Red Steagall – Great American Storyteller

Red Steagall is The Official Cowboy Poet of Texas and a Great American Storyteller.

From Wikipedia:
Russell (“Red”) Steagall is a multitalented showbusiness personality whose career has covered a period of 35 years and has spanned the globe.

Steagall was born Russell Steagall in Gainesville, Texas, on December 22, 1937. He became a bull rider at rodeos while he was still a teenager, but at the age of 15, he was stricken with polio. He took up the guitar and the mandolin as physical therapy to recover the strength and dexterity of his arms and hands. Steagall entered a career in agricultural chemistry after graduating from West Texas State University with a degree in animal science and agronomy. He then spent eight years as a music industry executive in Hollywood, California and has spent the last thirty years as a recording artist, songwriter, and television and motion picture personality. He currently maintains offices outside of Fort Worth, Texas, where, in addition to his entertainment activities, he is involved in the production of motion pictures and television shows.

From Red’s website:

Although Red Steagall is best known for his wonderful Texas Swing dance music and such songs as “Here We Go Again”, “Party Dolls and Wine”, “Freckles Brown”, and “Lone Star Beer and Bob Wills Music”, Red is beloved by Texas cowboys for the quiet times they have spent with him around chuck wagon campfires. In their opinion, Red Steagall’s best music has never been heard by the public. And, if you ask Red where his favorite place to play music is, he might say some famous stage in Nashville, California, Spain, or Germany – or he might say some lonesome cow camp in West Texas.

The entertainment career of Red Steagall has covered a period of 35 years and has spanned the globe from Australia to the Middle East, to South America and to the Far East. He has performed for heads of state including a special party for President Reagan at the White House in 1983, and has completed three overseas tours for the United States Information Agency to the Middle East, the Far East, and South America.
As a native Texan, Red Steagall enjoyed a career in Agricultural Chemistry after graduating from West Texas State University with a degree in Animal Science and Agronomy. He then spent eight years as a music industry executive in Hollywood, California and has spent the last thirty years as a recording artist, songwriter, and television and motion picture personality. He currently offices outside of Fort Worth, Texas where in addition to his entertainment activities, he is currently involved in the production of motion pictures and television shows.

Awards

Songwriter – Steagall has had over 200 of his compositions recorded both by him and other artists. He has written the title song to the National Finals Rodeo telecast along with songs written for the following movies: Vanishing Point; Drive-In; Shadows on the Wall; Savannah Smiles, and Dark Before Dawn.
Recording Artist – He has recorded 26 consecutive records on the national charts and released a total of twenty albums, the latest entitled WAGON TRACKS, in the fall of 2002.

Personal Appearances – Red Steagall has performed an average of 200 days per year over the past 30 years, including over l00 major rodeo performances and an equal number of major fair appearances. He has completed tours of Germany, Spain, Australia, the Middle East, South America and the Far East. Three times has represented the United States government; on a tour of eight countries in the Middle East in the spring of 1986, a tour of five South American countries in the spring of 1991, and five countries in the Far East in the spring of 1994.

Television Personality – Regular on NBC series, Music Country USA; Host of two television pilots, (which he produced); numerous appearances on syndicated television shows such as Hee Haw and Nashville on the Road; four years as host of the national televised National Finals Rodeo; host of the Winston Pro Tour on ESPN for the 1985 season; numerous television and radio commercials; co-host of the College National Finals Rodeo for the Freedom Sports Network, 1988 through 1991. He is currently the host of Western Theater on America One Television. Motion Pictures – Steagall had a major role in the motion picture, BENJI THE HUNTED which was released in the summer of 1987. He also had a role in the motion pictures, DARK BEFORE DAWN and ABILENE. Red Steagall produced the motion picture, BIG BAD JOHN, starring Jimmy Dean, Jack Elam, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, and directed by Burt Kennedy. Organization Affiliations – Member of the Board of Trustees of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Champions; Honorary Member of the Cowboy Artists of America; Former Chairman of the Board of The Academy of Country Music. In January of 1991, at the invitation of Congressman Charles Stenholm of Texas, Red recited the Cowboy’s Prayer at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. President and Mrs. Bush and the Reverend Billy Graham were in attendance along with representatives of 140 nations for this annual event.

The Texas State Legislature named Red Steagall The Official Cowboy Poet of Texas in April of1991. He is also the official Cowboy Poet Laureate of the City of San Juan Capistrano, California. In March of 1993, Texas Christian University Press published Red’s first book, entitled RIDE FOR THE BRAND; a 168 page collection of poetry and songs embracing the western lifestyle that Red loves and lives. The book includes lead sheets and is illustrated by Cowboy Artists of America members, Bill Owen, Fred Fellows, Joe Beeler and Howard Terpning. Red released his second book, THE FENCE THAT ME AND SHORTY BUILT, in April of 2001. This book of poetry and songs is a 142 page collection of all new poems and songs, including lead sheets, all written since his first book was published. In September of 2003, Texas Tech University Press published a joint effort between Red Steagall and Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, Skeeter Hagler. This beautiful book contains Hagler’s striking black and white study of contemporary ranching, graced by the dramatic lines of Steagall’s award winning poetry. The Academy of Western Artists named “Born To This Land” as recipient of the Will Rogers Award for best book of 2003. Red’s latest book, “Cowboy Corner Conversations” is a collection of some of his favorite interviews from his highly acclaimed radio show, including personal stories from Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, Reba McEntire, Richard Farnsworth, Ben Johnson, Jim Shoulders, John Justin, Buster Welch, Wilford Brimley and many more.

Red Steagall’s music has been the winner of 8 Wrangler Awards from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The first time, for Best Original Music honoring his l993 Warner Western album, BORN TO THIS LAND. In l995 he received the Best Original Music Wrangler for his Warner Western album, FAITH AND VALUES. In 1997 for Best Original Music, his Warner Western album, DEAR MAMA, I’M A COWBOY was recognized. His 4th project with Warner Western, LOVE OF THE WEST, won the Wrangler for Best Traditional Music for 1999. In the fall of 2002, Red released his 20th album, a Western Jubilee Recording, entitled WAGON TRACKS. This multi-generational journey from the shores of Ireland across frontier America, as told in story and song, received the Wrangler for Best Traditional Music. In April of 2006, Red was presented with another Wrangler award for best original music for his song, HOW GREEN WAS THE GRAZIN’ BACK THEN from his latest release, THE WIND, THE WIRE AND THE RAIL, from Wildcatter Records.In 2008, DAWSON LEGATE, from his Wildcatter Record HERE WE GO AGAIN won a Wrangler Award – Red’s 7th – and in 2009, A COWBOY’S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS from his Christmas CD COW CAMP CHRISTMAS won an 8th Wrangler Award for Red Steagall

Each year since 1991, Red has hosted THE RED STEAGALL COWBOY GATHERING in the Stockyards National Historic District of Fort Worth, Texas. This authentic western event, which draws thousands each year, features a ranch rodeo, chuck wagon cookoff, children’s poetry contest, western swing dances, cowboy music and poetry, a trappings show, and horsemanship clinics.

In April of 1994, Red launched his one hour syndicated radio show, COWBOY CORNER, on 170 stations in 43 states. COWBOY CORNER celebrates the lifestyle of the American West through the poems, songs and stories of the American cowboy. It features guest artists such as Reba McEntire, Charlie Daniels, Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, Baxter Black and the late Buck Ramsey, as well as ranching and agricultural notables.

In recognition of Red Steagall’s significant contribution to the Western way of life, he was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame in October 1999. Bronze inlaid markers have been placed throughout the walkway of the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, where Red’s marker proudly joins other inductees Gene Autry, Charles Goodnight, Quanah Parker, and Roy Rogers to name a few.

In April of 2003, Red was officially inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The men and women honored within the Hall of Great Westerners, the national museum’s highest honor, represent the heart and spirit of western heritage and include such notables as Will Rogers, Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Goodnight and Charlie Russell. Explorers, Native American leaders, writers, poets, statesmen and others who have revered the land, cherished freedom of individuality, inspired their fellow man and found the strength of character to overcome tremendous adversity, find a home within this unique and enduring national memorial. This ultimate acknowledgement of Red Steagall’s lifetime of commitment to the preservation of the western lifestyle is to him the equivalent of an Oscar, Grammy, CMA Entertainer of the Year, and ACM Lifetime Achievement Award all rolled in to one special recognition. It is his most cherished honor.

At the January 2004 induction of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame Red was honored with the ‘Spirit of Texas’ Award including induction into their hallowed halls, during ceremonies held in Fort Worth, Texas. Red Steagall was named ‘2006 Poet Laureate of the State of Texas’ during ceremonies at the State Capital in Austin in the Spring of 2005. Steagall is the first ‘cowboy’ poet to be named the poet laureate of his state. He is especially honored to have been selected and hopes that it will open the door for others of the genre to be recognized.

You can get more information at his website by clicking HERE.

Below Red Steagall, hosts an inspiring show. Reba McEntire, and Red’s own band, the Boys in the Bunkhouse, join him during this 2001 dynamic musical hour as they speak to the history and legacy of the American cowboy. Make sure you watch – it’s great!