On Friday, June 1, at a sold-out black-tie celebration at the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas, Western recording artist, entertainer and Texas Poet Laureate Red Steagall of Fort Worth will receive the Center's 2012 Boss of the Plains Award in recognition of his enduring support of the NRHC museum. The award will be presented to Steagall during a "Texas Wines and Rhymes" dinner and gala; entertainment will feature Steagall's music performed by a posse of well-known Texas musicians and actors, including Barry Corbin, Andy Hedges, Kenny Maines, Andy Wilkinson and R.W.

Congratulations, Red!

The shipping crew at Cimarron Sounds is pleased to report that R.W. was recently the subject of a major story in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s award-winning journal of the West, Persimmon Hill.

The magazine’s profile of R.W. explores his over thirty-year history as a cowboy balladeer – from his early adventures to his recent induction into the Western Music Association’s Hall of Fame. Also included in the feature is an intimate look at R.W. the man, the husband, the father – a true cowboy whose passion and dedication to his family and faith is important above all else.

Click here to check out R.W.’s feature in Persimmon Hill.

R.W. will be performing at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio in Newhall, CA, next Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22.

On Saturday, April 21, R.W. will be on the California Music Stage at 1:00 p.m. Later that afternoon at 2:30 p.m., R.W. will share the Medicine Show Stage with Dave Stamey. At 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening, R.W. will be performing in concert offsite in the living room of the William S. Hart Mansion.

The following day, Sunday, April 22, after R.W.'s 8:00 a.m. Cowboy Church appearance offsite at Masters College, R.W. will again be sharing the Medicine Show Stage with Dave Stamey at 2:30 p.m. Later, on the Melody Ranch Main Stage, R.W. will give his final performance of the weekend at 4:30 p.m. All of these performances, aside from those offsite, are included in general admission for the Cowboy Festival.

For more information, visit www.cowboyfestival.org/schedule.asp or R.W.'s website tour page at www.rwhampton.com/tour.php.

R.W. will be performing at the Saddle Club Arena in Valley Falls, KS, on Satuday, April 14.

Located five miles west of Valley Falls at the corner of Kansas Highway 16 and King Road, a special dinner, served by the Saddle Club, will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for $8.00. Following the dinner will be R.W.'s performance, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00

For more information, call (785) 220-5405 or visit R.W.'s website tour page at www.rwhampton.com/tour.php.

Last month, during his winter tour that brought him to Tennessee and points east, R.W. stopped by Nashville's Music Row district to visit director Julian Chojnacki and producer Laura Clarke's Take 8 Films. While there, R.W. guested on Julian and Laura's "un-jammed. raw & real on the row" show, shooting a video for his recent hit, Cowboy's Prayer, from his latest album, Austin To Boston.

Julian and Laura have a fresh, interesting concept for their show. Live video, live audio, live vocals, one camera, one take, no editing, no autotune, etc., hence the term "raw & real."

Click here to see what they came up with for R.W.!

R.W. Hampton's latest concert tour brings him to the southeastern United States for a series of shows that kicked off earlier this week in Nashville, TN.

R.W.'s current tour continues through Sunday February 26 in Pigeon Forge, TN, where he is headlining the area's 12th annual Saddle UP Cowboy Music Celebration. Then it's on to concert appearances in Mcdonough, GA; Chattanooga, TN; Williamsburg, VA; Midlothian, VA; Kearney, MO and Williamsburg, MO before the trail leads home for a few days of ranch work prior to the next string of dates in what is shipping up to be one of Hampton's busiest yearly touring schedules in recent memory.

For a regularly updated list of R.W.'s shows and the details for each concert, please visit his website Tour page. 

The shipping crew at Cimarron Sounds is excited to tell you that R.W. will be returning to Elko, Nevada, for the 2012 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

Held from Monday, January 30, through Saturday, February 4, 2012, the 28th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering will feature several performances by R.W. On Thursday, February 2, R.W. will perform with Rolf Flake and Rod Taylor for a program titled "Saddles and Salsa" at the G Three Bar Theatre at 1:15 p.m. On Friday, February 3, R.W. will have a solo performance at the Flag View Auxiliary Auditorium at 1:30 p.m. Also on Friday, February 3, R.W. and fellow cowboys such as Michael Martin Murphey, Waddie Mitchell, Barry Corbin, and more will perform the songs and poetry of Charlie Goodnight at the Elko Convention Center Auditorium at 6:30 p.m, and after the performance R.W. will sign autographs in the lobby. On Saturday, February 4, R.W. will perform as part of the Gathering of Praise And Worship at the First Presbyterian Church at 9 a.m. Also on Saturday, February 4, R.W. will perform alongside R.P. Smith, Skip Gorman, Connie Dover and the Waddie Pals in a showcase of "the three Rs: rhythm, rhyme and ranching" at the G Three Bar Theater at 8:30 p.m. After Saturday evening's performance, R.W. will sign autographs in the Western Folk Center lobby.

Enjoy a great week of all things cowboy!

The Western Music Association has announced its 2011 Hall of Fame inductees, R.W. Hampton and Vaughn Monroe. The 2011 WMA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 19, during the WMA Awards Show at the Historic KiMo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

R. W. Hampton is one of the leading Western Entertainers in America today. Blessed with a rich baritone voice, R.W. has a quality of genuineness about him that resonates when he’s on stage, in person or just through the words of his songs. For R.W. has lived what he sings about, and the world of early mornings, hard work, rough horses, maverick cattle and new ranges fits him.

R.W. has thirteen albums to his credit. His peers in the Western entertainment industry have honored R.W.’s performing and songwriting fourteen times, most recently with a 2011 Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy Museum and Western Heritage Center in the Outstanding Original Western Composition category for his song Shortgrass from his most recent CD, Austin To Boston. Hampton is also a talented actor, having made over a dozen film and television appearances, and an acclaimed playwright, winning a National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Wrangler Award for the soundtrack of his one man play, The Last Cowboy – His Journey.

“The West - its culture and especially its music - is known the world over as being distinctly and uniquely American. When I think of the Western Music Association’s Hall of Fame and the long list of greats that have gone before me, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and humility to be included in their shadow,” said Hampton of his upcoming induction.

R.W. lives with his wife and their family on their Clearview Ranch at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains south of Cimarron, New Mexico. When he’s not headlining cowboy concerts and western music events across the nation, R.W. spends most of his time at the ranch doing the work he loves. His life is guided by his faith, his love for his family, and his desire to share cowboy life with his audiences.

Vaughn Monroe was a baritone singer, band leader and actor who recorded the best-selling version of Stan Jones’ cowboy classic, “Riders in the Sky,” in 1949.

Founded in 1989, the Western Music Association is an organization that encourages and supports the preservation, performance and composition of historic, traditional and contemporary music of The American West. The WMA Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to honor those individuals or groups of individuals who have made significant contributions in the area of Western Music composition, performance and history.

Good news! R.W.’s latest album Austin To Boston was recently reviewed in the September edition of Western Horseman magazine.

The magazine’s Jennifer Denison praised the album for its song selection and stated that “Hampton’s rich, velvety baritone voice has never sounded better.”

Click here to read the review.

If you haven’t heard this wonderful album yet, you can listen to samples from each track here. You can also add it to your collection of R.W.’s music here.

R.W. will be performing at a FREE Chuckwagon Gathering at the McVey Arena in the Payne County Expo Center in Stillwater, OK. The free Chuckwagon dinner and free concert are meant to welcome all those in Stillwater to attend the Oklahoma Fellowship of Cowboy Churches' 2011 Ranch Rodeo finals on Saturday, October 1.

The McVey Arena is located at 4518 Expo Circle. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. The event is brought to you by Atwoods Ranch & Home, Cross Brand Cowboy Church and the Oklahoma Fellowship of Cowboy Churches.

For more information, call Pastor Tyler McDowell at 580-471-1724 or Dee Wynn at 405-372-8330. You can also visit the Oklahoma Fellowship of Cowboy Church's website. After entering the website, click on "Member Church Events" at the bottom on the left hand side of the home page. Then link to the event information by clicking on "OFCC Ranch Rodeo Finals."

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R.W. and the Merle Jagger Band will be opening  for country music star Chris Cagle.  We are looking forward to R.W.’s fans coming out to support him as he blends the best of Cowboy Music into a Country Music atmosphere.

Chris Cagle has a new lease on life after leaving Nashville several years ago to build a cutting horse ranch in S OK.  With a career that inc 2 gold albums, 2 #1 albums & 12 charted songs between 2000-'08, his new single, "Let There Be Cowgirls" is smokin up the country charts & his album, "Back in the Saddle" is the perfect blend of his country & cowboy influences.

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R.W. returns to headline the 25th Annual Cowboy Symposium!

Join R.W. for 2 nights of the very best in Cowboy music, R.W. originals & his most requested patriotic and inspirational songs accompanied by Jim Jones!

Concert and performance details to come.

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Yes, R.W. has been promising the dogs another private concert so we thought we would put it on the calendar so he could plan around it.  Of course if you would like to book him for your event for his date, you will just have to make him a better offer!

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If everything goes as planned, R.W. and family will be attending the graduation of their son, Denver as well as many of his friends. 

Details forthcoming but so far we are on track for a 4 year graduation! Of course this may not be the end of writing checks to Baylor as there is talk of a possible 5th year for a Masters or Accounting Certification.... 

Good Luck Denver!

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R.W. will be helping the Cimarron First Baptist church raise money for their annual Scholarship program that helps local area youth attend college after graduation.

This annual event is known for great music by various members of the community including R.W. and even the great band that made rock-n-roll history, The Fireballs!

check back for ticket information, times and prices...

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Details coming soon....

(updated 2/9/13)

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Purnia presents Ernie Stock... Peace, Love & Horses!  What could be better than a full week of horses, horseback riding, family fun, good food & great cowboy music!

Clinics by Al Dunning, Trail Ride & Ranch Roping with Curt Pate, Obstacle Course Challenges with Mark & Melinda Lyon, NBHA 4D Barrel Race, BBQ, Dance, R.W. in Concert, and lots and lots of fun!

This is a family event so bring your horses and come spend Memorial Day with all of us at the Lone Wolf Ranch Arena. Call for Lodging info. Sponsored by Purina & Better Horses Radio

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As a past staff member of Philmont and an Eagle Scout, R.W. is excited to be providing the music for the Retired Staff of the Boy Scouts of America Dinner. 

We look forward to welcoming these BSA staff members back to Cimarron & Philmont!

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R.W. will be attending the Western Heritage Awards & Reception to support friends Wes Studio and Robert Mitchum who are being inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers as well as other award winners.

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R.W. will be in Texas working on an upcoming project.