Cowboy Songs (American History Through Folksong)

Fifty songs which chronicle the story of America's favorite folk hero, the cowboy, placed in historic context by historical narration. The songs document the cowboy's Spanish and Mexican roots, the trail drives, the cowtowns and the building of the huge cattle empires in the West. Two audio cassettes plus Notes on the Songs. Playing time: 3 hours.

The Beginnings: Columbus brings cattle and horses to America, cattle ranches spread throughout Mexico, to California and to South Texas. Herds multiply during the Civil War. Post-war ranches grow in number and size. Confederate Civil War veterans, adventurers, Mexicans, African-Americans and Indians become the cowboys who work the cattle.

Cowboy Life: American cowboys inherit the tools of their trade from Mexico. They become expert riders, ropers and horse trainers. They face dangers, long hours and loneliness. They express pride in their occupation, and sing of brave deeds and lost loves.

From Texas to Kansas: Trail drives from South Texas to the Kansas railheads begin. Wide open cowtowns beckon at the end of the trail. Cowboys sing of their adventures and of a better life in the hereafter.

On The Trail: Cowboys drive huge herds of cattle to Kansas, Montana and Wyoming, experiencing burning sun, driving rain, freezing snow, lightning strikes, swollen rivers, dry water holes, dust, dangerous and often fatal stampedes. The chuckwagon is the social center, the wrangler tends the horses. Night riders sing to the cattle. Settlers, homesteaders and fences end the era.