New at the Western Folklife Center
Western Folklife TV
Straight from our archives to your streaming device, it’s TV made for you. Decades of archival recordings and live entertainment rooted in life in the American West—cowboy poetry, music, gearmaking, educational and thought-provoking programming—you’ll find it on Western Folklife TV, with new content released every week.
Unlike the big streaming services, Western Folklife TV subscriptions go toward our nonprofit’s mission to document and share the cultural expressions of life in the West. Thanks for watching. Thanks for sharing. Your support matters.
Upcoming Events
The Gathering
Join us in 2025 as we celebrate our ruby anniversary, and double down for 40 more years. We’ll pass the time poetically, reveling in that which is both beloved and uncommon, reflective and celebratory, established and rebellious. The wind is briskly at our backs and we’re forging ahead into another 40 years of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Meet you in Elko!
Thank you to our members, donors, and sponsors who make the Gathering possible.
Become a Member
It’s not too early to become a member and be first in line to buy tickets for the 40th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jan. 27 - Feb. 1, 2025).
Members enhance their experience with other perks too, including complimentary subscriptions to Western Folklife TV (at the Bronze level and above).
Stay Connected
Sign up for the Western Folklife Center’s email newsletter. Get up-to-date event details and other WFC news, delivered to your inbox.
The Latest
This month, the cowboy poets reflect on the crucial sensory ingredients that combine to make memorable poetry as they answer this question posed by @carteagraphy: “How much do you think about the sound/music versus the imagery of your poem?”
In her blog, Gathering Manager Callie Greenhaw boils down her first time managing the Gathering, and two-plus decades of attending the Gathering, into two words.
This month, the cowboy poets discuss artistic license in poems as they answer a question posed by The Man Who Didn’t Shoot Liberty Valance: “Could you comment on how you approach decisions about taking artistic license in your writing? Also, could you comment on any historical poems you’ve researched where you’ve found the legend has outpaced the truth or the truth is in fact stranger than fiction?”
Respected buckaroo, horseman, and ranch manager Jeff Mundell advocates for the role of the horseback cowboy in a collaborative, future-oriented, regenerative agriculture movement. Read Jeff’s essay about shifting “The Cowboy” archetype with conversations across occupational cultures that connect story-wise cowboys, data-wise scientists, and the living flora and fauna that tie them together.
Chrissy Menicucci Benna's experience with the poetry and music of western artists transformed her understanding of western ways of life, even after a lifetime spent in Nevada. A memorable moment hearing poet Paul Zarzyski perform spurred her to become an ardent supporter of the Western Folklife Center and an engaged board member. Read about why Chrissy calls the WFC "a beloved treasure" in the second of our board spotlights.
Whether they’re herding, heading, guarding…or sharing a beer at the end of a long day…some dogs just make an impression. This month, the poets reflect on the cattle dogs (and companion dogs) that have come their way, answering Crazy About Canines’ question, “Who was the best canine companion you ever had the pleasure of working with?”
About attending the Gathering for the first time, Piper Wiest writes, “I realized, then, how being in the Gathering audience was a different experience than watching a Gathering performance on my computer. The lyrics and verses of any performer at the Gathering are moving and meaningful no matter the setting. But in person, the Gathering performances spark emotion throughout the audience, creating a collective warmth to share in.”
Western Folklife Center Board Member Kristi Overgaard (proprietor of Oniya Ranch) answered a few questions for us about her personal story, what draws her to the WFC, and why she thinks the WFC is important for everyone. For Kristi, it’s about culture, traditions, talent…and finding that different pace.
For this leap year, DW Groethe and Bill Lowman share poems about the longest of Februarys. February, these are your songs.