Carolyn Martin & Howard Staub

Gents and Madams,

Well, here it is Monday morning and my head is still spinning from all the meeting, greeting and handshaking. Three full days of rubbing elbows with the who's who of Cowboy/Western Music and Poetry is fun work.

Riders in the Sky, Ranger Doug, & Howard Staub

My bride, Totsie and I departed our High Desert home early last Thursday morning for Albuquerque to attend the Western Music Association (WMA) Festival being held at the Marriott Hotel in Albuquerque. The Western Music Association Festival can best be explained as the "Academy Awards of Cowboy/Western Music and Poetry" (my definition).

Riders in the Sky, Cow Polka Joe & Howard Staub, right background is Too Slim.

Immediately upon our late arrival finding parking and then registering was of immediate importance. Adjacent to the hotel registration is the lounge and good friend and Mentor, Joe Baker of KWMW radio in Ruidoso was spotted. Felt like home already! Now register with the WMA receive my nametag and a program of what's scheduled to happen and where.

Riders in the Sky, Too Slim & Howard Staub

After nestling into the premiere room accommodations, back to the first floor and every few steps caused social interactions with artists and performers known and unknown to me. The entire event is like drinking water from a fire hydrant. Is impossible to get it all! Most of the time it was like a cat trying to cover up marbles on a hot tin roof. Scurry here, then there, back to over there and then glad hand another who was yelling my name and continue the ongoing bonding process. Who would have ever thought that playing Cowboy/Western Music and Poetry on KOTS/1230AM in Deming, New Mexico could cause my being adopted!

Belinda Gail & Howard Staub

The printed program eluded to six ongoing workshops being conducted by Juni Fisher and Belinda Gail, Ranger Doug Green and others. My not being fluent with any musical instrument meant for me to leave room for those that could benefit from the first handed and up-close teachings of these talented folks. So, my bride and I perused the Swap shop, Silent-Bid goodies and giant accumulation of artist CD's for sale. Continued walking caused us to run into Belinda Gail and a photo opportunity. Snap, my bride recorded the event. And right there was THE photographer herself, Jeri Dombroski of North Dakota. Asked Geri where her traveling companion, Margo Metegrano was to be found and she said somewhere near the hotel registration area as they had just arrived. We hoofed it a few hundred feet down to the registration area in time for me to me the grand wizard of cowboypoetry.com, Margo Metegrano. Our first face-to-face encounter and "snap" my bride recorded the event for posterity. Whew, so far am being treated like an old lost friend. Makes one feel special. The lounge area adjacent to the hotel

Howard Staub & Yvonne Hollenbeck

registration seemed to be the gathering point for everyone upon arrival and checking in. Joe Baker and I were swapping lies when Rex Allen Jr. arrived from completing his "Lunch with a legend" gig, which we had managed to miss. Meeting Rex Allen Jr. was a privilege for myself and my bride. Within minutes R. J. Vandygriff of Lipscomb, Texas was part of our conversation and it was great to again see him. Friends, Linda Kirkpatrick and Jean Prescott, both from Texas were there within a few minutes. What a hoot! This IS old home week. Momentarily Marvin O'Dell and Tom Hiatt appeared at my side. Snap! My bride recorded our gabfest. Marvin O'Dell is a fellow DJ from California and Tom Hiatt is a fine Western Troubadour from Arizona. Poets; Yvonne Hollenbeck of Clearfield, South Dakota, Doris Daley of Alberta, Canada, Susan Parker of Benicia, California, Smoke Wade of Mesquite, Nevada and many others were now within mere feet of each other and the glad handing continued. One giant family. About then poet, Sam DeLeeuw of Utah appeared and hugged me like a lost Uncle. She was nearly a spitting image of my ole high school girl friend.

Doris & Jim Garling & Howard Staub

Time to freshen up a bit and rendezvous at the Marriott Grand Ballroom for the first major event. Sit down dinner and live entertainment. About 300 plus folks sitting at round tables holding about eight persons each. Our table caused us to Have Eddy Harrison of Las Cruces, New Mexico, on the left and Devon and Chuck Dawson on our right. Live entertainment by the Riders in the Sky were the highlight of the evening. Personally dialoging with each individual member of The Riders in the Sky was a first for me and most interesting. Snap!, Snap!, Snap! my beautiful bride was recording the event and also deep in conversation with different members of "The Riders". Afterwards we reassembled in the lounge with the entire gaggle of cowgirl and cowboy poets and their "connector", Margo Metegrano. My bride flaked out and headed towards the room at about midnight. Neither Margo or I will probably ever forget staying up until 2:00 PM talking, getting to know each other and in general having a great time exchanging thoughts and ideas about the many aspects of things cowboy.

Friday morning got there quick! Three different rooms with stages had ongoing entertainers scheduled from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. With an exception for a break between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM for the Awards Show and Performances of the top five nominated songs. Hosts Andy and Jim Nelson of Pinedale, Wyoming, created an environment of "one big, happy family" in the Marriott's Grand Ballroom. Anyone who was anyone in cowboy/western music and poetry were to be seen. Johnny Western (whom I managed to meet earlier for the first time ever) inducted Rex Allen, Jr. into the WMA Hall of Fame. Rex Allen, Jr. and his Father, Rex Allen are the only Father-Son team in the WMA Hall of Fame. Rex Allen, Jr's humble acceptance speech was enlightening for many with his revealing that Rex Allen had long ago provided the "seed" money to cause the Western Music Association to happen.

Poet Susan Parker of Benicia, California & Howard Staub

Year 2007 Awards were presented to the worthy recipients;

Traditional Duo/Group, Sons of the San Joaquin of Visalia, California.

Poet, Linda Kirkpatrick of Leakey, Texas & Howard Staub

Female Vocalist, Lynn Anderson of Taos, New Mexico.
Male Vocalist, Dave Stamey of Nipomo, California.
Traditional Album was "Red Rock Moon" by Curly Musgrave of Crestline, California & Belinda Gail of Visalia, California.
Instrumentalist of the Year was Tim Johnson of the Sons of the San Joaquin.
Western Swing Duo/Group was the Texas Trailhands of Fort Worth, Texas.
Western Swing Album (CD) was "Cowgirl", by Lynn Anderson of Taos, New Mexico.
The Crescendo Award went to the Quebe Sisters Band from Burleson, Texas.

Tom Hiatt of Arizona, Marvin O'Dell of California & Howard Staub

Songwriter of the year was Dave Stamey of Nipomo, California.
Song of the Year from Juni Fisher's Cowgirlography CD, "I Hope She'll Love Me", Duet by Juni and Joe Hannah.
Entertainer(s) of the Year, Riders in the Sky.
Radio Station of the year KWMW, Ruidoso, New Mexico. Thanks to Joe Baker of backfortybunkhouse fame.
Radio DJ of the year, Marvin O'Dell.
Male Poet of the year was prolific songwriter and poet, Les Buffham.
Female Poet of the year was my good friend, Yvonne Hollenbeck of Clearfield, South Dakota, who lives with her husband Glenn about eight miles from where I grew up.
Best Collaboration of Poet & Musician went to Virginia Bennett & Curly Musgrave for "El Fuego".

Fred Hargrove & Howard Staub

The Cowboy Poetry CD of the year is "What Would Martha Do?" by Yvonne Hollenbeck.
Yvonne also had the Cowboy Poetry Book of the year, "From My Window". That would make Yvonne carry back a total of three awards to her South Dakota home.
The Pioneer Trail Award went to Marilyn Tuttle. The Grand Lady of the WMA.

Howard Staub & The Tumbling Tumbleweeds of California

For Exemplary Service to the WMA the Bill Wiley Award was presented to a most deserving and modest Margo Metegrano for her virtual daily efforts that result in cowboypoetry.com.

Hall of Famers were Fleming Allen a Hollywood soundtrack provider for 1930's and 1940's "B" Western Movies, and Rex Allen, Jr.

Howard Staub & cowboy singer Bobby Kingston of Las Vegas, Nevada

Anyone not impressed with the Awards show and the recipients had to have fallen asleep which was also an impossibility.

Perusing the three different stages' performers for Friday amounted to about sixty different artists or groups.

Howard Staub & Francine Roark Robison of Oklahoma

Most of the same performers were to be seen in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Friday evening Barn dance.

To say we were "pooped" would put it mildly. Partaking of all available entertainment and the jam sessions that went on in just about every nook and cranny throughout the day were more then my bride and I could manage. Instead we joined Marvin and Theresa O'Dell & Tom and Donna Hatton for a sit down dinner and some good ole shared knowledge of things "cowboy". After that a few more social interactions with others and it was time to get some much needed sleep.

Kerry Grombacher & Howard Staub

Saturday morning came too early! Up and at it again. First on the agenda was the well attended Membership meeting on the first floor of the Marriott. My being newly elected as a WMA 2008 Director by the WMA membership will cause a busy year 2008 and bring recognition to KOTS/1230AM/Deming, New Mexico and Luna County Broadcasting. Thanks go to Candie Sweetser, the Station's Managing Partner for having the confidence to ever allow me to bring "The Real West from the Old West" to fruition.

Dave Stamey of California & Howard Staub.

We spent remainder of daytime Saturday bouncing from one stage to another taking in as many performances of individual artists and groups as possible. Nearly an impossible task.

Howard Staub & Sam Deleeuw

Saturday night it was time to get back down to the Marriott's Grand Ballroom for the "Best of the West" show hosted by Andy Nelson and his brother Jim from Pinedale, Wyoming. Both being radio hosts of Clear Out West (COW) they are great entertainers and kept everyone in stitches while poking fun at Poets; Jay Snider, Linda Kirkpatrick, Doris Daley and Yvonne Hollenbeck. Kip Calahan, New Mexico's own Cowgirl entertainer did in fact entertain the folks that were enjoying the sit down dinner. Our table mates were Francine Roark Robison and her Mother of Oklahoma. Francine and I have exchanged many emails and it was our first time spending time together with a little face-to-face. One talented lady that tells real stories about the cowboy way of life.

The one, the ONLY, Joe Baker, Howard Staub & Laurie Wood of Wyoming.

Earlier in the day my bride caught the Sons of the Rio Grande of New Mexico and Tumbling Tumbleweeds of California while my time was involved with the WMA Directors meeting. My Bride, Totsie, insisted I meet Larry Ruebush of the group Sons of the Rio Grande. Of course he used to live in Deming! Talent was everywhere. Johnny Bencomo of Tombstone and his eighteen string guitar. The dynamic Nevada Slim & Cimarron Sue from Washington State. Rodger Maxwell of California, Talented Carolyn Martin of Nashville literally brought the Marriott entryway to a dead stop during a jam session. Billy Rose from Elko, Nevada, teamed up with Johnny Bencomo to sing cowboy music

Howard Staub, Nevada Slim & Cimarron Sue

in Spanish. The Vaquero way! Dave & Sharon Boyd of Kansas were new names for me to remember. Also a very talented Bobby Kingston of Las Vegas, Nevada, Kerry Grombacher impressed me with his stringed instrument playing. Also got to meet for the first time ever Hank Cramer of Winthrop, Washington and Joyce Woodson of San Juan Capistrano, California. Many others; Curly Musgrave, Belinda Gail, STAMPEDE, Joe Hannah, Jim Garling of Oklahoma, Bill Barwick, Young and impressive Kevin Davis of Walters, Oklahoma, Poet Smoke Wade of Mesquite, Nevada, Fred Hargrove, Rick Huff of Albuquerque and, and , and........... Really the list is endless. The stack of fresh CDs will provide many more hours of never before heard tracks on "The Real West from the Old West" each Wednesday on KOTS/1230AM/Deming, New Mexico. Thanks to all the great performers who are so generous.

Howard Staub & Dana Bivens (of the D & D Show on KOTS)

Am certain that I've failed to address many names, faces, conversations and memories of the Western Music Association Festival. For sure my life is much better from the experience.

For sure it was a most humbling experience for this ole New Mexico gringo.

Spell Checker should be of a great help, unfortunately it doesn't correct my grammatical mistakes.

Howard G. Staub