Bill is a rancher who works on a ranch between Alpine and Marfa. He has a voice that gives Tom Waits' raspy quality a run for its money.
"Vaya con dios" were his parting words when we wrapped up his portrait. He ranches in Comanche, Texas where he assures me there are very few Comanches.
Jim is quirky and funny poet who hails from Dublin, Texas.
6 kids and a cattle ranch make for one funny cowboy. His comical brand of poetry draws from the experiences you can only get while running an operation with a family that large.
He's a cowboy through and through, but is also one of the greatest salesmen around. He helped make Wick Fowler's Two Alarm Chili a household name, and for Republic Tequila is now doing the same.
Michael is a horseman and guitar maker living in Alpine, Texas. He's a hard guy to miss since he towers over most of us regular sized folk.
Jack is one of the friendliest cowboys you'll ever meet. The first time I met him he lent me his horse and a sip of Tequila.
Mike is a former Army Special Forces soldier who lives in Temple, Texas. He also happens to know the history of Cowboy Poetry better than most folks I have talked to.
He didn't say much aside from the fact that he loves cowboy poetry and that yes, Reichardt is in fact a German name.
He's a Cowboy for Hire. Not really "for hire" per se, but is a member of a folk cowboy band called Cowboys for Hire.
Brooksie spent 27 years working the coal mines of Utah until settling down on an 80 acre spread close to Clear Creek Canyon.
Ray remembers the way things used to be. They used to just use a lasso. None of these cow chutes and technology. Things were simpler back then, and he tries to keep them simple now.
Jay Snider is a cowboy from Cyril, Oklahoma. When he isn't running his ranch with his son, he's traveling the country performing his own brand of cowboy poetry.
Rod Taylor is a cowboy from Cimarron, New Mexico. He's been writing and playing cowboy songs for over 30 years.
Marc "Blue" Nall is a cowboy from North Texas who now resides in Austin.
Pat is bothered younger guys don't still partake in the cowboy poetry, but he's glad to be participating as long as he's alive.
He says he's "spinnin' guns and twine. Spinnin' yarns that rhyme." I'm not sure exactly what he meant by that.
A self described "ole worn out cowboy", Charlie is a kind and gentle guy. He has a hard time getting around anymore, but can still sing and play his cowboy songs with ease.
Red is probably the most famous cowboy poet of them all. He has performed for presidents, been on t.v. and even discovered Reba McEntire. He's also the official Cowboy Poet of Texas.
The esteemed mayor of Alpine.
Dave is a professional farrier and fiddle player living northeast of Austin. He owns a ranch southeast of Austin and says the only thing he dislikes about it is the city shoving its nose in to all the country.
Audrey is a sweet little lady who says she always wanted to grow up to be a cowboy. She never wanted to "cook or be penned up indoors".
Keith is a budding Cowboy Poet who after performing at open mic one morning, was asked to join the schedule. He said the first time he traveled West enough to cross the Mississippi River was in 2000.
Sam is a cowboy from Durango, Colorado. When I asked him how he fell in to Cowboy Poetry, he said the God spoke to him and told him it would be a good way to witness to souls that needed saving.
Don Cadden lives in Alpine, Texas.
Joel's CD, The Breaker In The Pen was nominated for a Grammy for Spoken Word. He lives and works on his 24,000 acre ranch outside of Alpine, Texas with his wife.