Powder River Examiner -

The Miles City Cowboy Poetry Gathering will be hosted by the Range Riders Museum on Sunday, October 8th. Previously this annual event was held during February but is being moved to a fall time frame to accommodate those who want to travel and attend. Entertainment will kick off at 11:30 am with local talent Jim Howe who performs with local bluegrass bands and will share some of his favorite bluegrass and gospel music. A roast beef dinner will be served at noon.

Featured performers JW Groethe, Lloyd McKenna, and Jessie Veeder will perform during the Main Show at 1 pm. They will share their stories of the cowboy way of life through music and poetry. The event will finish with an Open Mic session about 3 pm with a limit of one or two poems/songs per individual and conclude at 4 pm.

A returning featured performer is DW Groethe who was born and raised in western North Dakota but has lived for over 25 years in Bainville, Montana. He is a ranch hand, poet, and musician. His songs and poems tell the story of who he is and life he lives as a cowboy. He has recorded three CDs and written six books of poetry. One of these, West River Waltz, won the Will Rogers Medallion Award for Excellence in Cowboy Poetry.

Making his first appearance at the Miles City gathering is Lloyd McKenna from Lewistown. He was born in Miles City and raised on a ranch northeast of Jordan. Lloyd grew up riding behind the saddle as young as four years old. Lloyd started writing and reciting cowboy poetry in 1993 and is a well-known performer at cowboy poetry events. He has four poetry books to his credit along with a CD.

Jessie Veeder is also making her first appearance in Miles City. She has been a symbol of folk music in Western North Dakota since she released her first original album when she was only sixteen years old. It was an effort that took her from performing at fairs and festivals around her home state to launching a music and writing career that has her telling the story of rural living through the captivating lens of a woman who lives it every day. She tours extensively in the upper Midwest as an entertainer, motivational speaker and advocate for agriculture, rural living and the messy side of motherhood. She was named 2016 and 2017’s Favorite North Dakota Folk Artist is a recipient of the North Dakota Ambassador Award and North Dakota Governor’s Award in the Arts in individual achievement.

The poetry gathering is a fund raiser for the Range Riders Museum and the cost is $25 for the meal, entertainment, and open mic. The event is held in the Pioneer Hall of the museum. Tickets are available at the door but seating is limited. It is recommended that you reserve tickets that can be picked up at the door. You can call/text Sharon Moore at 406-852-0722, Bunny Miller at 406-852-4949 to reserve your tickets or register for Open Mic.