{"id":44566,"date":"2021-09-23T18:07:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T00:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/durango-cowboy-poetry-gathering-back-in-the-saddle\/"},"modified":"2021-09-24T00:07:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T00:07:00","slug":"durango-cowboy-poetry-gathering-back-in-the-saddle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/durango-cowboy-poetry-gathering-back-in-the-saddle\/","title":{"rendered":"Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering back in the saddle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The High Country Cowboys are this year\u2019s premier performers for the annual Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering. (Courtesy)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

If you see a lot of cowboy hats and horses roaming the streets of Durango next weekend, it\u2019s because the annual Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering will be back in full swing.<\/p>\n

Starting Thursday, the Gathering will host a packed schedule of musical performances, comedy, the annual cowboy parade and chuck wagon breakfast. Because the Henry Strater Theatre closed in 2020, some performances will be held at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, and others will be held in venues downtown.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s premier performers are The High Country Cowboys out of Red Lodge, Montana. The three brothers who make up the band \u2013 John, Joe and Marty \u2013 have been a group since about 2014, said John Kosel (who, the sharp-eyed among you may have noticed, is also the artist behind this year\u2019s official Cowboy Gathering poster, which is a print of his painting, \u201cHigh Country Autumn\u201d). He said the trio have their father and old Western movies and music to thank for the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe grew up watching the old Roy Rogers movies, which we\u2019re not that old, but it was something that our dad \u2013 we just watched the older movies. We were inspired by Sons of the Pioneers, which did a lot of the Roy Rogers films,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s where we got the inspiration for playing this kind of music. The harmonies and the yodeling and the cowboy songs is kind of what we liked about it the most. None of us ever imagined that we would ever get into doing it, but we were playing bluegrass music and guitar-picking and stuff like that growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

What really put the guys over, John said, was the DVD of the Riders in the Sky\u2019s \u201cHow to Sing Western Harmony\u201d the brothers got for Christmas one year: \u201cWe started doing it around the house and it was terrible, and we didn\u2019t give up on it, we just kept doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, they got good enough that their older sister signed them up as entertainment for their local community center. They agreed to the gig, but weren\u2019t exactly thrilled because they were pretty reserved, John said, adding that they grew up in ranch country in south central Montana, a pretty isolated place.<\/p>\n

After that initial performance, the group was asked back for more shows, and then the band began to take off.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe local hotel, which is also a restaurant, wanted us to come play music there and give us a tryout, and said they would pay us money if we showed up, and so we did. We got halfway through our set that night, and the manager took me aside and said, \u2018I\u2019d like to have you guys here on a monthly basis.\u2019 It was a shock to us \u2013 it wasn\u2019t any of our plans to make music as a living \u2013 even a part-time living,\u201d John said. \u201cFrom there it kind of grew and got to the point where it was a full-time job for all three of us, traveling around, mostly around Montana. We joined the Western Music Association shortly after that hotel gig and started making contact with other people and started playing out of state as well and just kept growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not bad for brothers who basically learned to play on their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as music goes, we learned to play by ear, mostly. We learned the chords on the guitar, but even still, I\u2019ll be playing songs that we learned by ear and somebody will ask what chord it was that I just played, and I couldn\u2019t tell them,\u201d John said. \u201cIt kind of got to be a problem, that part of it, because when we went to go record in a professional studio, it was kind of a barrier because we were working with the sound engineer and the producer, and they were like, \u2018What chord was that?\u2019 it\u2019s just the one we played (laughs).\u201d<\/p>\n

Apparently, they did a pretty good job learning their instruments on their own, having earned awards for their work: According to the band\u2019s website, the Pro Cowboy Country Artist Association awarded them \u201cMusic Group of the Year\u201d in 2017 and 2018. The PCCAA also awarded the group \u201cBest Album of the Year\u201d in 2018 for their album \u201cCowboy.\u201d And lead singer Marty took home PCCAA \u201cYodeler of the Year\u201d in 2017 and \u201cMale Vocalist of the Year\u201d in 2018.<\/p>\n

And while other musicians have tried to join the band, John said it\u2019s always just been the three siblings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a few other people who would try to get in on what we were doing, and it was kind of like, \u2018You know, this is kind of a family thing for us,\u2019 we just work really good together,\u201d he said. \u201cBrothers have their spats whatever, but it never did result in any fistfights or anything like that. We get along really well for brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

John said the band is starting to slow down as his brothers\u2019 families grow and traveling becomes trickier \u2013 the pandemic is partly to blame for that, too. But, he said, unless musicians continue to perform in the Western tradition, it\u2019s a genre that could fall to the wayside.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a kind of music, I don\u2019t know how to explain it, it\u2019s a really good, it\u2019s about cowboy way of life and the Western landscape,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just something I think should be continued on, and unless kids hear it, it would be too easy for it to get lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"This
This year\u2019s official poster for the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a print of artist and musician John Kosel\u2019s painting, \u201cHigh Country Autumn.\u201d (Courtesy)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>
Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Schedule<\/div>\n
Thursday<\/strong><\/div>\n

Poets in the Community: <\/strong> All day. Special performances in schools and other venues.<\/p>\n

Open Air Concerts: Featured cowboy musicians at an outside venue downtown<\/strong>. Free. Scheduled are: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Balcony Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave.; 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.; 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Train Depot Lawn, 479 Main Ave.<\/p>\n

Western Variety Show with a Twist, \u201cSounds of the West\u201d: <\/strong> 6 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., tickets $15, no reserved seating. Tickets and details: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3lNqRPF<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Premier Performance: The High Country Cowboys: <\/strong> 8 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. Details and tickets: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3EKHunI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Oct. 1<\/div>\n

Poets in the Community:<\/strong> (See Thursday.)<\/p>\n

Open Air Concerts: <\/strong> (See Thursday.)<\/p>\n

Cowboy Poet Trailride: <\/strong> 10 a.m. A two-hour trail ride through the San Juan Mountains. After the ride, return to the stable for classic Western music along with cowboy lunch provided by Lone Spur Cafe. Space is limited, advanced reservations encouraged. Call 946-8495 or visit buckslivery.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Western Art Gallery Exhibits and Free Receptions: <\/strong> 5-7 p.m., Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave., sorrelsky.com<\/a>; 5-7 p.m., Toh-Atin Gallery, 145 W. Ninth St., toh-atin.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Humor, featuring Thatch Elmer, George Russell, Bonnie Kroegman, \u201cPikin Peggy\u201d Malone:<\/strong> 6 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Reserved seating. Tickets and details: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3AzJT2n<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Classic, featuring Jeff Gore, Tom Swearingen and Jan Schiferl: <\/strong> 8 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, reserved seating. Details and tickets: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3EHxo7q<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Oct. 2<\/div>\n

Cowboy Chuck Wagon Breakfast: <\/strong> 7:30-10:30 a.m., corner of Fifth Street and Main Avenue (across from the train depot). Biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs and lots of black coffee. $10 for adults, children 5 and younger free. Tickets can be purchased at the wagon. For more information, call 749-2995.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Parade:<\/strong> 10 a.m. Sponsored by Lone Spur Cafe. Colorado\u2019s largest motorless parade begins at the train depot on Main Avenue. Details: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3o39kGd<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Daytime Sessions: Cowboy Poetry and Music, Storytelling and Folklore:<\/strong> 10:30 a.m.-4:20 p.m., free. This year\u2019s theme is \u201cCowboys on Main Street.\u201d Musicians will be at the Strater Hotel, Wild Horse Saloon, Four Leaves Winery and strolling the streets. Invited performers. Concurrent sessions change every hour in each location. Visit https:\/\/bit.ly\/3u4d9Mb<\/a> for list of performers. In the Open Sessions, anyone can entertain. To sign up, call Karren Little at 382-8897. For schedule: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3ELl326<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Comedy Review: <\/strong> 1:45-3:15 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave. Tickets $15, open seating.<\/p>\n

Western Heritage Tribute:<\/strong> 11:30 a.m., Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave. Celebrate parade Grand Marshal Anne Rapp and retiring Strater Hotel owner Rod Barker. Lunch menu and cash bar, free entertainment.<\/p>\n

Poster Session: <\/strong> 4:40-5-:30 p.m., Toh-Atin Gallery, 145 W. Ninth St. Invited poets and musicians will perform their interpretations of this year\u2019s limited-edition print. Hosted by Lindy Simmons. 5:30-6:30 p.m., free reception. Autographed prints of \u201cHigh Country Autumn\u201d by artist John Kosel will be available for $30.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Classic, featuring Jeff Gore, Tom Swearingen and Jan Schiferl:<\/strong> 6 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Reserved seating. Details and tickets: https:\/\/bit.ly\/39qG0Rg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Humor, featuring Thatch Elmer, George Russell, Bonnie Kroegman and \u201cPikin Peggy\u201d Malone: <\/strong> 8 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Reserved seating. Details and tickets: https:\/\/bit.ly\/2XNOn7j<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Oct. 3<\/div>\n

A Cowboy and His Creator: <\/strong> 10 a.m., Durango Cowboy Church, 1867 Highway 172. Hosted by Sam Noble. Potluck with meat provided.<\/p>\n

For more information, visit www.durangocowboygathering.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

katie@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

festival hits town next weekend<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1060,1980,28,559,2599],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-44566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-arts-entertainment","tag-durango-cowboy-gathering","tag-headlines","tag-music","tag-poetry"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44566"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=44566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}