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Tom Russell on What's in a Song

Photo courtesy of Tom Russell

Listen for the next installment of What's in a Song, this Sunday, September 7, on National Public Radio. It features a song by Tom Russell, a regular performer at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, who lives near the U.S. and Mexican border in the town of Canutillo, Texas. In this song, titled "Whose Gonna Build Your Wall?", he asks if skilled illegal workers may be critical to building the very wall that separates Mexico from the United States. Tom says that although it is not a political song, feelings run high when it comes to the subject of immigration, which makes it a good premise for a song.

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See all of the prior What's in a Song episodes.

Broadcast over 500 stations nationwide, What's in a Song is an occasional series on National Public Radio that weaves together a tapestry of American music, one song and one story at a time. Produced by Hal Cannon and Taki Telonidis of the Western Folklife Center, What's in a Song is made possible with the support of the R. Harold Burton Foundation and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.

It's All About Elko

Photo by Chris Simon

This episode of Ranch Rhymes features more poems and songs inspired by the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Kent Stockton's "Filling the Gaps at Elko" and Gail Steiger's "Elko On Your Own," which were inspired by scenes witnessed at the Red Lion Casino in Elko, Nevada during past Gatherings and celebrate the small moments you can find in Elko between shows and workshops. Both artists will join us in Elko for the 25th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

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Photo by Kevin Martini-Fuller

Baxter Black to Perform in Elko September 19

Photo by Charlie Ekburg

Baxter Black, described by the New York Times as “…probably the nation’s most successful living poet,” is performing in Elko, Friday, September 19, 2008, at the Elko Convention Center. The show starts at 7:00 pm; tickets are $25 and $20. Western Folklife Center members receive $5.00 off the ticket price. Doors open at 6:00 pm. There will be a cash bar and Baxter Black merchandise sales in the lobby of the Convention Center. Baxter will stick around after the show to autograph books, CDs and DVDs. Tickets can be purchased at the Western Folklife Center, or by calling 775-738-7508 ext. 239 or toll-free 888-880-5885.

Baxter Black has been performing at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering since its very first year and is consistently one of its most popular and certainly funniest performers. Tickets to Baxter’s free Saturday afternoon shows during the Gathering are distributed by lottery so as many people as possible get the opportunity to share in the laughter. Now, Baxter is helping Elko commemorate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering with this special show.

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