Cowboy Crossroads

Singer/songwriter and working cowboy Gail Steiger shares stories and memories about his grandfather Gail Gardner. Gail Gardner is one of the classic cowboy poets and he is best known for writing the poem/song "The Sierry Petes," also known as "Tying Knots in the Devil's Tail."    You can find out more about Gail Steiger at www.gailsteigermusic.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 ranch hand DW Groethe talks about playing music because you have to, becoming a cowboy, the difference in poems and songs, and the isolation of ranch work.    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

Barry Corbin talks about his career as an actor, his interest in the life of Charlie Goodnight, his creative process, and tells stories from working on the sets of Conagher and No Country for Old Men. Don't miss the Shakespeare recitation at the end!   You can find out more about Barry Corbin at www.barrycorbin.com   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

New Mexico cowboy singer R.W. Hampton talks about how a town kid became a cowboy, his musical influences, his acting career, Ian Tyson, and what makes a cowboy song.   You can find out more about R.W. Hampton at www.rwhampton.com   This episode was sponsored by Shooting Star Saddlery.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

The legendary Ian Tyson talks about Elko, Nevada, buckaroo culture, Greenwich Village, traditional folk songs, writing songs with Tom Russell, and encountering Bob Dylan.   You can find out more about Ian Tyson at www.iantyson.com   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

Florida rancher and poet Sean Sexton talks about working with his father and son, the Florida cattle business, his writing process, and poetic forms.   You can find out more about Sean Sexton at www.seansextonfineart.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads    

Poet Vess Quinlan discusses growing up on small family ranches, contracting polio as a child, occupational poetry, and offers insights into ranch culture.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Ned LeDoux elaborates on growing up in Kaycee, Wyoming, getting started in music, playing drums with the Western Underground, and being the son of Chris LeDoux. Don't miss the new song at the end of the episode.   You can find out more about Ned LeDoux at www.nedledoux.com   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

Cowboy poet Rodney Nelson of North Dakota talks about his life experiences including ranching, rodeo, poetry, his parents, and the power of music.     Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Colter Wall discusses growing up in Saskatchewan, his interest in cowboy culture, old-time cowboy songs, his 1937 Martin guitar, what it means to be a folksinger and his album Songs of the Plains.   You can find out more about Colter Wall at www.colterwall.com   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/cowboycrossroad

Singer/songwriter Dave Stamey talks about his early life, wranglin' dudes, his rural audience, and his songwriting influences. Don't miss the new song at the end of the episode!   You can find out more about Dave Stamey at www.davestamey.com   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/cowboycrossroad

This episode features two guests celebrating the poetry and memory of S. Omar Barker. Barker's grandniece Georgia Snead shares memories, stories, and anecdotes about Barker and cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell tells his story of discovering Barker's poetry and calling him on the phone.   You can find out more about Waddie Mitchell at www.waddiemitchell.com   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

Canadian singer/songwriter Corb Lund talks about his family history, old cowboy songs, Marty Robbins, Ian Tyson, authenticity, his diverse audience, and tells the story of his parents putting on a rodeo in Zambia. Don't miss his live version of S Lazy H at the end.   You can find out more about Corb Lund at www.corblund.com   This episode was sponsored by The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Fifth-generation California rancher and poet John Dofflemyer talks about growing up on his family ranch, poetry, his first trip to Elko, Dry Crik Review, endangered species, and more.    You can find out more about John Dofflemyer at www.drycrikjournal.com   This episode was sponsored by The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.    Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Bass player, vocalist, and humorist Too Slim reflects on his 40 year career with Riders in the Sky.  Tune in to hear Slim talk about his early musical influences, the beginning of the band, his role in the Paul is Dead conspiracy theory, the Riders’ stage names, working with Pixar, and more.   Find out more about Too Slim at www.ridersinthesky.com   This episode was sponsored by Ear Trumpet Labs microphones.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Live from Roots on the Narrow Gauge, Tom Russell shares about his early musical influences, personal encounters with the Beatles and Bob Dylan, living in Nigeria, the making of The Man from God Knows Where and Hotwalker, bad gigs, and his writing process. He tops it off with a new song.   Find out more about Tom Russell at www.tomrussell.com   Find out more about Roots on the Rails at www.rootsontherails.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Part 2 of the interview with NEA Fellow and poet Joel Nelson. In this episode, Joel talks about his lifelong journey into poetry from his earliest exposures to literature to writing his own poetry. Listen to the end to hear Joel recite his poem "Awakenings."   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

NEA National Heritage Fellow and poet Joel Nelson recalls his childhood memories, how he ended up in Alpine, Texas, and his early days as a working cowboy on the 06 Ranch.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Working cowboy, author, and poet Amy Hale Auker stops by Cowboy Crossroads and talks about her father, her history, her writing process, and her work with Andy Wilkinson. Listen to the end of the episode to hear Amy recite the title poem from her new book Livestock Man.   This episode was sponsored by Ear Trumpet Labs microphones.   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

One of the last of the old-time Australian drovers, bush poet Jack Sammon talks about his fascinating life as a drover and coal miner. Tune in to hear about the similarities between Australian bush poetry and American cowboy poetry.     Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads