Cowboy poetry gatherings, a mixture of spoken-word poetry and western music, usually feature a variety of performers in one-to-three-day events. read more But cowboy poetry gatherings started as small informal affairs at roundup campfires or on ranch house porches with cowboys entertaining one another. Eventually audiences gathered round to listen in, too. Today cowboy poetry gatherings feature much larger audiences listening to multiple on-stage performances.
It is a rare occasion where a few performers gather at a ranch house and a few fortunate listeners are privileged to sit at the dining table or living room sofa for two hours of close-up cowboy poetry and music. Should that be called a cowboy poetry gathering? Definitely!
Saturday night, July 2, at a ranch house near Gainesville, Texas, that is exactly what happened at a birthday party. Three of the best performers in the genre made it a memorable evening.