The Ekalaka Eagle - Your Community Builder

The 6th Annual Miles City Cowboy Poetry Gathering will be hosted by the Range Riders Museum on Sunday March 1st. Entertainment will kick off at 11:30 am with local talent Gail Shaw from Miles City, performing old classic country songs. A roast beef dinner will be served at noon. The featured performers Paul Larson, Karen Stockett, and Chuck Larsen are scheduled to perform during the Main Show at 1 pm. The event will finish out with an Open Mic session about 3 pm with a limit of one poem/song per individual and conclude at 4 pm.

Featured performer Paul Larson acquired many talents before making his home in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, just a bit outside the small community of Rochford. He’s spent several years on the road competing in and judging rodeos. Larson qualified and competed in Charlotte, South Carolina at the Worlds Finals Rodeo in 1997 in the team roping event. His talent serves him well in South Dakota as many a neighbor call upon him for round ups and brandings. He is also a talented carpenter and takes much pride in custom building. Whether it is a patio or log cabin in the hills or remodeling an 1800 building in Deadwood, all are impressed with his artisanship, honesty and commitment. Larson’s history of performing in rodeos and creating with a hammer and nail made following his passion for music a seamless fabric of a cowboy. Known for his baritone voice and cowboy yodel, he was once introduced by an announcer as a man with the voice he’d hire to ride circles around a rangy herd of cows to keep them quiet through the evening.

Growing up on a farm in South Dakota, Chuck Larsen had ample opportunity to “do it all” when it came to working livestock. Early on Larsen realized that he leaned toward the horse and cow side of this lifestyle. He and his wife Linda now have a little place in the northeast corner of Wyoming near Hulett, where they pasture a few yearlings and keep a string of good horses and mules. Larsen also finds plenty of opportunity to maintain his Cowboy Credentials, while lending a hand on neighboring ranches. Every once in a while he can also be caught announcing a local rodeo, roping steers, fixing fence or wrangling a few dudes.

Larsen’s unique style of writing and performing his poetry will allow you to visualize his cowboyin’ experiences as he relates them. His poetry has the ability to make you roll in the aisle with laughter or bring a sentimental tear to your eye, as you hear, see and become part of his performance.

Karen Stockett was born on a ranch in Southeastern Montana. She moved to Texas and became a college math instructor, where she met her husband, Lee. They moved back to Montana and had a daughter, Jess, who now helps run the ranch. Stockett is thankful for the many opportunities God has given her and for the chance to share her passion for horses, cows and the ranching lifestyle with others. She enjoys doing cowboy poetry and she writes about cows, horses, God’s help and good people. Her daughter has put together two books of her poems, “Blue Montana Skies” and “Summer Montana Sunsets.”

The poetry gathering is a fund raiser for the Range Riders Museum and the cost is $25 for a meal, entertainment and open mic. The event is held in the Pioneer Hall of the museum. Tickets are available at the door but seating is limited. It is recommended that you reserve ticket that can be picked up at the door. Call or text Sharon Moore at 406-852-0722 or Bunny Miller at 406-852-4949 to reserve tickets or register for the open mic.