First try
Howdy,
Welcome to this page. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks also to my friends at the Western Folklife Center for giving me a chance to participate in this digital adventure. I'm flattered to be included in the crew they've assembled so far.
I guess the idea is to share a little bit about who we are and what we're doing. I'll try to post some notes and some pictures of what's happening on the ranch.
If we can we'll post some video clips and maybe a little music, too.
I was born on my father's ranch about 45 miles northeast of where I'm working now. My grandfather had a ranch about 20 miles to the southeast. I worked here at the Spider Ranch full time from '81 - '85.
My brother Lew and I had recorded some songs about cowboy life and a friend in the video business in Phoenix heard one he liked and said he'd come shoot us a music video for room and board . The owner of the ranch saw the video and liked it enough to want to see something " a little longer". With his generous support and the help of a lot of friends in both the video business and the cow business we managed to shoot a film on cowboy life around here called "Ranch Album". We were lucky enough to get it released as a national PBS special, and that project brought in more film and video work . It also got me a ticket to my first Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Elko, in 1988. Talk about an eye-opener. I couldn't believe there was anybody else as weird as me, trying to write stuff about ranch life, and here were all these people up there singing songs and telling poems right out loud. I made some great friends on that trip, friends I count now among my very best. Opportunities came my way and things led to other things and all in all it had a profound influence on my life.
I pretty much split my time from then on between ranch work and video projects, with a little music thrown in whenever possible, coming back to manage the Spider in '95.
I'm having a great time these days. Life at the ranch is a gift. My boss is patient enough to put up with a couple of video projects a year and about the time I get tired of hunting cows, it's time to go do some video stuff and vice versa.
I feel real lucky to be alive and where I'm at and I'll try to share as much of that with you as I can.
Comments
Hi Billy Gail...this is Monty Gail...Gottin lost lately...I would like to apply for a job as your personal guide :) I'm a little pricey, but you won't get lost. Hugs and Kisses...Monty
Posted by: Monty Riggs | August 25, 2006 5:34 AM
I had the pleasure of meeting Gail, quite a few years ago, at Spearfish, SD.
His show, Ranch Album, was and still is a favorite. Too bad there aren't more like him and that show!
I'm looking forward to reading this and all the future postings here. It will be on my computer, under favorites.
Posted by: Robert Dennis | September 1, 2006 3:54 PM
hi, Gail Steiger I have enjoyed reading about your ranch life and hope some day to be in one of your videos. thankyou
wayne gardner
Posted by: wayne gardner | September 12, 2006 6:58 PM
What fun to see your writing on the web! Will have to check out the site periodically.
Cousin Linda
Posted by: Linda Cravens | October 18, 2006 10:28 PM
Mr. Steiger
I worked on the M Diamond for a short time. I love the ranch lifestyle. I am amazed to find so many people who are cluless to what cowboying really is. I was wondering if you will ever pursue to make a film like Ranch Album again. I thought it was a masterpiece and hightime that it be done again. How are the folks from Ranch Album doing today.
I think as Arizona's population explodes it is important to communicate with the city people via films like Ranch Album about why cowboys and ranches are there ad who they are. If not I fear that operations on BLM land could be forced off by well meaning but missinformed city people
Posted by: Shad Brackin | October 25, 2006 8:31 PM