Cowboy Crossroads

Arizona cowboy and writer Ed Ashurst tells stories of working with old-time cowboys Whistle Mills and Bill Howell and talks about his experiences on legendary Arizona outfits including the O RO Ranch, the Babbitt Ranch, and the Diamond A Ranch. Recorded onstage in front of a live audience at the 2nd Annual Ranch Verse.    This episode was sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas. Learn more at www.ranchingheritage.org   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads

Cowboy artist Teal Blake talks about his father Buckeye Blake, his western art influences, becoming a member of the Cowboy Artists of America, his artistic process, and his love for the West.    Learn more about Teal Blake at www.tealblake.com   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Third generation New Mexico rancher and author Carl Lane Johnson talks about his family's ranching history, his cowboy idol, breaking colts, treating screwworms, changes in the ranching industry and explains the difference between a cowboy, cowman, cattleman, and rancher.    This episode was sponosred by the National Ranching Hertiage Center. Learn more at www.ranchingheritage.org   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Wylie Gustafson of Wylie & The Wild West talks about the beginning of his musical career, the cowboy folk music of his father, the story of the Yahoo yodel, cutting horses, writing songs with Paul Zarzyski, and the workingman quality of cowboy poetry.      Learn more about Wylie Gustafson at www.wyliewebsite.com     Learn more about Cowboy Crossrods at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Cowboy and horseman Martin Black talks about his family's deep ranching roots, being in cow camp with his brother at eight years old, ranching changes in the Great Basin, the disappearance of the wagon, and the horsemanship philosophy of his mentors Ray Hunt, Tom Dorrance, and Tom Marvel.    Learn more about Martin Black at www.martinblack.net   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Bluegrass legend Peter Rowan talks about his lifelong fascination with the West, amateur historians, and making the album High Lonesome Cowboy with Don Edwards.        Learn more about Peter Rowan at www.peter-rowan.com       This episode was sponsored by B2 Trading Company. Learn more about them at www.b2tradingcompany.com       Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com       Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Waddie Mitchell returns to Cowboy Crossroads to celebrate 100 episodes of the podcast. Waddie talks about making phone calls to Kris Kristofferson and S. Omar Barker, classic cowboy poetry, his recording career, and his favorite original poems.    This interview was recorded onstage in front of a live audience at the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas. Learn more about the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering at www.lonestarcowboypoetry.com    Learn more about Waddie Mitchell at www.waddiemitchell.com   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads 

Legendary western photographer Barbara Van Cleve talks about growing up at the end of the horse age, her family's Lazy K Bar Ranch, her father Spike Van Cleve, her collaborations with rodeo poet Paul Zarzyski, and her love for horses, ranching, and photography.    Learn more about Barbara Van Cleve at www.barbaravancleve.com    This episode was co-sponsored by the National Ranching Heritage Center and Art of the Cowgirl.  Visit them at www.ranchingheritage.org and www.artofthecowgirl.com   Learn more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Old-time musician Rex Rideout discusses the life and times of the first cowboy song collector Jack Thorp. Rex discusses the events that led to Thorp's search for cowboy songs, Thorp's book of Songs of the Cowboys, the story of Little Joe the Wrangler, and Thorp's banjo.   Find out more about Rex at http://www.timetravelmusic.com   Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

Ninety-one year-old legendary working cowboy Boots O'Neal talks about his early cowboyin' experiences on the JA Ranch, starting colts with his brother Wes, horse wrecks, and tells stories from a lifetime spent punchin' cows on the most iconic ranches in Texas. Recorded in front of a live audience at the 2023 Ranch Verse event at the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas.        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  

Oklahoma cowboy poet, rancher, and former bull rider Jay Snider talks about his ranching and rodeo family, the influence of his grandfather, memories from his rodeo career, and the camaraderie of the trail driving era that continues through rodeo and cowboy poetry.   Find out more agout Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com   Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossroads  

94-year-old rancher and Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee Clarence Lanka talks about growing up on a ranch in Western Nebraska, riding his horse to a one room school, roping, good horses, and his faith in God.      Find out more about Cowboy Crossroads at www.andyhedges.com     Become a patron at www.patreon.com/cowboycrossorads  

Working cowboy, filmmaker, songwriter, and poet Gail Steiger sends in audio postscripts to continue the conversation from part 1. On this episode Gail talks about his cowboy mentor Bill Murphy, making the film Ranch Album, tracking cattle, handling livestock, international herding cultures, and the friendships he's made through cowboy poetry. 

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 patron 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