FEATURING: Tish Hinojosa, Carolyn Martin's Swing Band, Halladay + Rob Quist, Olivia Romo.

This is a journey through the Great American West you won't want to miss! The tour bus is outfitted with a sassy and classy crew, fueled by a high octane mix of music and poetry, and headed to western places you'll never forget. Carolyn Martin and her powerhouse band will convince you that "It Don't Mean a Thing, If it Ain't Got That Swing." Tish Hinojosa's wanderlust spirit and soaring songs will invite you to "lose yourself to the moon," chase sunsets and the scent of a rainstorm, and "rise from the highway and into the sky and leave all your sorrow behind." With roots firmly planted in northern New Mexico soil, Olivia Romo writes poetry through the eyes of a young woman and delivers it with the passion and hopeful spirit of her generation. A roving party isn't complete without Montana father-daughter duo Halladay and Rob Quist. Both love the open road and their powerful original songs pay tribute to the people, places and experiences encountered along the way.

From the 35th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
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PLAYLIST

Hallady + Rob Quist
"Highway Two" (words + music by Rob Quist)
"Whirlwind" (words + music by Halladay Quist)
"In Without Knocking" (words + music by Rob Quist)
"In the Sun" (words + music by Halladay Quist)

Tish Hinojosa
"Taos to Tennessee"
"I Can Be the Wind" (words + music by Adam + Tish Hinojosa)
"Back to You"
"West"

Olivia Romo
"Benedición del Agua"
"Los Ojos Sagrados de San Jose"
“Roadrunner: The Chosen Prophet”

Carolyn Martin's Swing Band
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (words by lyrics by Irving Mills, music by Duke Ellington)
"Wild West Texas Wind" (words + music Carolyn Martin + Nora Jane Struthers)
"Avalon" (words by Buddy DeSylva + Al Jolson, music by Vincent Rose)
"Detour" (words + music Paul Westmoreland)
"When You Wish Upon a Star" (words + music by Ned Washington, Leigh Harline)
"Swing On" (words + music Carolyn Martin)

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Tish Hinojosa
Austin, TX
Tish Hinojosa is a singer-songwriter who was singing Americana music before the term was coined. Born in San Antonio, Texas, as one of 13 children born to Mexican immigrant parents, Hinojosa has dedicated her career to playing music from the southwest, beginning with Tejano before moving on to singer-songwriter folk, border music and country. Hinojosa originally started out in New Mexico as a back-up singer in Michael Martin Murphey's band, where he took her under his wing and encouraged the young performer to pursue her singer-songwriter muse. Tish released her first album, "Homeland," in 1989. She was the recipient of the American Association of Independent Music's 1992 Indie Folk Album of the Year and she has recently released a new album, "West." She is joined by Chip Dolan and Marvin Dykhuis.

Carolyn Martin's Swing Band
Fort Wayne, IN
Carolyn Martin's Swing Band is led by Carolyn Martin, a singer and musician from Texas. Carolyn has been making music since she was a teenager, and eventually relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she joined the "Time Jumpers." After 11 years of making music with them, she left to create her own group, joined by Rory Hoffman playing accordion, guitar and clarinet; Paul Kramer on violin and mandolin; steel guitarist Mike Sweeney; Dave Martin on bass; and drummer Ray Von Rotz. She was inducted into the Northwest Western Swing Music's Hall of Fame in 2014, the Western Swing Society of the Southwest's Hall of Fame in 2015, and was the recipient of the Academy of Western Artists' Will Rogers award as the Western Swing Female Vocalist of the Year in 2008, 2010 and 2014. Her latest project is "Wild West Wind."

Halladay + Rob Quist
Kalispell, MT
Hallady + Rob Quist are a father-daughter musical duo from Montana. Taken collectively, their music glides effortlessly over the boundaries of western, country, bluegrass, folk, pop and blues, and many of their original songs have been featured throughout the rich tapestry of the American music scene. They both grew up on ranches, and Rob would take Halladay and her brother on wagon train cattle drives in the summer as children throughout the Bob Marshall Wilderness, where there would always be music around the campfire at night. Halladay -- lead vocals, bass, banjo and guitar -- has recently released an EP titled "In the Sun," while Rob -- lead vocals, banjo and guitar -- is lead singer and songwriter of such seminal groups as Mission Mountain Wood Band, The Montana Band, and Rob Quist + Great Northern. Rob has released several CDs; appeared on National TV numerous times; toured extensively in Japan, Europe and the US; is a published poet; and was recently inducted into the University of Montana School of Fine Arts Hall of Honors, recognizing him as "one of the greats." With stellar lead vocals and close harmonies, they bring the easy camaraderie of seasoned road warriors to the stage.

Olivia Romo
Santa Fe, NM
Olivia Romo is a farmer, poet and water rights activist from Taos, New Mexico. She earned her dual bachelor's degrees in English and Chichana/o Studies from the University of New Mexico in 2015. She is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator at the New Mexico Acequia Association -- a grassroots, statewide organization that defends water rights and cultivates an inter-generational movement to protect water resources and educate people about the various aspects of acequia systems. Olivia is also a recognized spoken-word artist. In 2011 she was titled the New Mexico State Slam Poetry Champion. Olivia is a bilingual poet whose language is immersed in the regional Manito dialect and culture of Northern New Mexico. Olivia intentionally focuses her activism and poetry to educate and mobilize New Mexicans around the risks and uncertainties of their natural resources. She was featured in the Western Folklife Center's poem-film series "Moving Rural Verse."

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Filmed in front of a live audience at the Elko Convention Center’s Laurena Moren Theater on Feb. 1, 2019.

Made possible by Red Lion Hotel + Casino 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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