Earlier this week, inspired by the upcoming departure of his son, US Marine Sgt. Cooper Hampton, on his second combat deployment, R.W. wrote a new song just in time for our nation’s Independence Day.

To watch a video of “Not For Sale,” R.W.’s “little tribute to America and all the men and women who have paid the price for our freedoms,” visit R.W.'s blog.

Happy Independence Day!

Earlier this month, R.W. announced on his blog that there had been a new addition to the Clearview Ranch family in the form of a bold, brave colt. After struggling to find a name for the little guy, the Hamptons decided to have some fun and let R.W.’s fans name him.

After receiving almost 250 name suggestions for the young one on R.W.’s blog, Facebook, and R.W.’s YouTube channel, the Hamptons narrowed it down to three favorites – Butler, Choco and Roscoe. To pick the colt’s name, the family allowed fans to vote for their favorite of the three, and after 242 votes, they have made their decision.

Click here to see R.W.’s announcement of the winning name and see the little firecracker in action!

The adventuresome spirit of the cowboy bursts forth in the blogosphere with the launch of R.W.’s blog, Notes From Clearview Ranch.

As R.W. explains in his introductory blog post, “It’s kind of exciting every now and then to head up a new trail just to see where it goes. Well, that’s what I’m doing here and I’d consider it an honor if you’d see fit to come along.”

R.W. promises to share his unique perspective about his music and career, life on the ranch, and much more. Anything goes! “That’s what I want to do with this blog: give you my perspective on the everyday things we all deal with in life. It certainly won’t be the only view, and may not be your view, but it will be uniquely mine.”

To read Notes From Clearview Ranch, click here.

Click here to subscribe to R.W.'s blog via RSS.

Click here to subscribe to R.W.'s blog via email.

This weekend, R.W. will be heading out to Elko, Nevada, for his performances at this year’s National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. For a taste of what to expect, check out this YouTube video of R.W.’s “Born To Be A Cowboy,” from his Wrangler Award winning album, The Last Cowboy – His Journey.

Good news! Two reviewers in the January issue of Country Music People, one of the United Kingdom’s top country music magazines, have included R.W.’s award winning Oklahoma... Where The West Remains in their year-end lists of the Best Five CDs of 2009!

Check out their comments:

“The west lives thanks to this genuine cowboy. A fine combination of words and music that moves from western tales to western swing.” – Tony Byworth

“More than I ever thought I wanted to know about Oklahoma delivered in an enchanting cowboy style. The album was a revelation. Hugely enjoyable, educational, and musically superb (and it swings, too).” – Duncan Warwick

If you haven’t heard this wonderful album yet, you can listen to it in its entirety here.

Or you can add it to your collection of R.W.’s music here.

Happy 2010!

R.W. is the subject of a major cover story in The Western Way's Fall issue. R.W. Hampton - Riding for His Own Brand details R.W.'s extraordinary life - from his early adventures as a cowboy to his life nowadays as one of the world's leading Western entertainers. Click here to check it out!

Last night at the 2009 American Cowboy Culture Awards, R.W. was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the development of cowboy culture and the preservation of our western heritage. Since 1989, the American Cowboy Culture Awards gala to honor those who succeed in keeping the spirit of the West alive has been the inaugural event of the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration, which occurs annually the first weekend after Labor Day in Lubbock, TX. Held at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center at 1501 Mac Davis Drive, the 2009 Awards banquet began at 6:30pm and included a performance by R.W. during the evening. Congratulations, R.W.!

For more information about the American Cowboy Culture Awards and the National Cowboy Symposium, visit www.cowboy.org or call (806) 798-7825. For tickets, click here.

Another fascinating article about R.W. - True West Magazine's September issue features some surprising insights from the cowboy star on topics as diverse as what makes a real cowboy, his most beautiful spot on earth, the greatest advice his parents ever gave him, the strangest road trip adventure he's ever had, and more.

Click here to read the True West feature.

The June/July issue of Country Music & Dance in Scotland and Northern Ireland contains not one, but two, positive reviews of R.W.'s Oklahoma...Where The West Remains!

To read the reviews, click here.

R.W. was recently profiled in a glowing four-page article in the summer 2009 issue of Living Cowboy Ethics magazine. The article takes an intimate look at R.W.'s home and family life, his three-decade entertainment industry career, his early life as a cowhand in the American West, and his role as proud father of a United States Marine Corps squad leader.

To read the Living Cowboy Ethics article, click here!

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9 AM - Rodeo Parade
10 AM through approx. 4 PM - Rodeo
R.W.’s involvement is as Rodeo Announcer

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