The information on this page is for the 29th Gathering, held January 28 through February 2, 2013. We wil post information related to the 30th National Cowbooy Poetry Gathering as it becomes available. Purchasing ticketed shows guarantees you a seat at evening performances which are some of the most exciting and sought-after shows. These performances represent only a fraction of what you can see and do during the Gathering.

View the 29th Gathering brochure in PDF format. We schedule many more daytime performances, and discussions that you can attend with the purchase of a Deluxe Pass or Day Pass. See the full daily schedule (in PDF format).

You can click back and forth between this page and each artist's highlighted name for information about that artist. For more information about purchasing tickets, click here. To see the scheduled workshops for 2013, click here.

Monday, January 28

Evento Italiano - $20
G Three Bar Theater
7:00 pm
An evening of traditional Italian cow country classics, including typical cowboy songs and recitations of classic poetry written by Gioacchino Belli and performed by special guests from Tuscany, Italy.

Tuesday, January 29

Rangeland Rebels - $20
G Three Bar Theater
7:00 pm
Dare to wander down the trail less travelled with Paul Zarzyski, John Dofflemyer, and Denise Withnell and David Wilkie of Cowboy Celtic as they perform unexpected songs and poetry. They'll be busting boundaries and taking a new twist with this show - and having a whale of a time in the process.

Wednesday, January 30

Los Texmaniacs and The Quebe Sisters Band - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
7:00 pm
Blend these two Texas bands and you have it all: western swing, blues, vintage country, bluegrass, jazz, rhythm and blues riffs, Texas-style fiddling, and enough musical instruments to cover every note. Los Texmaniacs and The Quebe Sisters Band will light up your night.
Sponsored by Red Lion Hotel & Casino

Cowboy Poetry Slam - Free
G Three Bar Theater
9:00 pm
An open-mic session for the younger generation.
Sponsored by Nevada Arts Council

Thursday, January 31

Welcome with Charlie Seemann and Stewart Wilson
Keynote Address: James Galvin, acclaimed poet and prose writer
Free with a Day or Deluxe Pass
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
9:45 am
Sponsored by Nevada Humanities

The Western Folklife Center Members’ Show #1
Free to Members / $40 non-members
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
3:30 pm
A powerful collection of poetry on the "she" of the American West, selected and delivered by Carolyn Dufurrena, Elizabeth Ebert, DW Groethe, Linda Hussa, Gary McMahan, Wally McRae, Rodney Nelson, Randy Rieman and Vess Quinlan.
Sponsored by Edmund W. Littlefield, Jr.

Young Guns - $35
G Three Bar Theater
6:30 pm
Traditionally grounded artists Adrian, Andy Hedges and Brenn Hill are making their own way in cowboy poetry and music.
Sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank

Call of the Cowboy - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
6:30 pm
Poet and reciter Joel Nelson and songster/guitarist Don Edwards chronicle the folk heroes of the West.
Sponsored by Eldorado Hotel Casino

Roughstock Cocktail - SORRY, THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT
G Three Bar Theater
8:30 pm
What do you get if you mix a stone mason fiddler sporting mostly unbroken fingers, a 46-string virtuoso in crimson boots and lipstick color-coordinated with her harp, a chic-guitarist who, when she sings in French, can make glass, rather than shatter, melt back into quartz and agate, a poet disguised as the Yo Yo Ma of mandolin players, and then cross this Canuck Quartet called Cowboy Celtic with Wally "Martini" McRae and Paul "Bar-Whiskey" CZARzyski? You get Cowpoke Chaos. You get Roughstock Cocktail. YOU GET WESTERN!

Kick Back with Baxter Black - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
8:30 pm
Baxter Black takes the stage for a lively evening of poetry and storytelling!
Sponsored by Blach Distributing

Friday, February 1

Western Folklife Center Members' Show #2
Free to Members / $40 non-members
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
1:00 pm
Lovingly described as "The Old Men and the Kid," Chris Isaacs, Jesse Smith, Ross Knox and Brenn Hill are also old friends with a love of poetry, story and song.

Evidence-Based Horsemanship Discussion
Free: Deluxe or Day Pass Required
11:00 am Elko Convention Center Turquoise Room
Read more in our new section, Discussions and Special Sessions

Exhibition Opening Reception
Western Folklife Center Wiegand Gallery
3:30 pm Exhibition Opening Reception
Exhibition and reception honoring Italian guests, Italian-American supporters and ranch families.
Western Folklife Center members and sponsors only.
4:30 pm Open to the General Public

Sourdough's Wild & Woolly Revue - $60 includes dinner
Dinner Theater
Great Basin College Theater
4:30 pm cocktails; 5:00 pm dinner; 6:30 pm show
Big laughs, Musical Madness, Astounding Gadgets and Preposterous Props: a Cavalcade of Extraordinary Performances. Join Sourdough Slim, Robert Armstrong, Professor David E. Bourne and Canada's Ambassador of Musical Mayhem, Al Simmons, for an evening of fast-paced comedy and song. A rollicking extravaganza in the grandest vaudeville tradition.

The Queen and Three Stooges - SORRY, THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT
G Three Bar Theater
6:30 pm
Elizabeth Ebert, Rodney Nelson, DW Groethe and Pat Richardson delight the audience with real-life stories that will make you cry with laughter.

Into the Wild: The Edge of Western Song - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
6:30 pm
Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Tom Russell in a performance of classic western songs and commentary, with a hint of blues and folk.
Sponsored by Ann & Susannah Ball

Western Folks - SORRY, THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT
G Three Bar Theater
8:30 pm
Mary McCaslin, Randy Rieman and Dave Stamey are all three true westerners who tell it like it is, whether down on the ranch, out on the range or hitting the trail.
Sponsored by Goldcorp Marigold Mine

Music North and South - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
8:30 pm
Corb Lund & the Hurtin’ Albertans and Los Texmaniacs will have you tapping your toes as they play music inspired by the far reaches of Canada down through the tip of Texas.
Sponsored by Barrick Gold of North America

Friday Night Dance with The Saddle Cats - $25
Elko Convention Center
9:30 pm
You can't sit still while The Saddle Cats are onstage! Come on down and dance to swing, cowboy ballads, blues, honky-tonk, string-band music, polka and just about any other traditional style that exists.
Sponsored by NV Energy

Saturday, February 2

Water in the West Discussion
Free: Deluxe or Day Pass Required
Read more in our new section: Discussions and Special Sessions

Kids of All Ages: Family Show with Al Simmons
$13/$4 students 17 and under
Great Basin College Theater
1:00 pm
Al Simmons' one-man, multi-prop, music-filled, off-the-wall performance will have children and adults dancing in their seats and rolling in the aisles.

The Bard and The Balladeer - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
1:00 pm
Old friends Don Edwards and Waddie Mitchell blend their individual gifts of song and story on a magic carpet ride through the American West.

Ranch Family Show
Free to ranch families (ticket required) / $30 non-ranch
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
3:30 pm
Kristyn Harris and Wylie & The Wild West yodel up a rollicking, and soulful good time for our ranch families and friends.
Sponsored by the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority

Sourdough's Wild & Woolly Revue - $60 includes dinner
Dinner Theater
Great Basin College Theater
4:30 pm cocktails; 5:00 pm dinner; 6:30 pm show
Big laughs, Musical Madness, Astounding Gadgets and Preposterous Props: a Cavalcade of Extraordinary Performances. Join Sourdough Slim, Robert Armstrong, Professor David E. Bourne and Canada's Ambassador of Musical Mayhem, Al Simmons, for an evening of fast-paced comedy and song. A rollicking extravaganza in the grandest vaudeville tradition.

Small Town Saturday Night - $35
G Three Bar Theater
6:30 pm
Poets Andy Nelson and musicians The Quebe Sisters Band will have you laughing, reminiscing and humming along.
Sponsored by Zions Bank

Back-Trailing to the Home Range - $30/$35*
The Poems of Badger Clark
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
6:30 pm
Remembering and celebrating the rich heritage of cowboy poetry with some of today's finest performers. The poems of Badger Clark recited and sung by Jerry Brooks, Elizabeth Ebert, Don Edwards, Dick Gibford, DW Groethe, Wylie Gustafson, Kay Kelley Nowell, Gary McMahan, Waddie Mitchell, Joel Nelson, Randy Rieman, Dave Stamey and Gail Steiger.
Sponsored by Newmont Mining Corporation

Across the Borderline - SORRY, THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT
G Three Bar Theater
8:30 pm
Enjoy new and old Tom Russell songs written from a hacienda on the last frontier of the Texas/Mexico border, with a special emphasis on his contemporary border balladry.
Sponsored by KNPB Channel 5 Public Broadcasting

Western Stories and Western Swing - $30/$35*
Elko Convention Center Auditorium
8:30 pm
Cowboy Celtic sets the mood with Celtic-inspired tunes, then Gary McMahan settles in with poetry and song, and The Saddle Cats close out the night with energetic western swing.
Sponsored by NV Energy

Saturday Night Dance with Wylie & The Wild West - $25
Elko Convention Center
9:30 pm
The Gathering's wildest cowboy band joins us again for the Saturday Night Dance. Wylie & The Wild West will set your toes to tapping with their unique brand of good-time cowboy music.
Sponsored by NV Energy

Midnight Dance
$20/Free with the purchase of a Day or Deluxe Pass – ticket required
G Three Bar Theater
Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertan's will make you want to dance your heart out.

*Please Note: The Elko Convention Center Auditorium has tiered pricing for some performances, with the first 11 rows of seating priced at $35.00 each. There's not a bad seat in the house at this intimate venue!