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Western Folklife Center collection, 1951-2017

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Western Folklife Center
Title
Western Folklife Center collection
Dates
1951-2017 (inclusive)
Quantity
44 linear feet, (84 boxes)
Collection Number
UUS_FOLK COLL 083
Summary
The collection documents the research, activities, creative work, and community networks associated with the Western Folklife Center and broader Western folklife materials.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English
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Content Description

This collection contains materials documenting cowboy poetry, ranching life histories, and vernacular traditions of the American West, centered on a transfer received in 2025 from the Western Folklife Center. It includes oral histories, poet files, photographs, and regional fieldwork. Materials include audio and video recordings, photographs, printed programs, posters, ephemera, and files related to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering and associated WFC projects. The collection captures performances, workshops, interviews, educational initiatives, and community traditions from the late twentieth century to the early twenty-first century. Additional materials reflect regional ranching life, occupational traditions, gear-making, horsemanship, and cultural exchanges across the Great Basin and Intermountain West. The collection preserves a wide range of voices and offers insight into contemporary Western vernacular arts, identity, and community practice.

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Historical Note

Founded in 1980 in Elko, Nevada, the Western Folklife Center is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to documenting and presenting the diverse folklife of the American West. Best known for the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the WFC supports artists and tradition bearers working in poetry, music, storytelling, ranching occupations, gear-making, and other expressive forms rooted in Western life. The organization has produced fieldwork, recordings, exhibitions, educational programs, and media projects that highlight both historical and contemporary Western traditions. The transfer of materials to Utah State University reflects a long-standing partnership and a shared commitment to preserving and providing access to the cultural record of the region.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Western Folklife Center collection must be obtained from the Curator of the Fife Folklore Archives and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation:Western Folklife Center collection USU_FOLK083. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_FOLK083, USUSCA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 2 series: documents and records, organized by project number; and audio/visual materials.

Acquisition Information

These materials were transferred to USU Special Collection in 2025 by the Western Folklife Center.

Related Materials

Folk Collection 11 – The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Book Collection. This is a growing collection of books on cowboy poetry and related topics. Assembled originally through a grant from the L.J. and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, this collection continues to build through gifts and library purchases. Each winter this library travels to Elko, Nevada, for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Folk Collection 11a – Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Cassette Collection. Folk Collection 11b – Cowboy and Western Song Folio and Sheet Music Collection. Folk Collection 11c – Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Disc (Record) Collection. Folk Collection 11d – Cowboy Poetry and Western Music VCR Collection. Folk Collection 11e – Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Compact Disc and DVD Collection. Folk Collection 11f – Western States Cowboy Poetry Collection is a fieldwork collection that grew out of a concerted effort by western state folklorists in the early 1980s to collect, document, and present cowboy poetry and out of this work came the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV, in 1985. Folk Collection 11g – The National Cowboy Poetry Collection, includes programs, schedules, posters and other items from the NCPG. This collection continues to have materials added. Folk Collection 11h – Cowboy Poetry Poster Collection. This collection continues to have materials added. Folk Collection 11i – Cowboy / Ranch Ephemera Collection, includes publications, calendars, periodicals that reflect ranching and cowboy culture and images

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • I. Materials grouped by project number, 1939-2017

  • II. Audio/visual and digital materials, 1959-2016

    • Description: VHS

      BAT/7 Asian-Indian Concert 1-2, Taiko Drum Group 1-2, Continental Harmony Celebrating America Through Music, Men of Worth Scottish Concert, Mongolia, I am an Indian Cultural Workshop Winston Wuttunee, Danza de la Carrizo dila Juarez, The Spirit of Fort Douglas, Hand Games, Vaquero The Sonora Cowboy, Welcome as a Spring Rain, Down an Old Road The Poetic Life of Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel, Ranch Hand, What is the Ideal Woman, Black Dance America, Convention Center Real Women 1-2, Trailing of the Sheep 1-6, Riders of the Mongolian Steppe, Mongolia Nomadic Culture Folklife Traditions, Moriaadir Colima, Navajo Song and Dance, Connemara Ponies, Vela Luka Croatian Dancers, Naadam Festival Horse Treatment 1-2, Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble, Opening Doors Through Culture and Language: One Woman's Journey, Trailing of the Sheep Promotional Piece, Mongolia Performance with horses

      Dates: 1999-2006
      Container: Box 74, Item 1-37
    • Description: VHS

      La Charreada!, Vaquero The Sonora Cowboy, Hatiya Voices of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Los Mineros and Vaquero, Lao and Hmong Singing, Vela Luka Croation Singers and Dancers, Hal Cannon Oh Swallow Me Whole, Convention Center Real Women 1-2, Real Women, Mongolian Cultural Circus, Leargas Irish TV, Peggy Malone 1-2, Discover Utah!, John McKuen's Music of the Wild West, Katie Kidwell presents a cowboy and native culture show.

      Dates: 1999-2006
      Container: Box 75, Item 1-17
    • Description: CD

      (54 CDs) Snake River Outlaws, Snake River Outlaws Sunshine 1-2, Snake River Outlaws Chicken Inn, Trailing of the Sheep 1-4, Fiddlin's Pete Watercott, Jack Loeffler Sheep Logs, The Bush Poet 1-2, Jim Haynes, Joni Harms Cowgirl Dreams, Guy Clark Keepers, Charlie Seemann Photos from South America, Bonnie Chase Interview, Dorothea Purdy Interview, Frank Philip Interview, Echo Roy Interview, Myron and Betty Jarvis Interview, Sharon O'Toole Interview, Pat O'Toole Interview, George Salisbury Interview 1-2, Laurie Rich Interview 1-2, Patty Miller Interview, Joseba Chertudi Interview, Mr. and Mrs. Jean Etcheverry Interview, Robert Oxaranga Interview, Martin Goikoetxea Interview, Florence Etcheverry, Linda Hussa Interview 1-2, Buster Dufurrena Interview 1-2, Linda Dufurrena, Henry Etcheverry, John Peavey Interview, Jan Shepherd Interview, Avel Diaz Interview, Cathy Clarkson Interview, Rose Oxarango Interview 1-2, Mongolian for Adventurers, Tribe, Horse of the Mongolian Steppe, Jim Macey Mongolian Trip 1-2, Mongolian Traditional 1-5, Black Horse, Mongolian Ages, Badger Hole and Elizabeth Ebert photos, Sounds of Mongolia

      Dates: 2000-2008
      Container: Box 75, Item 18-71
    • Description: DVD

      (46 DVDs) Buffalo Wy 1-2, Bob Kisken Jerrey Hily, Kisken Hats, Kisken Brothels, Bob Kisken Women's PR, Lewistown 1-2, Blue Grass, Lou Elano Women's RR Final 1-3, Bordello Photos, untitled, Wyoming Backroads, Cattle Drive, Dayton Hyde book Review, Chugusater Chili, Robinson WE, midwinter colorado bluegrass, Cowboy slons, Golden Co Poetry 1-2, North Plaite Bluegrass, Pierre Statue, Buffalo Biu Ranch, Encampment WY 1-2, Bio Horn, Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center, Chris Le Doux Kayce Loy, 17th Annual Badger Clark Hot Springs, Cowboy Signs 1-2, Grand Encampment Gathering, 15th Annual Bluegrass, Prison WY, Loranie, South America Trip, Sonora Fieldwork Photos 1-2, Eliko, Poetry, Casper WY, Weiser NOTF Reels 1-2

      Dates: 2004-2015
      Container: Box 75, Item 72-117
    • Description: Mini Disc MD

      Peter Pennchamp Interview, Deep West Steve Green with Hugo Morales, John Perry Boxlow, Jerry Yoshitomi Interview

      Dates: 2004
      Container: Box 76, Item 1-4
    • Description: Mini Digital videocassette MDV

      (12 MDVs) Trailing of the Sheep 2013 1-2, 2011 1-4, 2009 1-2, Tule-Keddy Branding 1-3, Sonora Fieldwork Meg Glaser

      Dates: 2001-2013
      Container: Box 76, Item 5-16
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      (24 Cassettes) John and Diane Peavey, John Dofflemeyer, Randy Reiman, Navajo Singers, Cannon Tongan Ward, Sage Point Singers, Ruzice: Songs of Old Croatia, Tongan Concert, Ni'ihau Hymn Singing, The Happy Wanderers, United Black Voices Gospel Choir, San Juan Pueblo Dances, San Juan Pueblo Singers, Oklahoma Native American Hymn Singers, T'ohdineezhee Singers 1-2, Boojum Expeditions, Floyd Traynor, Ruzice Seattle, Cliff Yaborough, Sue Arizona Fieldwork, Native American Ranching Traditions Project 1-2, Just Real Plain But it Works

      Dates: 1982-2001
      Container: Box 76, Item 17-40
    • Description: Mini Digital videocassette

      Oregon V-Tapes 1-6; Nevada V-Tapes 1-3; Cowboy Poetry Gathering Evening of 1/27/94, Blake Smith; Cowboy Poetry Gathering Eve. 1/27/94, Real Women (1st showing), Craig Wylson; Trailing of the Sheep 1-6, Fri-Sat, Oct. 14, 2000; Bat/7 Asian Indian Program, 5/20/2000; Trailing of the Sheep 2011 Tape 1a

      Dates: 1994-2011
      Container: Box 77, Item 1-19
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      (19 Casettes) Italian Singers of Rock Springs; First Samoan Assembly of God Church, Seattle, 2/18/90; Combined Greek Orthodox Choirs of Seattle, 2/15/90; Vela Luka Chorus 11/28/90; Vietnamese Christian Fellowship Choir Rehearsal, Seattle 2/18/1990; Seattle Samoans Chorus; Swedish Women's Chorus of Seattle, July 1990; Hecho en Utah Vol. 1, Latin American Music; West African Music/Poetry; Cowboy Music of Northeast Brazil; Italian Singers of Rock Springs, Wyoming; Shumway-Kartchener Family; J.B. Dreadfulwater and the Cherokee Baptist Church; Olivier/Critchlow Concert at John Hinkle Ampitheatre tape B, 9/27/1959; Slim Critchlow interview, 6/13/59; 1959 Northgate Session, Van Ronk/Critchlow/Olivier, 3/7/1959; Lucia Julfest, Salt Lake City Swedish Heritage Society; Ethnic Choir of Kansas City, KS: Polka Mass, Ethnic Hymns; Slim Critchlow Vol. II, Selections from Reel Tapes 1963

      Dates: 1959-1991
      Container: Box 77, Item 20-38
    • Description: Floppy disk

      Peter Delony Field Notes, Native American Ranching 1999; J. Loefler Sheep, 4/20-5/11/02

      Dates: 1999-2002
      Container: Box 78, Item 1-2
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      (31 Cassettes) Bette and Buck Ramsey Coll 5-10; Wally McRae/Gary Nabhan w/ Jack Loeffler, 1/28/00; Cliff Yarborough, 11/12/90; Doukhobor Talent Night, Brilliant, British Columbia; San Fransisco Chinese Children's Chorus; Doukhobor Prayer Meeting, British Columbia; Real Women Buck Bales 1, Teresa Jordan at the 10th Cowboy Poetry Gathering; Linda Hussa w/Jack Loeffler, 1/28/00; Linda Hasselstrom with Jack Loeffler, 1/29/00; Paul Zarzyski with Jack Loeffler, 1/29/00; Lyn Denayeyer and Yvonne Hollehbeck, 2/02/01; Orval E. Fochtman, Mr. Shorty and others, 2008; Orval E. Fochtman, 1998; Orval E. Fochtman, 1986; Don Hedgepeth, 2/02/01; Real Women pt. II w/Sue Wallis, 10th Cowboy Poetry Gathering; Elizabeth Ebert, 2/03/01; Orval E. Focthman, Roundup in the Spring and others, 1/10/08; USCC Friendship Choir (Russian Doukhobors); Ernie Marsh and Mark Dahl, 2/04/01; Norwegian Male Chorus of Seattle; Cor Cymraeg (Welsh Choir of Seattle), 2/14/90; Doukhobor Talent Night #2; Magna Hispanic Choir, Cannon 2nd Ward (Tongan) Mauluulu; Frohsinn (German Male Chorus) of Seattle, 2/21/90; Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, Seattle Ca

      Dates: 1989-2008
      Container: Box 78, Item 3-33
    • Description: Mini Digital videocassette MDV

      Zuni #1: Corn Grinding, Zuni #2: Corn Grinding, Hairy Woman, Turkey Girl, Zuni #3: Intro, seasons, Donna, Ron-fiddle and flute, Zuni #4: social music, pow wow, jam, Zuni #5: girls story circle, Zuni #6: seasons, Zuni #7: Big Feast, Paul jokes, Zuni #8, Zuni #9: Story Circle 2; Tule-Keddy Branding 1; Tule-Keddy Turn-Out; Hal Cannon w/Leonard Little Finger; Trailing of the Sheep 7, Oct. 15, 2000; Mongol Mod Tourist Performances-Edited Version; Shivert Mongolia; Zuni Perfomances 2/10/98; Temple Grandin 2/1/4 (no audio)

      Dates: 1998-2014
      Container: Box 79, Item 1-16
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      (19 Cassettes) Slim Critchlow 1-2, 5-11; Slim Critchlow Performance Tapes, C-L; Slim Critchlow Interview, Ca. 1964, 12/9/67; Bob McCarl Native American Fieldwork, '94-Owyhee Tapes 1-4, 6, 9; Tohono O'odham Fieldwork, '94, 2-4; Norwegian Male Chorus 2/12/90

      Dates: 1963-1994
      Container: Box 79, Item 17-35
    • Description: Mini Digital videocassette MDV

      Trailing of the Sheep 2009 Tape 2; Trailing of the Sheep 2012 Tapes 1-2, Friday Eve. Snow tapes 1-2; Trailing of the Sheep 2013 tapes 1-2; Trailing of the Sheep 2014: Friday Eve. w/Hank Vogler, cam 1 tapes 1-2, cam 2 tapes 1-2; Trailing of the Sheep 2015, Ketchum, ID, Tapes 1-4; Trailing of the Sheep promo segment; Women Writing the West, Trailing of the Sheep 2011, tapes 1-5; BAT 7 Asian Indians 1-2, May 19-20, 2000; TOS 2012; Schutte Family Footage; Keddy Ranch Branding 2001 Footage by Steve Green; Vaquero: The Sonoran Cowboy

      Dates: 2000-2015
      Container: Box 80, Item 1-24
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      (21 Cassettes) William A. "Bert" Wilson interviews 1-3; Buck Ramsey, KUT interviews 1-2; NPR Crossroads: Native American Cowboys; Buck Ramsey: Assorted Songs and Jingles; Buck Ramsey: Misc. Songs; Hal Cannon, Carol Edison, Craig Miller, 4/3/03 1-4; Cannon, Edison, Miller interview 1-2; Hal Cannon, T. Jordan, The Open Road: Grand Canyon; Slim Critchlow Selections 1953/1963 "reel" tapes; Slim Critchlow 4/13/1963 session 3-4; Ruze Dalmatinke; Vera Luka Choir; Edison, Miller, Stanley interview, 4/3/03 1-2

      Dates: 1963-2003
      Container: Box 80, Item 25-45
    • Description: Cassette tapes

      Waddie Mitchell w/Jack Loeffler, 1/26/00 1-2; The Bush Poets Live; Taos Pueblo Round Dance Songs; Cowboy Poet Interviews w/Jack Loeffler, 1/27/00 1-2; Bette and Buck Ramsey Collection 1-4; Real Women Buck Bales at the 10th Cowboy Poetry Gathering 1-2, 2 copies; Ranch Women Poets, 1/30/93, Colorado Poets, 1/30/93; Cowboy Jubilee w/Hal Cannon, 1-2; Tom and Marie McCauley, 10/18/80 1-3; Tom and Marie McCauley, 10/20/90; Tom and Marie McCauley, 10/31/90 1-2; Tom McCauley and Noel Rankin, 10/18/90; Terry and Mary Riggs, 9/6/00; Polynesian Youth Choir of Seattle; Svea Male Chorus of Seattle; Elizabeth and Patricia Jones w/Yvonne Oliver, 11/2/90; Floyd Traynor 1+2, 11/10/90; Gu-Achi Fiddlers, Old time O'oodham Fiddle Music; Sunny Martin interview, 9/13/00; Cisco Band Tapago Chicken Scratch; Rodney Mike, 9/13/00; Andy Manzanares, musician, 10/3/92; Angelo and Emilia Tognoni, 9/9/00; John O'Loughlin, 11-10-90; Kent Lee, Gail Taylor, 11-10-90; E. Jones, P. Jones, Y. Oliver, 11/2/90; Jean Ng, 9/10/00; Pow-Wow-Indian Walk-in Cneter, Liberty 3rd Ward Tongan Choir, Hispanic Choir, Vallejos Family

      Dates: 1980-1993
      Container: Box 81, Item 1-34
    • Description: Vinyl records

      The Deseret String Band; American Folk Songs for Christmas; Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler; Harry McClintock: Hallelujah! I'm a Bum; Carl T. Sprague: Folk Variety; Goebel Reeves: The Texas Drifter; Fresh Oldtime String Band Music by Mike Seeger; Tom Paley, John Cohen, and Mike Seeger: Sing Songs of the New Lost City Ramblers; Elaine Thatcher; Waddie Mitchell: Tradition; Marilynn Powell Greene: Just For Kicks; Marilyn Powell Greene: Musing on Mules; Ted Egan: The Overlanders; Ted Egan: Rodeo Australia; Turtle Dance Songs of San Juan Pueblo; Zuni Fair Live; Ditch-Cleaning and Picnic Songs of Picuris Pueblo; The Parker Sisters: Our Best to You; Sounds of the Tongan United Methodist Church Choir of Salt Lake City; Adolph Lesser: Old Time Wedding Favorites; Bukovina Song and Dance Ensemble; Bicentennial Ethnic Song Festival of Seattle; European Ethnic Song Festival of Seattle; The Ruzice Folk Choir: Songs of Old Croatia; Chesta E La Voci Ca Canuscitte (This is the Voice You Know): Southern Italian Mountain Music; La Baronessa Di Carini: Sicilian Traditional Songs and Music

      Dates: 1971-1989
      Container: Box 82, Item 1-26
    • Description: Vinyl records

      LDS Tongan Choir of Salt Lake City; You Can Tell the World About This; National Old Time Fiddlers' Folk Music Contest and Festival; Oldtime Fiddling and Other Folk Music, 1 record from every year from 1964-1978; Bart Trotter: On the Fiddle; Bart Trotter: Playing it Hot; Famous Country Fiddlin'; Folk Fiddlin' Left Handed Style; Loyd Wanzer: Masters Left Hand; Loyd Wanzer's Waltz Wonderland; Wanzer's Woodshed; Horse Sense: Fences, Barbed Wire, and Walls; Horse Sense: Songs of the Western Soul; Hootenanny Hoedown

      Dates: 1964-1985
      Container: Box 83, Item 1-29
    • Description: Interview notes and log

      notes on the Sheep Camp interviews and a log on the Trailing of the Sheep

      Dates: 2015-2016
      Container: Box 84, Item 1
    • Description: SD card

      (3 SD cards) Sheep Camp Audio Interviews; Friday Night and Starbucks video footage

      Dates: 2015-2016
      Container: Box 84, Item 2-5
    • Description: External hard drive

      Consolidated Trailing of the Sheep footage from 2015-2016

      Dates: 2015-2016
      Container: Box 84, Item 6
    • Description: Film reel

      Eastman 16mm Safety Film on sheep and cattle ranching

      Dates: undated
      Container: Box 84, Item 7

Names and Subjects

Subject Terms

  • Cowboys--Songs and music.
  • Cowboys--West (U.S.)--Folklore.
  • Folk music--West (U.S.)--History--Sources.
  • Oral history
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