakes, learning to read from cowboys, her father's favorite cowboy poet, and her passion for horses and livestock.   Find out more about Linda Davis and the CS Ranch at www.cscattle.com   This episode was sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center. Find out more about them at www.ranchingheritage.org   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Rancher and musician Dale Burson talks about his deep ranching roots, his love of the ranching lifestyle, playing music with his kids, the cowboy code, and the rich musical traditions of the Texas panhandle.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Legendary cutting horse trainer Buster Welch talks about his family history and childhood in Sterling City, Texas, leaving home at 14 to work for the Proctor Ranch in Midland, Texas, and shares stories and observations from a lifetime of working with cutting horses. At 93 years old, Buster Welch is a living link to the last of the old-time cowboys and the open range methods of working with cattle and horses.    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

Texas cowboy poet and songwriter Red Steagall stops by Cowboy Crossroads to talk about growing up in the Texas panhandle, his songwriting career, his rodeo album For All Our Cowboy Friends, writing cowboy poetry, his experiences on the Four Sixes Ranch and the values of the cow country.    Find out more about Red Steagall at www.redsteagall.com   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 patreon at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads    

Andy Wilkinson returns to Cowboy Crossroads to talk about the Llano Estacado, Waylon Jennings, Buck Ramsey, and the creative process. He also reads excerpts from his upcoming memoir, Llanero: a boyhood on the 360-of-the-180.   Find out more about Andy Wilkinson at www.andywilkinson.org   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Singer, songwriter, and guitar builder Michael Stevens talks about growing up in the Ohio horse culture, the guitar scene in Berkeley, California, building Junior Brown's guit-steel, and remembers his cowboy father.    Find out more about Michael Stevens at www.stevensguitars.com   This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company. Find out more about them at www.republicbootcompany.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Part two with rancher and mountain lion hunter Warner Glenn. Warner talks about the importance of being a steward of the land, the Malpai Borderlands Group, and tells the stories of his encounters with jaguars. Warner's daughter Kelly Kimbro joins the conversation.    This episode is sponsored by Republic Boot Company. Find out more about them at www.republicbootcompany.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads 

Rancher and mountain lion hunter Warner Glenn talks about his family coming to Arizona from Texas in 1896 and shares about his experiences hunting lions in the Southern Arizona desert. Warner's daughter Kelly Kimbro joins the conversation.    This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads            

Photographer and writer Jay Dusard discusses his work to chronicle cowboy culture in his book The North American Cowboy: A Portrait. Along the way he tells stories about Warner Glenn, Russell Lee, Ian Tyson, Kurt Markus, Buster Welch and Gail I. Gardner. He also talks about the importance of the working cowboy and shares the secret to learning the structure of a haiku.       Today's episode is sponsored by Republic Boot Company.        Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com       Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Part two with cowboy poet and humorist Baxter Black. On this episode Baxter talks about cowboy poetry, how he got on National Public Radio, appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, his poem Legacy of a Rodeo Man, and what it means to live on the edge of common sense.    This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company.   Find out more about Baxter Black at www.baxterblack.com    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads 

Cowboy poet and former large animal veterinarian Baxter Black talks about his childhood, his decision to go to veterinary school, working for the Simplot Livestock Company, his three requirements for the poetry he writes and the two poets who have inspired him most.    Find out more about Baxter Black at www.baxterblack.com   This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company and Michael Pardue Silversmith.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Teresa Jordan shares about growing up on a Wyoming ranch, the family economy of ranching, the neglected voices of women in the American West, and reads excerpts from her book Riding the White Horse Home.    Find out more about Teresa Jordan at www.teresajordan.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

On this special Veterans Day edition of Cowboy Crossroads, working cowboy and poet Joel Nelson shares his experience and poetry from the Vietnam War.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Utah songwriter Brenn Hill talks about his passion for the Intermountain West, working with Ian Tyson in the studio, the support of the cowboy poetry community, his songwriting process, and plays a brand new song.    Find out more about about Brenn Hill at www.brennhill.com   This episode is sponsored by Flint Custom Hats.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads 

New Mexico cowboy artist Gary Morton talks about his early days on the Bell Ranch, the responsibilities of a camp man and a wagon boss on a ranch, his journey as an artist, running cattle on the Mescalero Indian Reservation, and the importance of getting details right when representing the working cowboy.   You can find out more about Gary Morton at www.garymortonart.com   This episode was sponsored by Flint Custom Hats.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

The legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliott returns to Cowboy Crossroads and rambles about Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Mississippi John Hurt, Jack Kerouac, songs, guitars, Leadbelly, and much more.    You can find out more about Ramblin' Jack Ellliott at www.ramblinjackelliott.com   This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company.    This episode was also brought to you by the Western Folklife Center.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Montana poet laureate Henry Real Bird shares about growing up on the Crow Reservation, the history of the Crow Tribe, and the power of poetry and thought.    This episode was also brought to you by the Western Folklife Center.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Hot Club of Cowtown's Elana James stops by Cowboy Crossroads to talk about her classical training, her Western swing influences, working with Bob Dylan, wrangling horses in Montana, and interpreting traditional music. Don't miss the fiddle tune at the end!    You can out more about Elana James at www.elanajames.com    This episode was also brought to you by the Western Folklife Center.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Myrtis Dightman talks about being the first black cowboy to compete at the National Finals Rodeo in 1964 and shares stories from a lifetime in rodeo. Special guests Pipp Gillette and Waddie Mitchell also share stories and thoughts about Myrtis Dightman.    This episode was sponsored by Republic Boot Company.    This episode was also brought to you by the Western Folklife Center.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads