Cowboy poets gathering at Chadron State
More than 10 hours and 23 performers of western prose and song are scheduled for Chadron State College’s third annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3.
The weekend’s activities will kick off Friday at 4 p.m. with a two-hour reception for the second annual Western Art Show and Sale in the Main Gallery of Memorial Hall. At that time, CSC will have dedication and ribbon cutting for the Sandoz Center’s Coffee Gallery, the new permanent exhibit detailing North America’s cattle trade history.
The weekend’s performances, all of which will be in Memorial Hall, begin at 7 p.m. Friday when renowned songwriter, author, vocalist and recording artist Jon Chandler of Colorado will open for four poets who will explore the cowboy experience as it relates to gender. They are Yvonne Hollenbeck of Clearfield, S.D., Lyn Messersmith of of Alliance, Ken Cook of Martin, S.D., and Tim Nolting of Bushnell, Neb.
On Saturday, 18 other performers will be at the microphone for 25 minutes each beginning at 9 a.m. Admission for those sessions are open to the public free of charge. The poets are expected to wrap up about 6 p.m. when a “cowboy supper” will be served in the Student Center.
Saturday will conclude with the weekend’s main event, a performance by nationally acclaimed cowboy singer and songwriter Michael Martin Murphey at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall.
Tickets are required for Friday’s evening of song and poetry, the cowboy supper and Murphey’s concert. They can be obtained by calling the CSC Box Office at (308) 432-6360 4-6 p.m. each weekday. Seating for the performances is free of charge for CSC students and employees who make reservations in advance.
Following are Saturday’s performers in their scheduled order of appearance.
Morning session (Begins at 9 a.m.): Marty Blocker, Merriman; Al “Doc” Mehl, Boulder, Colo.; Willard Hollopeter of Wood Lake, Neb.; Edgar Clemens, Hickman, Neb.; Curt Cooper, Columbus; and Bette Wolf Duncan, Runnels, Iowa.
Afternoon session (Begins at 12:50 p.m.): Tony Argento, Reno, Nev.; Jerry Schleicher, Parkville, Mo.; Eldon Housley, Tucson, Ariz.; Harold Roy Miller, Stagecoach, Nev.; Teri Orr, Woodbine, Iowa; Kane Wellnitz, Chadron; Diane Tribitt, Hillman, Minn.; Robert Dennis, Red Owl, S.D.; Slim McNaught, New Underwood, S.D.; Bonnie Krogman, Wood, S.D.; Dave P. Fisher, Sparks, Nev.; and Otto Rosfeld, Valentine.
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Category: Campus News