- Hi, I'm Skip Ewing, and thank you so much for tuning in.

Tonight, we're gonna get to play the songs from an album that I cut called "Wyoming" in front of a live audience, and we're so glad that you're with us, me, Skip Ewing, and Horsepower 307.

We hope you enjoy.

- [Narrator] Major funding for this program was provided by Joe and Suzy Brooks.

Additional funding was provided by Jay and Karen Kemmerer with the CM Ranch.

Rhythmic Rebellion at Rhythmic-Rebellion.com.

ToneWoodAmp at ToneWoodAmp.com, and L.R.

Baggs at LRBaggs.com.

(upbeat guitar music) (upbeat guitar music continues) ♪ Well my sister cried and my mother prayed ♪ ♪ I chose blue and my brother gray ♪ ♪ But gray stained red on the sharp end of a long gun ♪ ♪ After Appomattox, I did my best ♪ ♪ But life went south so I headed west ♪ ♪ And the horse I chose to ride on was an iron one ♪ ♪ I heard they needed men to lay the track out of Cheyenne ♪ ♪ So I'm working on the railroad, sweat and steel ♪ ♪ Hope in the hammers, coal in the wheels ♪ ♪ Water in the whisky, smoke in the sky, fire in the hole ♪ ♪ Some men whither, some get strong ♪ ♪ You can get to work or you can get gone ♪ ♪ Money's all that matters when you're working on a railroad ♪ ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Got myself tangled in the trestle at Dale Creek ♪ ♪ Rode with the canvas into Laramie ♪ ♪ Lost my leg, but I learned Morse Code ♪ ♪ From a newsman ♪ I tapped in the wire, heard the lies ♪ ♪ But kept my secrets 'cause I realized ♪ ♪ I liked living and the graph paid well ♪ ♪ For a lame man ♪ Still, I had nowhere to go ♪ And I'd have had to get there slow ♪ ♪ So, I'm working on a railroad ♪ ♪ Fists in your gut ♪ Blood on the trail, mud in the ruts ♪ ♪ Rice in the barrel ♪ Powder in the keg ♪ Fire in the hole.

♪ Some make a killing, some get killed ♪ ♪ Long shot taken from the top of the hill ♪ ♪ You can bet the hand's dirty when it's trying to build a ♪ ♪ Railroad ♪ Working on the railroad (upbeat guitar music) (upbeat fiddle music) (upbeat dobro music) (upbeat fiddle music) ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Press on the pace ♪ Lie to the government but win the race ♪ ♪ Miles in the money, money in the miles ♪ ♪ Fire in the hole ♪ Throttle on the freeman, throttle in the beast ♪ ♪ Pay the men need it most the least ♪ ♪ Money's all that matters when you're trying to meet a ♪ ♪ Railroad ♪ Working on the rail ♪ Some get the gallows, some get rich ♪ ♪ Bonafide money-hungry son of a... ♪ ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Now the nine pound hammer ♪ It's a little too heavy a ton ♪ ♪ For my size ♪ Honey, for my size ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Working on the railroad ♪ Working on the rail (gentle guitar music) (audience cheers) (audience applauds) Thank you and welcome.

All right.

(laughs) All right.

Well, you know, as they mentioned when they introduced me, we're going to, we have a new album out called "Wyoming", and an album I'm quite proud of in a place that I love.

And I'm up here on stage tonight with some musicians that I love, and I'm hanging out in a state that I love with a whole bunch of people that I love here tonight.

And we're gonna try to make as much music as we can for you.

As the night goes along, I'm gonna introduce some folks to you.

First thing I'm gonna do is switch guitars though.

And as you'll notice, there's a... not the guy dressed in black who comes out and hands me a fresh tuned guitar every time.

(audience chuckles) Why not?

- Are you hiring?

- Do we know why that didn't happen?

See, I told you we were just gonna be us.

That's all.

I basically moved to Nashville right outta high school.

And I had played guitar since I was four.

And just tried to listen and listen to everything to learn everything I could, everything from classical guitar to five string banjo.

And that led me to Nashville.

And then in Nashville, just kind of one thing cascaded into the next, you know.

I worked for a country show there.

And then I got sort of discovered as a writer.

I got offered a publishing deal, I got some songs cut from everyone from George Jones to Willie Nelson and George Strait.

And then I got offered a record deal.

And then I did that for a while.

And then so many people wanted to cut songs that I was writing that had quite a successful run.

You know, a lot of number one records and what I would call big cuts by people that I had so much respect for.

And that led to sort of a different kind of artistic awakening for me.

And by the time I got to, you know, a little bit later into that, into that time of writing songs, I was on my own spiritual, artistic path.

It had a lot to do with horses.

And I ended up selling everything in Nashville, so that I could go learn from horses.

And that led me right back to music again.

And it led me from something that had been writer-focused to something where I could really be an artist and write what I would like to perform as an artist, what I would like to share.

That's fulfilling.

And I love the connection that I get to make with people.

And I am loving the acceptance that I'm feeling.

It feels like I finally get to be the artist I'd like to be, an artist like I'd like to be.

And not, as some people would say, just a songwriter.

(gentle guitar music) (upbeat guitar music) (guitar music slows down) (bells chime) (guitar music continues) ♪ Hello ♪ I am the juggler in this circus ♪ ♪ I'm here for your enjoyment ♪ At my own expense ♪ My clothes are brightly colored ♪ ♪ And there's a smile upon my face ♪ ♪ But it's only an illusion for the stage ♪ ♪ In my act, I will be juggling little children ♪ ♪ A woman, and my future and my past ♪ ♪ But the show, it won't end there ♪ ♪ 'Cause while they're all up in midair ♪ ♪ You will see me reach into my chest ♪ ♪ And throw my own up there with all the rest ♪ ♪ Of those glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ Delicate and fragile ♪ Glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ And though I make mistakes ♪ With glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ The show is never over ♪ Til the last heart breaks (gentle dobro music) ♪ Now juggling's a precarious profession ♪ ♪ And you can see why every day I wish ♪ ♪ That I was breathing fire or walking on a wire ♪ ♪ You see, then I would be the only one at risk ♪ ♪ Careful there I almost missed ♪ (lighthearted music) (slow guitar music) ♪ Well, I hope you all enjoyed this fine performance ♪ ♪ I trust you were astounded and amazed ♪ ♪ But my talent isn't rare or far beyond compare ♪ ♪ Some of us, we juggle on the stage ♪ ♪ But all of us, we struggle just the same ♪ ♪ With glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ Delicate and fragile ♪ Glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ And though we make mistakes ♪ With glass hearts ♪ Glass hearts ♪ The show is never over ♪ Til the last heart breaks ♪ Or til the last glass heart's ♪ ♪ Safe (slow music) ♪ Hello, I am the juggler in this circus ♪ (audience applauds) (audience cheers) Thank you.

(audience applause continues) Thank you very much.

I appreciate that.

(audience applause continues) I brought my daughter to Wyoming '99 or 2000, and I had already fallen in love with the country by the time that we left the Jackson Hole Airport.

It was beautiful there, but we left and we drove, you know, we were heading towards Dubois and we went through the park, and there's a place called Antelope Flats there.

And the, the transformation of the country between there and into Togwotee Pass and over to the other side of Dubois, it was inspirational for me.

And I knew, it was like that feeling of why haven't I ever been home before?

And that's what it felt like.

And I knew then that I would want to live in Wyoming.

And I wasn't able to because of my career, because my daughter was going to school in, you know, in Nashville, and I needed to be there.

But I came back every year, year, after year, after year, and then spent more and more time.

And by the time she was outta high school, and then I was remarried and we looked at each other ultimately, and said, "I've been coming here a long time.

Honey, we should, let's just go move there."

And it's where I feel like I belong.

Hopefully Wyoming feels like I belong here, so.

(slow guitar music) ♪ Well, I never took her out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ Though I brought her here with me ♪ ♪ In a frame we bought in Mexico ♪ ♪ Back when I thought we agreed ♪ ♪ And she didn't travel lightly ♪ ♪ She hardly ever does ♪ She's still as heavy in my memory ♪ ♪ As she ever was ♪ She asked me why, why ♪ Why, why ♪ Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ I answered why, why, why ♪ Why, why, why ♪ Why not ♪ I made her cry, cry, cry ♪ Cry, cry, cry ♪ By going ♪ To Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ And I know I should have called her from Cody ♪ ♪ When I was running out of gas ♪ ♪ But I just drove on 'cause it seemed like gone ♪ ♪ Was a place I had to get to fast ♪ ♪ Now I'm all broke down in Dubois ♪ ♪ Where my heart's inclined to stay ♪ ♪ At least as much as came here with me anyway ♪ ♪ And she asked me ♪ Why, why, ♪ Why, why ♪ ♪ Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ And I answered why, why, why ♪ Why, why, why ♪ Why not ♪ And I made her cry, cry, cry ♪ Cry, cry, cry ♪ By going ♪ To Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ I didn't stop to face our problems ♪ ♪ I just headed west ♪ I thought I'd get where I was going ♪ ♪ But I haven't yet, I haven't yet ♪ ♪ She asked me why, why ♪ Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ And I answered why, why, why ♪ Why, why, why ♪ Baby, why not ♪ I made her cry, cry, cry ♪ Cry, cry, cry ♪ By going ♪ To Wyoming ♪ Wyoming ♪ I made her cry, cry, cry ♪ Cry, cry, cry ♪ By going ♪ To Why ♪ Why, why ♪ Wyoming (soft fiddle music) (gentle guitar music) (audience applauds) All right, thank you.

Thank you very much.

(laughs) Thank you.

(audience cheers) So I mentioned this already.

I live in Dubois and Dubois isn't the only place where they have these, but up there, there's a lot of petroglyphs.

You know, rock carving etchings.

And I was fascinated by them.

And we had a friend come into town, and he wanted to see them and we started showing him, and my wife, Linda, she said, "Honey, you should write a song about petroglyphs."

And I'm thinking well, there's a country song right there.

(audience laughs) Right?

You know, country is, I don't know if you could call what we do country.

I don't know if you could call it that.

I do.

But some people might not.

And so I got to thinking about it and I thought, well, maybe I won't write a song about petroglyphs.

Maybe what I'll do is let the petroglyph tell me the story.

Because when I looked at them, I saw not just the petroglyph, but what fascinated me was the human.

This human, could have been thousands of years ago, is on a spiritual path.

He's got his own artistic spiritual path rather like mine, or yours, or Jenee's over here.

And we want to express ourselves.

And I don't know exactly what he wanted to express, I don't know what he found there.

Part of me hopes it was fulfilling for him, artistically fulfilling for him.

And I got to thinking about here's this petroglyph been here looking at the same place I'm looking at, only a lot many thousands of years.

I thought what if it had something to tell us?

You know.

So I wrote a song where the petroglyph sings the song.

And it's as much about nuclear war as it is about the loss of the buffalo or loss of indigenous people.

And I'd like to kinda, just for a minute, kinda take you in to the canyon where these guys hang out and then we'll let them sing a song to us.

All right?

(whimsical flute music) (chime rings) (flute music continues) (light drumming) Whenever I play the flute, it's kind of a prayer to me.

It celebrates breath.

I think breath is life, and it reminds me of that.

(slow drumming) (gentle guitar music) (guitar music and drumming speeds up) ♪ I was born in a dream he had when a boy came alone ♪ ♪ On a quest to become a man ♪ And he carved me to life in stone ♪ ♪ He sang, pray while the rock's on fire ♪ ♪ Dance with the flame ♪ Hide in the coyote choir ♪ And leave when you lose your name ♪ ♪ Roam from home for a day and night ♪ ♪ To sit alone at the edge of life ♪ ♪ Spirits come and then they're gone ♪ ♪ Visions kill if you're not strong ♪ (upbeat guitar music) ♪ 'Cause you don't drink til your lips get cracked ♪ ♪ And your skin burns red ♪ And you don't eat til you're hollow-backed ♪ ♪ And the thought of it leaves your head ♪ ♪ You don't sleep til the world is gone ♪ ♪ In the midst of white ♪ And you don't speak when the spirits come ♪ ♪ You just harken with all your might ♪ (slow music) (gentle dobro music continues) (lighthearted fiddle music) (upbeat guitar and dobro music) ♪ I'm what's left of a dream he had ♪ ♪ Still scratched in the clay ♪ The fossil of a future man, and here's what I came to say ♪ ♪ When your arms are sticks and your hands are suns ♪ ♪ Point your finger, you kill someone ♪ ♪ When your belly's big and your heart is small ♪ ♪ Use your head or you lose them all ♪ ♪ I'm now the future and the past ♪ ♪ Go on take your photographs ♪ I'm made of clay so I'll fade from view ♪ ♪ One last thing I'll share with you ♪ ♪ You're made of clay too (upbeat music continues) ♪ I was born in a dream he had when a boy came alone ♪ ♪ On a quest to become a man ♪ And he carved me to life in stone ♪ (audience applauds) (audience cheers) Thank you.

Seems like a good time to introduce Danny O'Lannerghty back here on the bass guitar.

(audience cheers) I should say bass guitars, but that is a two by four with strings, right?

(audience laughs) Okay.

Everybody says, "Danny, what is that you're playing?"

He says, "A two by four with strings."

It is the coolest standup bass I've ever seen.

I will say that.

We having fun yet?

(audience cheers) (audience applauds) In 1862, a U.S Army corporal returning to California found a saddle in the High Sierra Mountains.

High above the settlement of New Helvetia.

As it was a cavalry saddle, and therefore the property of the U.S. government, he returned to fort with it.

And the private charged with refurbishing the saddle found a message next to its underside.

Carved by the point of a knife into the wood and leather were these words, and a single name, Margolaigne.

♪ Oh my dear Margolaigne ♪ While the primroses bloom ♪ I am riding my pony at last home to you ♪ ♪ Though the road, it was long ♪ And the ride, it was rough ♪ Margolaigne, I have returned to the arms of your love ♪ ♪ It's been ten now and seven ♪ Since pale was your skin ♪ Kissed I cold cheeks the fever ♪ ♪ Burned no longer in ♪ Like your body in my arms 'round your memory hold ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, as I promised, I never let go ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, there were roses in the summertime ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, in the spring I brought your columbine ♪ ♪ Though the road, it was long ♪ And the ride, it was rough ♪ Margolaigne, I have returned to the arms of your love ♪ ♪ And I remember the sweet smell ♪ ♪ Of linden perfume ♪ Through the sage would it rise ♪ ♪ Though were I weeks from you ♪ I have taken the lives now of many young men ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, I am dying to see you again ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, braids of sweet grass in the summertime ♪ ♪ Margolaigne, in the spring I brought your columbine ♪ ♪ Though the road, it was long ♪ And the ride, it was rough ♪ Margolaigne, I have returned to the arms of your love ♪ (slow fiddle and guitar music) ♪ In this pass we have frozen ♪ My pony and I ♪ Fallen have we at last in this cold hell to die ♪ ♪ Should my body be found ♪ Grant my only request ♪ Carve these words into stone ♪ Where my memory rests ♪ Oh my dear Margolaigne, ♪ While the primroses bloom ♪ I am riding my pony at last home to you ♪ ♪ Though the road, it was long ♪ And the ride, it was rough ♪ Margolaigne, I have returned to the arms of your love ♪ ♪ All the dust I have gathered ♪ At last calls my name ♪ I am riding my pony to you Margolaigne ♪ ♪ Though the road, it was long ♪ And the ride, it was rough ♪ Margolaigne, I have returned ♪ To the arms of your love (audience applauds) Thank you very much.

It's Jenee Fleenor on the fiddle tonight.

(audience cheers) And Josh Matheny on the dobro.

(audience applauds) Yeah, I believe, I still believe that people listen.

If they trust, if they trust that they're going to hear something worth listening to, they will listen.

And one of the greatest compliments someone can do, someone can give me, is to listen, is to take a moment and say, "Well, that's a Skip Ewing record," or, "That's a Skip Ewing song.

Maybe I should take a chance and see if it's solid."

You know, "If he wrote that."

I think of writing songs the same way a painter would approach a canvas.

And I don't want to just have a flat image.

I like to offer people light, and shadow, and depth, and beauty, and you look at it long enough, you might discover something you didn't see there the first time.

I'm gonna pick up my guitar and I am going to sing everything I have in my heart and the things that I have to say about being human to other humans.

And their hearts are gonna beat about it and their lives are gonna have it in it.

And if we share that, then that is a powerful thing.

And I am one fortunate son of a gun.

(slow guitar music) (slow fiddle music) ♪ Six seconds in I was off in the dirt ♪ ♪ Only busted my weekend ♪ I would have headed back home if I hadn't met her ♪ ♪ If I hadn't been a fool, I'd have stayed ♪ ♪ In Santa Fe ♪ I left her wearing my shirt, boots in hand out the door ♪ ♪ She was sleeping ♪ As soon as my tires hit the black ♪ ♪ I was on my way back to her bed in my head ♪ ♪ Should have stayed ♪ In Santa Fe ♪ I have the habit of leaving so long ♪ ♪ I didn't know how to turn back ♪ ♪ My days and nights became as black and as long ♪ ♪ As the mane on the horse ♪ I was on when ♪ Eight seconds in, in Salinas ♪ I picked up a win for the good guys ♪ ♪ I heard my name from the fence first ♪ ♪ It didn't make sense ♪ Then I saw her in the shirt that she'd saved ♪ ♪ Since Santa Fe ♪ She said I came to ask you if it's making you happy ♪ ♪ To nearly break your neck in one of your damned rodeos ♪ ♪ Meet a girl, leave your shirt, and head down the road ♪ ♪ 'Cause I got a feeling ♪ You're feeling more than you're willing to say ♪ ♪ Are you running towards or running away ♪ ♪ From Santa Fe ♪ I said hell, I'm lucky just to make it eight seconds ♪ ♪ She said you're smart enough to choose ♪ ♪ What kind of horses you ride ♪ Well, one of us can say that she tried ♪ ♪ And I got a feeling ♪ I'm feeling more than I'm willing to say ♪ ♪ Watching her drive away (slow fiddle music) (audience applauds) (audience cheers) Thank you.

All right.

All right.

When I started the project that's now "Wyoming", it wasn't called "Wyoming".

You know, I had written a song called "Wyoming" because of my love for Wyoming, and it was really out of my life.

It was realizing that I had made decisions that put me in a place that wasn't where I wanted to be.

And then Wyoming was, and there's a zillion reasons why that is.

There's a way when you drive into Wyoming in the Southern part of the state, there's a place where you already know.

It's like, it just turned into the west.

You know that, and you'll see it.

If you drive in that way, there's like these sort of cliffs.

They have that Western feel as though you just started into a Western movie, right?

And it's not only that it's the west in Wyoming.

There's a rugged beauty and an openness.

There's an invitation in the state.

And there's not a lot of people here, but the people who are here, I know so many people that I like who they are.

You know, I sometimes say you gotta have some grit.

You have to have some truth.

You have to have some love to be here and really live, you know, really live here.

And as a state, to be able to say, I love this state, that's what it turned into.

I wrote songs about how the railroad got built through the Southern part of it.

I wrote some things about, you know, stuff that happened in the Northern part of it.

And then I just wrote some things about how it felt here hundreds of years ago, and then how it felt here yesterday.

And it's inspirational to me.

I'm really glad that I moved here.

And I'm glad I got to make a record that even shines a light on Wyoming a little bit.

Yeah.

There's a place.

There's a real Whiskey Basin, kind of right up where we live.

It's a cool place to escape to.

That's why I wrote this.

(upbeat guitar music) (upbeat music continues) Woo!

(audience laughs) - This is all planned.

(laughs) (upbeat music continues) ♪ I went all week working like a sod-plow mule ♪ ♪ 'Bout half crazy but I ain't no fool ♪ ♪ Gotta get outta here before I lose my cool ♪ ♪ It's messing with my head ♪ Some take a toke of doobie, drink a coke and rum ♪ ♪ Chug the hops and the barley from aluminum ♪ ♪ Ain't pointing any fingers cause it works for some ♪ ♪ To simply stay in bed ♪ I'd rather saddle up instead ♪ And ride my pony up the Whiskey Basin ♪ ♪ Give my attitude an alteration ♪ ♪ Have a little campfire contemplation ♪ ♪ While the river there unwinds me ♪ ♪ Don't need company or conversation ♪ ♪ Psycho-spiritual evaluation ♪ Don't come looking when I can't be found ♪ ♪ I can find myself just fine ♪ Up in Whiskey Basin (upbeat dobro music) ♪ I heard a black, and a cougar, and a grizzly growl ♪ ♪ Wolf pack holler back a full moon howl ♪ ♪ Had a heavy conversation with a great horned owl ♪ ♪ Heard a bull elk bugle ring ♪ Can't see myself a city slickin' son of a son ♪ ♪ I want to wake up in Wyoming til the day I'm done ♪ ♪ When it's time to head to heaven ♪ Know the way to run ♪ ♪ You can let the angels sing ♪ Just give my horse some wings ♪ ♪ And let me fly my pony up to Whiskey Basin ♪ ♪ Give my attitude an alteration ♪ ♪ Have a little campfire contemplation ♪ ♪ While the river there unwinds me ♪ ♪ Don't need company or conversation ♪ ♪ Psycho-spiritual evaluation ♪ Don't come looking when I can't be found ♪ ♪ I can find myself just fine ♪ If I don't fall over on the stage ♪ ♪ Into Jenee Fleenor's arms (audience laughs) (audience applauds) Right?

(audience applause continues) ♪ I can hike up and see my sweet babe Louise ♪ ♪ Lie next to her underneath the trees ♪ ♪ Listen to the wind and close my eyes ♪ ♪ I know for now it's just a dream ♪ ♪ But it can feel so real it seems ♪ ♪ For a few breaths there time doesn't fly ♪ ♪ By me like the shadow of the red-tailed hawk ♪ ♪ Makes me want to literally punch the clock ♪ ♪ Nothing ticks me any tighter than to take time off ♪ ♪ When it isn't really true ♪ I'm gonna learn to turn the burner off that's in the back ♪ ♪ Hand a penny to the monkey so he'll trip the trap ♪ ♪ Pull the pin on my adrenaline and let it blast ♪ ♪ Monkey see, monkey do ♪ Hey, but I don't need a monkey to ♪ ♪ Ride my pony up to Whiskey Basin ♪ ♪ Give my attitude an alteration ♪ ♪ Have a little campfire contemplation ♪ ♪ While the river there unwinds me ♪ ♪ Don't need company or conversation ♪ ♪ Psycho-spiritual evaluation ♪ Don't come looking when I can't be found ♪ ♪ I can find myself just fine up in Whiskey Basin ♪ ♪ Out in Whiskey Basin ♪ Hey, get me high ♪ Up in Whiskey Basin ♪ You can make my final destination ♪ ♪ Whiskey Basin ♪ Whiskey Basin (upbeat music continues) (audience laughs) (audience cheers) (audience applauds) Oh my lord.

That's the way it's supposed to be on live TV right there.

That's the way it's supposed to be.

Right?

That's the way it is, man.

Right there.

I hate this rug.

(audience laughs) - I can't imagine what your adrenaline was like.

During that song.

(laughs) (audience laughs) - Oh man.

♪ Please help me.

♪ I'm falling ♪ In love with you ♪ In love with you (audience cheers) (audience applauds) So I want to thank all of you.

I introduced everyone, right?

Okay.

Cause there was so much adrenaline, I forgot everything.

You know?

(laughs) (audience laughs) So that's good.

I got everybody.

I actually wanna say a special thanks to Eric Darken back here on the percussion.

(audience cheers) (audience applauds) Not only is Eric an amazing musician and has played with so many folks, but he is also responsible for all the percussion on the actual "Wyoming" album.

(audience cheers) So thank you for that.

(audience applauds) (slow guitar music) (slow fiddle music) ♪ As a young man, I thought I was tough ♪ ♪ Lived up to my last name of Ruff ♪ ♪ Now I can't take a breath deep enough ♪ ♪ To shut off this bottle and ride ♪ ♪ But I ain't lost the cowboy inside ♪ ♪ I live where it's still called The West ♪ ♪ I can carry my Colt revolver in my vest ♪ ♪ Don't put my aim to the test ♪ Consider that threat as implied ♪ ♪ I ain't lost the cowboy inside ♪ ♪ I can't drink the coffee or smoke anymore ♪ ♪ And I can't get around like I did ♪ ♪ But I think like I'm thirty ♪ Forget that I'm old and ♪ In some ways, I'm more of a kid ♪ ♪ I can't shake the habit it seems ♪ ♪ Of saddling up in my dreams ♪ Where I breathe like I'm still seventeen ♪ ♪ I wake up at seventy-nine ♪ But I ain't lost the cowboy inside ♪ (slow fiddle and guitar music) (lighthearted dobro music) ♪ I can't drink the whiskey or smoke anymore ♪ ♪ And I can't get around like I did ♪ ♪ But I think like I'm thirty ♪ Forget that I'm old ♪ And in most ways, I'm more of a kid ♪ ♪ It's a shame and it's sad ♪ And it's wrong ♪ To hear yourself talked about like you're gone ♪ ♪ But I assure you I'm still hanging on ♪ ♪ I've got years full of memories to ride ♪ ♪ I ain't lost the cowboy ♪ Don't write me off yet, boy ♪ I've still got the cowboy inside ♪ (slow music continues) (audience applauds) Thanks.

(audience applause continues) You know, I went from having not written songs or done music for years to cutting a record to then people finding out.

And it was COVID and that kind of slowed things down.

And then all of a sudden I'm getting reviews that are, you know, five stars and it's, people are saying wonderful things about it.

And the next thing you know, I'm doing some, I'm doing television shows and touring some, and we're already up on another album that we're going to start cutting here.

But the doors, the doors are opening and it's happening because people are listening.

And that is, I feel privileged and blessed that people will.

And I hope I'm given the chance to be the artist that I'd like to be.

(upbeat guitar music) ♪ Billy said you take this bottle ♪ ♪ It's an awful lot like love ♪ You start out with a sip ♪ And you feel right and swell ♪ But you keep on drinking long enough ♪ ♪ And sometimes it gets mean and the whole thing goes ♪ ♪ To hell ♪ Now I've drank a lot more whiskey ♪ ♪ Than I've ever tasted love ♪ But there was one in Washakie ♪ ♪ I didn't tell her about the bounty ♪ ♪ I didn't know her long enough ♪ ♪ They killed her when they missed me ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Love is good til it's gone ♪ Now this train we hit tomorrow ♪ ♪ Ain't no church on a Sunday stroll ♪ ♪ They'll have sidearms, twelves, and tins ♪ ♪ Better ride out like I told you ♪ ♪ Or you'll end up with a hole in your chest ♪ ♪ And you won't ride back again ♪ ♪ I let you stay on for the money 'cause ♪ ♪ You keep your muzzle shut ♪ Me, I kinda do it for the fame ♪ ♪ And I know the plan is working ♪ ♪ 'Cause every time I dole the cut ♪ ♪ They raise the wanted number 'neath my name ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Money's good until it's gone ♪ Ooh ♪ It's all right until it all goes wrong ♪ ♪ And we drank Wyoming whiskey ♪ And we gambled and we rolled ♪ And we spent up all we held up stages for ♪ ♪ And when I contemplated freedom ♪ ♪ He said the devil's truth be told ♪ ♪ We both want whiskey, fame, and money more ♪ (upbeat dobro music) ♪ I was on a horse named Copper ♪ ♪ When we met up near The Wall ♪ I told myself I'd change his name to Gold ♪ ♪ This was gonna be my last one ♪ ♪ Hell, the biggest one of all ♪ And I kind of liked the thought of getting old ♪ ♪ We were right on time and plan ♪ ♪ But they had more than twelves and tins ♪ ♪ They uncovered what they called a Gatling gun ♪ ♪ I went down and Copper with me ♪ ♪ When I felt lead twice again ♪ And I couldn't feel my legs to even run ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Freedom's good til it's gone ♪ Ooh ♪ It's all right until it all goes wrong ♪ (slow guitar music) ♪ Now there's a ring of black above me ♪ ♪ Up there circling in the sky ♪ If I knew how you can bet your life I'd pray ♪ ♪ I can hear the preacher saying ♪ ♪ You'll have nothing when you die ♪ ♪ I guess I thought at least I'd have a grave ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Life is good until it's gone ♪ Ooh ♪ It's all right until... (upbeat music) We sure appreciate you guys coming.

(audience applauds) (audience cheers) (Skip laughs) Thanks for all the support.

(audience applause continues) Josh Matheny over here, Danny O'Lannerghty, Eric Darken, and Jenee Fleenor.

(audience applause continues) (Skip laughs) (audience cheers) Well, that's our show.

I'm Skip Ewing saying thank you for listening.

And we hope you enjoyed it.

- [Narrator] Major funding for this program was provided by Joe and Suzy Brooks.

Additional funding was provided by Jay and Karen Kemmerer with the CM Ranch, Rhythmic Rebellion at Rhythmic-Rebellion.com, ToneWoodAmp at ToneWoodAmp.com, and L.R.

Baggs at LRBaggs.com