Got a Question? Ask A COWBOY POET!
December 2023
In almost every language, there are rarely used words. In the language of animal husbandry, “vacation” is one of those words. So when it’s uttered, you know it’s special. This month, the columnists talk about that exceptional word, and how their vacations are bound up with their poetry.
As ranchers and working cowboys, it can be nearly impossible to take a "vacation." Daily chores, upcoming tasks, and unplanned emergencies keep us close to the ranch. Over the years, where are some of your favorite destinations cowboy poetry has taken you to?
Signed,
~Seeing the World
Dick gibford:
Over the years, I have not traveled to many cowboy poetry gatherings, only a few besides Elko. Writing and reciting poetry is only a small part of my life. I always feel honored to be included at the Elko gathering and there are fewer and fewer of us (old-timers) left from the original ones at the beginning in 1985. I have never wanted to go to very many cowboy poetry events anyway, as my first love is cowboying on this outfit belonging to Fred Reyes in South Central California. But one time, back in 1986 or ’87, I was invited to share my poetry in the big auditorium at the famous Salinas rodeo. Jessie Smith, Sunny Hancock, myself, Ed Brown, and another poet performed there. It was a roaring good time had by all! The most special part to me was meeting Ramblin’ Jack Elliott there for the first time. He came backstage and wanted to meet all us cowboys. His wonderful girlfriend Bonnie Zee was with him, and Jack was touring full time in his big motorhome back then. I became very good friends with the both of them, and Jack is one of the kindest and most interesting characters I have ever met in all my travels over the years as a working buckaroo, horse breaker, and all-around drifting adventurer.
Waddie mitchell:
Waddie Mitchell and his wife Lisa Hackett. Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland
Poetry has made my living and my life for a long time. It has taken me to many places. I, or we, have done shows, speaking engagements, or presentations in all but four of the states (New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Hawaii). I must say the northwest Rocky Mountain states (Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado) have been my favorite summer destinations. The southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) have been my favorite winter jobs. Of the jobs abroad (Canada, Europe, Australia), I believe I enjoyed the Aussies and the vastness of their outback the most. But if I would have to name the place that most affected and changed my life for the better, it would definitely be California. You see, that was the place I first got acquainted with my wife.
yvonne hollenbeck:
Cowboy poetry has afforded me the ability to travel to and see places I never thought I would see. As any of you that know me know, my husband rarely travels with me; the reason being because we are cattle ranchers and someone always has to be on the place at all times. There are many reasons for this, but you cannot train a herd of cattle to stay where they belong at all times, plus someone has to constantly check to make sure water sources are available and windmills are working properly. In other words, when I'm gone, he is home; when he is gone, I am there at the ranch. There is little time for vacations on a working cattle ranch.
With that said, the one time my husband traveled with me to the Elko Gathering, we left a very capable son and a hired hand in charge of the ranch. As luck would have it, the weather was quite nice when we left for Elko, but by the time we got to the first stop in western Nebraska, the weather was turning bad. We made it to Elko all right, but had a terrible time getting back, spending all of a long day going from Rock Springs to Rawlins, Wyoming. The interstate should have been closed, as we passed multiple wrecks, and there is absolutely no place to pull over and stop until the storm abates. Needless to say, he never traveled with me to Elko again, and when we got home, our son said, "Don't ever leave me with the ranch in the wintertime again." We were running about 750 mother cows, plus wintering that many calves at the time, so that took care of our joint travels, at least in the winter months.
Cowboy poetry has given me the opportunity to perform at nearly every state west of the Mississippi River, plus places like Georgia, Tennessee, and Canada. Being raised a farmer's daughter and spending my married life a rancher's wife, vacations and travels were next to none, so because of cowboy poetry and all the wonderful gatherings and events around the country, I have had a very enjoyable venture.
Bill lowman:
Great question from one of us, but a tough one to answer.
Along with running our own cow-calf Badlands ranch, our son Lusk and family lease another sprawling spread adjacent to us, so JoAnn and I do have help that's spread far too thin with oil field work and a heavy equipment, earth-moving business on the side.
For nearly 40 years now, I've worked close to 1000 shows, mostly business banquets for all walks of life, as the main speaker and entertainer of a one-hour performance.
The funny and odd situations I've gotten into come to mind quicker than my most favorite performances, but maybe they are because of them. But in all seriousness, the crowd's reaction and acoustics of the auditoriums are tops. Of course, the Elko Convention Center is the best in both categories. Others are Hot Springs, South Dakota; Dickinson Trinity High School (for acoustics); Bismarck and Jamestown, North Dakota Civic Centers. Large crowds are more fun than small crowds. The Treasure Island Casino at Red Wing, Minnesota, for the Red Wing Collectors Convention was great. Lake Toxaway, up in the "hollers" of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, left them "hillbillies" scratching their heads saying, "What the hell was that?"
I've always compared it to rodeoing. Do one, then drive through the night to get home at daylight to go to work. The only difference is that I've got a check in my pocket instead of somebody else.
annie mackenzie:
Well, I haven't been doing cowboy poetry very long and have only performed at a handful of places. However, I do really enjoy getting to be a part of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko. It's during a time of year when things are slowed down a little at the ranch, and I don't have to worry too much about hustling back. And I get to watch and visit with some of the most talented cowboy poets there are. It's an extremely unique gathering of amazing people. I feel blessed they keep letting me come back to it.
dw groethe:
I was lucky for the most part, as the outfit I worked for let me take time off when the need arose. I didn't play a lot of shows in a year, so when something came along that was interesting I could plan ahead and have things in order before I took the time off. Like, say, if it was early summer and I knew we'd be moving cows and calves to a certain pasture in a couple weeks, I'd have the fencing done, water checked and working, and whatever else needed doing early on. Then I could take off for the show and not leave anybody up the crick.
As far as favorites, there's too many, but if push comes to shove I'd say being invited to play the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center is right up there, and there's been a lot of major folk festivals that really stand out, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention all the small shows at county fairs that are absolutely wonderful...but really...nothing truly beats a favorite like being invited to Elko. Period. It's one of the best feelings ever. And I can't imagine anybody who's ever been invited feeling any different. So, there you go. Thanks for asking.
d dub
p.s.
See you in Elko.
