Category Archives: Music

The Gift (Charlie Russell)

This is the way history has been passed along for thousands of years, in song. The life of Ol’ Charlie Russell. Ian Tyson has a way of writing some lines that only someone that is savvy on the deal would understand. “The twisted wrist of the hullihan throw,” is one of those great lines.

I recommend reading Trails Plowed Under a book written by Charlie Russell and listening to Ian Tyson music while reading it. You will be experiencing two of the best at bringing the cowboy to you in an authentic way.

~ Curt Pate

The Gather

This song is about a real important part of stockmanship. The gather is where you teach the cattle to handle, or not handle, if you approach it wrong. As Wylie sings about, it is my favorite part of cowboying. He even mentions a dog, so it is the perfect song for this week. Wylie is a good cowboy, great ambassador for Montana, and as I have always been a big fan of good yodeling, I feel he is one of the best yodeler’s I have heard. He does not yodel in this song (it would probably spook the gather) so I hope you will listen to more.

~ Curt Pate