MIKE MOUTOUX

Chapter Update
Continued from page 21
Davidson represented the Chapter at
the annual meeting of the Kansas Bed
& Breakfast Association. The Chapter
is a member of the B & B association,
and some members have provided
entertainment at certain functions of
bed and breakfasts. The Chapter encourages
B & B’s to have house concerts
featuring WMA members.
New Mexico Chapter
President: James Michael
mhosea@zianet.com
The New Mexico Chapter closed out
2015 on a high Western note. The
Flying J Wranglers from Ruidoso, New
Mexico put on a tremendous show in
Albuquerque just before Christmas.
About 250 very appreciative fans
were there to enjoy the event. The
atmosphere, the entertainment and
the chili were all first rate and a great
time was had by everyone. We would
like to thank all our chapter members
who helped make this concert such a
success, especially Marion and Joyce
Rutherford, Kathi Margard, Betty Carter,
Joy Burns, Lee Peters, Ann Carpenter,
Mary Ryland, Rick Huff, Ollie Reed, and
Joe and Linda Brown.
The New Mexico Chapter will be
continuing its efforts this year to bring
Western music and cowboy poetry to
New Mexicans. We will hold our third
annual Western Youth Day Concert on
the Plaza in Old Town on June 26 th and
will help sponsor the Second Annual
Horses for Heroes Benefit Concert on
July 23 rd in Albuquerque. In addition,
we will once again be holding our New
Mexico Summer Concert Series with
dates and details soon to be provided.
Montana-Dakotas Chapter
President: Linda Hausler
openrange@wispwest.net
As many may know, back in August,
Ric Steinke of Open Range had a bad
injury with a table saw involving his
left hand, slashing open his thumb
and first three fingers, and severing his
fourth finger. The chapter is pleased to
report progress in rehabilitation is being
made. Ric is still healing up and doing
physical therapy exercises every day.
He’s already playing pedal steel with
some local bands, and is beginning to
play basic chords on the 6-string guitar.
He’s also back to driving horse teams at
his winter job at Lone Mountain Ranch
in Big Sky a few days a week, and he’s
able to sing and play a few songs for
their sleigh ride dinner. Ric sends his
thanks and appreciation for all the well
wishes, support, calls and cards from
the community and from others around
the country. Even with set-backs, the
Montana—Dakotas Chapter is alive
and well!
​Oklahoma Chapter
President: Susie Case
susieb.case@gmail.com
Mike and Doris Merritt of Merritt
Cowboy Ministries have a new CD,
“Detours,” and are in the planning
stages for their new Sunday morning
radio show on KITX K95.5, Hugo, OK.
Mike & Doris Merritt. Photo courtesy
merrittcowboyministries.com.
Old West Fest at Sycamore Springs
Ranch in Locust Grove, OK will feature
Donnie Poindexter May 20 & May 22.
Cowboy Jim Garling performs April 21 &
22 at Choctaw Frontier Days, Choctaw,
OK; May 13 & 14 at the Chisholm
Trail Museum›s Living History Days,
Kingfisher, OK, and then returns June
10 & 11 to the Pawnee Bill Wild West
Show, Pawnee, OK. Call Of The West,
Jerome Campbell ​and Jeanne Cahill,
take part in “The Gene Autry Lunch
Bunch” April 9, at El Fenix Mexican
restaurant in Dallas, TX and “Songbird
Live” that same evening in Cleburne, TX,
with Kristyn Harris and Hailey Sandoz
(“The Swing Sisters”). Call Of The West
also performs April 2 & 3 at the Arizona
Folklore Preserve in Hereford (Sierra
Vista), AZ, and May 2 at Atoka Elementary
School, Atoka, OK. We continue to
find and create venues for showcasing
western music and poetry. The chapter
president met with Ron Boren, director,
and Jim Paul Blair, chairman, of the Oklahoma
Music Hall of Fame to begin planning
for an annual Oklahoma Chapter
The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Photo
courtesy omhof.com.
Cowboy Music and Poetry Gathering at
their facilities i​n Muskogee, OK. Housed
in the old Frisco Freight Depot, the Museum
spotlights a number ​of western
and western swing Oklahoma music
stars, including Gene Autry. The hall is
promoting a three-day festival,​G Fest
Muskogee, June 16-18, featuring such
acts as Merle Haggard, Marty Stuart,
and the Quebe Sisters.
Western Wordsmiths Chapter
President: Geoff “Poppa Mac” Mackay
poppamac@hotmail.com
A New Year is upon us and the New
Executive Committee has been busy
already. First thing I’d like to do is thank
the outgoing Executive Committee
for the fine year they had. I think it’s
important that we remember why
we were formed in the first place “To
produce, promote and preserve the
Tales, Stories, and Poems of Western
Culture in Written or oral form.” You may
notice that we removed developing
poetry awards as our main purpose
as they have already been developed.
We may look at some of the criteria
for these awards but will definitely
keep the members informed. We are
looking to see how we will proceed
with the poetry Jackpot or “contest,” as
we all feel it is important to continue
it in some form. With the Cowboy
gathering season never ending, it
is wonderful to see so many of our
members performing and being
featured as many of these events.
To be considered for publication in
the summer edition of the Western
Way, Poetry submissions need to be
e-mailed to Chapter President by the
22 | Spring 2016 The WESTERN WAY