The themes and sense-of-place are palpable, tangible, and unmistakable: the West, and the stories and secrets she holds. Creatures and critters, man versus nature, love, loss, joy, heartache, humility, and hilarity. The timeless genre of storytelling, oral histories, and humorous anecdotes come alive — and are kept alive — at the world-famous National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (NCPG), held Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 at the Western Folklife Center in Elko. And boy howdy, it’ll be big-doins this time around, as the gathering commemorates and celebrates 30 years of lassoing the moon, wrasslin’ steers, and watchin’ stars.
While the NCPG has a stellar line-up of boot-scootin’ poets and the top talents in twang, no one here is a star. They’re just American and Canadian cowpokes, fence-menders, and hired hands, in off the ranch, sitting by a warm fire, and spinning true tales — gals and guys like Carolyn Dufurrena, Baxter Black, Yvonne Hollenbeck, Don Edwards, Henry Real Bird, Waddie Mitchell, Doris Daley, and Richard Elloyan, to name just a few. It’s a tight-knit community of land-workin’, ranch-runnin’, and sod-bustin’ cowboy poets, including Michael Martin Murphey, the singin’, songwritin’ cowboy who’s logged 28 years as a performer at the gathering.
“When cowboy poetry is done just right, it produces an emotional high that is rare, and to be treasured in the heart and mind,” said Murphey, whose first performance at the NCPG was completely impromptu. “I’ve loved cowboy music and living a Western lifestyle all of my life. Cowboy boots feel like a part of my body, I love wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and whiskers suit me more than being clean-shaven. I love being on horseback, and raising cattle and livestock is my ideal lifestyle — which is why I write songs and sing about it.”
Word got ‘round, and since 1983 the NCPG has become a large-scale event, fortified by generous fans who, from Murphey’s perspective, “became the reason for the growth and sustenance of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and the organization it spawned: the Western Folklife Center.”
The Western Folklife Center has put together a memorable roster of featured entertainment. Notably, the keynote address will be delivered by the great Temple Grandin, Ph.D., the autistic genius whose incredible true story became an HBO feature film bearing her name and starring Claire Danes, whose portrayal of the renowed animal rights advocate remains unforgettable. Intelligent, sensitive, and outspoken, Dr. Grandin has authored several books on both autism and humane livestock handling principles and facilities. Grandin is a 2011 inductee of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Highlights of the 30th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering include the “Trail’s End Ranch Radio Show” with Stephanie Davis, along with hands-on workshops on Dutch oven cooking, rawhide braiding, film screenings, hat making, Western dances, panel discussions, and more. Oh, and open-mic poetry jams! The timelessness and vitality of the spoken word genre is a time-honored, historic tradition not lost on Murphey.
“The origin of all literature is musical, memorable speech,” he explained. “Cowboy poetry is a throwback to the ancient form of poetry, in which memorable deeds were turned in[to] compelling and memorable stories, tales, and incidents to be repeated by many generations to come. To my way of thinking, it’s one of the most important revivals of ancient communication literature.”
Simply said, the 30th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is full of udders and utters. It’s home-on-the-range, and well beyond. It’s how-now-brown-cow…on steroids.
