Full Title: Cowboy Poets - Minstrels of the West, a Collection of Cowboy Poetry and Music A video collection of cowboy poetry and music. It features some of Canada's finest, with a visit from an American Icon. Forty-eight minutes of laughter and tears with poetry by Dale (Doc) Hayes, Mike Puhallo, Will Rogers Nominee and rancher turned poet, Bryn Thiessen. The music performances are traditional "Cowboy" music... simply played, but meaningful and wonderful to listen to!
"Cowboy Poets - Minstrels of the West" is what Cowboy Poetry is all about, talking about the every day experience of a person's life.
"Cowboy Poets: Minstrels of the West" makes you want to pack a bag and head north. The video's beautifully filmed performances and stunning scenery
make for great armchair traveling to three top Canadian gatherings in
Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. The film opens with lush panoramas
graced by "When Cowboys Rode as Kings" by Ben Crane (written by poet Bryn Thiessen); the song itself is worth the price of the video. The opening gathering scenes show Manitoba professor and poet Dale (Doc) Hayes reciting his "Shorty," and performances of the poem at all three gatherings are artfully spliced together. And it just gets better in this professional, well-edited production that has aired on Canadian television.
You have a front row seat and a free ticket to shows that include American
and Canadian AWA-nominated poets Chris Isaacs, Mike Puhallo, and Thiessen, all giving polished performances of classics and their own work. Puhallo's recitation of his "Sacred Orb" as he saddles his horse is unforgettable.
There is plenty of humor and a good selection of serious poetry. Excellent
musical talent includes performances by Juanita Clayton (with an autobiographical yodeling song), Ray Martin (award-winning Manitoba musician) and Ed Brown (also an artist and poet).
There's a wonderful growing trend of poets, musicians, and fans crossing
borders among gatherings in the U. S. and Canada, and this video should go a
long way toward encouraging those migrations.
Stars: Mike Puhallo, Dale (Doc) Hayes, Bryn Thiessen
