Johnny Campbell |
John Campbell is a fifth-generation Texan. His ancestors came from Ireland and settled on the Nueces River, near present-day George West, in 1834. After graduating from George West High School, John earned a degree from Texas A&I University. He has worked as a ranch foreman, day-working cowboy, and school teacher. John has performed at cowboy poetry gatherings across Texas, from the National Cowboy Symposium & Celebration in Lubbock, to the Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, to the South Texas Ranching Heritage Festival in Kingsville, and more. Storyfest audiences have enjoyed his performances every year since 1989. Storyfest warmly welcomed the return of George West's own cowboy poet. |
Jim Jones
Musician
Website |
Jim Jones is a native Texan, a student of the West and a life-long devotee of all things cowboy. His award-winning songwriting, guitar-picking and unique vocal style keep him in demand as a performer on the Western music circuit as well as at house concerts, coffeehouses, schools and libraries throughout the West. Jim has produced seven Western albums, three award-winning children’s character education videos, and two Western novels entitled Rustler’s Moon, published in May 2009, and Colorado Moon, published in May 2011. His seventh Western album, Feels Like Home to Me, was released in September 2010. Among the awards and honors Jim has received include the Western Writers of America 2011 Spur Finalist for Best Western Song entitled “King”; NM Music Awards Finalist for Western song of the Year in 2010 for “Smoke of the Brandin’ Fire”; and Academy of Western Artists Will Rogers Award for Best Male Western Vocalist of 2008. Jim has performed at the National Cowboy Symposium & Celebration, Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering, Tombstone Western Music Festival, Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Southeastern Cowboy Symposium, and many others. He lives in Corrales, New Mexico, with his wife and three dogs, Waylon, Jessie, and Colter. |
Dennis Gaines
Website |
Dennis Gaines calls himself "a cowboy poet, humorist and storyteller, a vocation that rates with bawdy house piano player in terms of prestige and respectability." Nevertheless, having survived an epic childhood which found his parents playing hide-and-seek all over the world, and Dennis always finding them, he was allowed to matriculate to the seventh grade, after which he found himself seeking ungainful employment in the oilfields of the world and ranches of the West. He frequents assorted gatherings and may be spotted at conventions, private parties, banquets, gunfights, etc. He has never been seen in the company of lawyers, politicians or other such outlaws. (This past sentence alone may be why he's a two-time winner of the Texas State Liars Contest.)
An invitation to the 2011 Storyfest from Dennis:
"Howdy, This is Dennis Gaines. I go to Storyfest every year to do three things: tell stories, visit with wonderful people, and win as many cakes as possible in the Cake Walk. Come share a piece of cake with me!"
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Lanny Joe Burnett
Email |
Lanny Joe Burnett was raised on a ranch in Fannin County, Texas. The son of 5th generation Texans, he learned at an early age the responsibility of being a steward of the land. He's been a cowboy all his life. He can't help it; it's in his blood. Lanny Joe currently serves as Single Adult leader in his church and teaches a weekly Bible study. He is proud to drive a pickup truck that makes carwash employees run for cover. |
Gil Prather
Muscian
(Cowboy + Gospel)
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Pure Original’ describes Gil Prather. Known by his musician peers as ‘The Man from the Rio Grande’, Gil offers a unique style of self-penned Cowboy/Western music with a Tex-Mex border flavor. His music reflects his younger years of growing up on the Mexican border as a working cowboy in the Big Bend Country of West Texas. Early in his career, Gil’s versatility was recognized by major producers. He has written and produced several award-winning radio and TV commercials and, in 1996, he wrote the award winning song, I’ll Be Back in Texas by the Fall, which was voted Song of the Year by the prestigious Academy of Western Artists.
From 1990 -1997, Gil was ‘the other brother’ in the nationally acclaimed ‘Jose Brothers’ comedy act which toured the southern United States and in the mid 1990’s, he teamed with Robert James Waller (The Bridges of Madison County) to co-write several selections from Waller’s Border Music album. Gil’s writing talent and unique style has made him well-known from Mexico to Canada, with performances throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. Experience true Americana music from a unique grass roots artist who has written first-hand, a lifetime worth of songs reflecting the cowboy way of life.
Look for Gil Prather on the Storyfest schedule where he will play his Cowboy/Western music, as well as traditional Gospel music. |
