Durango’s Cowboy Poetry Gathering, now in its 26th year, continues to be the local showcase for celebrating the lyrical side of the old West.
The idea of becoming a cowboy is a youthful and romantic vision, and has been for youngsters since before the “West” was old. Sleeping under the stars, campfires and moving cattle are all common images when dreaming of American cowboys, yet just as important is the softer, lyrical exploration of the culture through music and poetry.
Durango’s gathering features several poets and musicians. Headlining the music portion is Tom Russell, an exciting feather in the cap of the festival, and an enticing act to bring those not in the know into the festival. He’ll perform two shows Thursday at the Henry Strater Theatre, 7 and 9 p.m. As of this writing, the early show was sold out.
Russell has dozens of releases dating back to the 1970s, including solo outings, collaborations and works with bands. He has performed on David Letterman’s show five times, and, like many outsider American country and folk artists, has a diehard fan base overseas. A compilation of his work was just produced, and he’ll release a double LP, “Cowboy Opera” in 2015. He’s also a painter and writer.
Russell remains outside any commercial scene in music, art or literature, yet he is a gem of American music, a solid fixture whose sound is celebratory of styles ranging from the blues to tex-mex.
Gathering organizers were looking for someone whose music fits into the traditions of cowboy culture but is also progressive. Russell’s sound is timeless, which was important to Cowboy Gathering President Jeff Mannix, who refers to the artist as “famously unknown.” It’s a simple but accurate characterization: He is all but ignored by mainstream radio, yet there are people out there who know exactly where to listen for the good stuff.
Russell is the good stuff, a renaissance man with limitless output whose Western roots are intertwined with his storytelling and song writing.
“I have a long family history in the horse and cattle business, going back to Ireland,” Russell said in an email interview. “We also live part time on the border of El Paso, Texas and Juarez/Mexico where there is a deep history of the Spanish coming through here 500 years ago.”
Yet he’s that outsider, existing far enough from even cowboy culture that his appearance may take some by surprise. It all fits, though, and finding out of-the-box contributors to this weekend’s festivities works.
“I write a lot of different things,” Russell said. “Some of my cowboy songs are very personal and others are very edgy. I don’t write mainly from the perspective of working on a ranch, which a lot of cowboy poets do. I’m mainly a songwriter, a painter and a novelist. I have an outsider view.”
Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.
If you go
Tom Russell will perform country and Americana as part of the Cowboy Poetry Gathering at 7 and 9 p.m., Thursday, $40, Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave., 375-7160.
