From Whence Came the Cowboy

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Sons of the San Joaquin

The Sons of the San Joaquin is a Western family band. Jack and Joe Hannah are brothers, while third member Lon Hannah is Joe's son. They began performing together in 1987 at a birthday party for Lon's grandfather. They have been credited with "rich durability of the traditional Western music they present, as well as the outstanding original cowboy songs" and being reminiscent of the Sons of the Pioneers.Roy Rogers called them "the only singing group alive who I feel sound like the original Sons of the Pioneers." They have over a dozen albums, including a gospel album and a greatest hits album. more »

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From whence came the cowboy? Well, the history is plain.
He rode out of Europe on a frigate from Spain.
To Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina he spread
And from the Gaucho, the Huaso, the Vaquero was bred. 
Your everyday cowboy, and oh what a sight.
More dashing and daring than a medieval 'knight
And just for the record, it's gotta-be said,
He came in all colors - brown, white, black and red. 

And some "cow-pokes" were yellow, an' these are the facts.
He rode an "iron horse" for which he laid tracks
And say, that's not all that hombre could do.
He could cook, and was paid second highest on the crew. 

But the first daring horseman were Spaniards, of course!
Then the Mexican and Indian worked cows from a horse.
Then into "the states" from the Civil War days.
The white and the black cowboy rode in like a blaze. 

Some will implore - "all cowboys were white."
Well, I can tell you from fact that isn't right.
Of all of the cow-pokes who rode a-horseback,
One-forth of those hombres was sure-enough black. 

Why there's stories galore about blacks in the west.
Bose Ikard and Brit Johnson, were two of the best.
Then came Dick Shafer, a Marshall, and tough.
The "Peerless" Jess Stahl who was rugged and rough.
When he conquered ol' "Glasseye" in 1916.
Was dubbed "The best wild horse rider the world's ever seen." 

Then came a man, Isom Dart was his name
An trainin' cow-ponies was his claim to fame
At ridin' and ropin' and all around skill
I'd have to say Dart was "the king of the hill." 

There's another black cowboy I've just got to name,
"Wild Bill" Pickett of rodeo fame.
He'd pounce on a steer, as the strange story goes
And sinkin' his teeth in that wild galoot's nose.
His jaws like a bear-trap would tighten right down
And in a wink that ol' steer was stretched out on the ground. 

Then, of course, there's Nate Love - "Deadwood Dick" we dar'nt pass
And a black cowboy foreman --- the great Charley Glass.
Bose Ikard, I've mentioned, but he stands alone.
He's the only black cowboy whose name's etched in stone.
Charles Goodnight, John Chisum, of the Goodnight-Loving Trail
Said, "Bose Ikard's life was a heroic tale." 

If you're thinking the cowboy is all said and done
This hombre that's carved out his place in the sun.
Well he isn't gone - an I'm tellin' you friend
There's more cows and horses than there ever has been. 

But a cowboy's a cowboy by whatever name
Be he brown, white, red, yellow - his glories the same.
And his name, like his spurs, has a wonderful sound.
Keep your eye on the sunset --- 'cause he's still around. 

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