Andy shares a true story about Northern Plains ranching and a tribute to a special neighbor. Andy Hedges recites "E.M. "Red" Kluver" during "The Whole Beef" show at the 39th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Andy Hedges
Lubbock, TX
Andy Hedges is a songster, reciter, storyteller, guitarist, and collector of cowboy songs and poems. The son of a schoolteacher and a rodeo-cowboy-turned-preacher, Andy grew up in Tokio, Texas, where his family paid rent on an old farmhouse by looking after a few head of cattle. There, he fell in love with traditional music by listening to his father’s cassettes of cowboy songs. Andy’s vast and varied repertoire includes cowboy poetry recitations, obscure western ballads, and the folk-blues of the working cowboy. His podcast Cowboy Crossroads features interviews with fellow musicians and poets. In 2023, Andy debuted at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and in 2024, he brought his album Roll On, Cowboys to Carnegie Hall in New York City.

"E.M. "Red" Kluver" poem by Wallace McRae.

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Filmed in front of a live audience at the Elko Convention Center’s Laurena Moren Theater on Feb. 2, 2024.

Made possible by Home2 Suites by Hilton and by the multitude of staff, artists, volunteers, and community members working behind the scenes to make this show happen.

Brought to you by the Western Folklife Center, using story and cultural expression to connect the American West to the world.
www.westernfolklife.org

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