News

Cowboys & Indians Magazine Will Present RW Hampton’s Blog, Cimarron Sounds

January 23, 2020

Cowboys & Indians Magazine presents Award-winning Western Artist RW Hampton’s Cimarron Sounds, an online blog featuring musings on Western life and music. The regular series went live online Wednesday, January 22.  You can read or hear it at https://www.cowboysindians.com/2020/01/cimarron-sounds/

“I’m extremely honored that Cowboys & Indians is presenting Cimarron Sounds,” Hampton said. “This is THE magazine that represents my lifestyle. I’m proud to be part of their online presence.”

For his debut entry, “Western Music- Is It Still Relevant? Hampton looks back at a time when cowboy-themed music was considered part of a genre called “Country & Western Music.”

During an early visit to Nashville, Hampton recalls sitting with an industry bigwig who explained that Country Music had begun to distance itself from Western Music.

“I was a bit baffled,” Hampton said. “Western music is the country music of the American West! It just didn’t make sense that they would drop the sounds of Marty Robbins, Patsy Montana and so many others. But times change, I guess.”

Rather than take a negative view, though, Hampton celebrates what Western music has continued to be.

“When it comes to themes, there is a whole lot of love in Western music,” he said. “It may sound corny in today’s sophisticated, woke and cynical world, but we apologize to no one when we sing about love for the land, this country, our freedoms, our animals, our spouse & family, heritage, traditions and God. Yes God! Not a ‘PC’ God, but GOD.”

Growing up in a small Texas town, RW Hampton has drifted all across the American West, working cowboy jobs punching cattle, riding young colts, shoeing horses and even leading trail rides and guiding hunters in the high country, but perhaps his favorite was singing around the campfire while out with the wagon. Never glamorous, ranch work instilled in him a positive approach to life.

Hampton’s rich baritone voice brings an honest quality whether he’s performing live or on record. He writes and sings about what he knows and lives. Hampton’s music has earned numerous honors from such prestigious organizations as The Academy of Western Artists and the Western Music Association, which inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2011.