Site search
sponsored by
News
ENLARGE
Go & Do
What: 2009 Cowboy Poetry Gathering
When: Today and Saturday, Nov. 20-21
Where: Museum of Western Colorado's Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St.
Info: 242-0971. ext. 221, or rsharpe@westcomuseum.org
When: Today and Saturday, Nov. 20-21
Where: Museum of Western Colorado's Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St.
Info: 242-0971. ext. 221, or rsharpe@westcomuseum.org
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Clarence Carnal sang and played cowboy songs on his guitar or accordion until he was 92. At that point arthritis made it too difficult to keep playing.
That's when he began reciting poetry instead.
Carnal performed before an audience for the first time last year at Grand Junction's Cowboy Poetry Gathering at the Museum of Western Colorado's Whitman Educational Center. He's back for this year's gathering, today and Saturday at the same location.
“A lot of the poets are just in awe of him — for his memory and the way he recites, his style,” said Ronna Lee Sharpe, the museum's cultural heritage specialist.
He's learned two or three new poems this year — one an original, said his daughter, Dolores Roberts.
Carnal turned 100 in September.
“He's just blowing and going. Nothing gets him down,” Roberts said. “He works everyday in his little shop. He's quite a dynamo.”
Carnal joins at least a dozen other cowboy poets Friday and Saturday for daytime and evening performances.
Local favorites have been invited back, including Nona Kelley Carver of Mesa, and Al Albrethsen of Grand Junction, and Slim Farnsworth of Cedaredge. Other Colorado performers include Peggy Malone, Ray Lashley, Tom Sharpe, Terry Nash and Vess Quinland.
Singer-songwriter Sally Bates, from Prescott, Ariz., is a new to this year's Grand Junction gathering.
“She is just a fabulous singer, songwriter and poet,” said Sharpe, who's listened to Bates at other gatherings.
Another poet scheduled this weekend is Joel Nelson of Alpine, Texas — a regular performer at the big national cowboy poetry gathering held in Elko, Nev., each year.
Performers sing or recite classics by people like Robert Service, as well as original, and often humorous compositions about ranch life, the land and days gone by.
Daytime performances both days are free. Tickets for the evening performances are $5.
The museum wanted to keep a portion of the performances free so kids could come, and people could come and go if they like, and “see if they like it or not,” Sharpe said.
“We want everybody to have a chance to experience it. It's just a little bit more of a show at night.
“It's wonderful poems, song and stories all day and night-long.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
That's when he began reciting poetry instead.
Carnal performed before an audience for the first time last year at Grand Junction's Cowboy Poetry Gathering at the Museum of Western Colorado's Whitman Educational Center. He's back for this year's gathering, today and Saturday at the same location.
“A lot of the poets are just in awe of him — for his memory and the way he recites, his style,” said Ronna Lee Sharpe, the museum's cultural heritage specialist.
He's learned two or three new poems this year — one an original, said his daughter, Dolores Roberts.
Carnal turned 100 in September.
“He's just blowing and going. Nothing gets him down,” Roberts said. “He works everyday in his little shop. He's quite a dynamo.”
Carnal joins at least a dozen other cowboy poets Friday and Saturday for daytime and evening performances.
Local favorites have been invited back, including Nona Kelley Carver of Mesa, and Al Albrethsen of Grand Junction, and Slim Farnsworth of Cedaredge. Other Colorado performers include Peggy Malone, Ray Lashley, Tom Sharpe, Terry Nash and Vess Quinland.
Singer-songwriter Sally Bates, from Prescott, Ariz., is a new to this year's Grand Junction gathering.
“She is just a fabulous singer, songwriter and poet,” said Sharpe, who's listened to Bates at other gatherings.
Another poet scheduled this weekend is Joel Nelson of Alpine, Texas — a regular performer at the big national cowboy poetry gathering held in Elko, Nev., each year.
Performers sing or recite classics by people like Robert Service, as well as original, and often humorous compositions about ranch life, the land and days gone by.
Daytime performances both days are free. Tickets for the evening performances are $5.
The museum wanted to keep a portion of the performances free so kids could come, and people could come and go if they like, and “see if they like it or not,” Sharpe said.
“We want everybody to have a chance to experience it. It's just a little bit more of a show at night.
“It's wonderful poems, song and stories all day and night-long.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
2009 Grand Junction Cowboy Poetry Gathering: Performance schedule
Friday, Nov. 201 p.m. Vess Quinlan, Al Albrethsen, Nona Kelley Carver, Sally Bates
2 p.m. Suzi Killman, Slim Farnsworth, Peggy Malone, Tom Sharpe
3 p.m. Ray Lashley, Audrey Hankins, Joel Nelson, Clarence Carnal
4 p.m. Terry Nash, Ray Lashley, Sally Bates, Tom Sharpe
Evening Performance
7:00 p.m. Slim Farnsworth, Vess Quinlan, Nona Kelley Carver, Al Albrethsen, Peggy Malone
Saturday, Nov. 21
10 a.m. Audrey Hankins, Vess Quinlan, Terry Nash, Suzi Killman
11 a.m. Joel Nelson, Al Albrethsen, Slim Farnsworth, Tom Sharpe
Noon Peggy Malone, Sally Bates, Ray Lashley, Terry Nash
1 p.m. Nona Kelley Carver, Clarence Carnal, Suzi Killman,
Al Albrethsen
2 p.m. Ray Lashley, Joel Nelson, Peggy Malone, Audrey Hankins
3 p.m. Terry Nash, Slim Farnsworth, Nona Kelley Carver,
Vess Quinlan
4 p.m. By Request-Hosted by Tom Sharpe
Evening Performance
7 p.m. Sally Bates, Suzi Killman, Clarence Carnal,
Joel Nelson, Audrey Hankins
