“Cowboy up, cupcake.”

Alexandra Fuller

The Upper East Side of Texas has long been home to the cowboy way with plenty of wide open spaces for cattle ranches. Numerous stories passed down through decades tell of young men and women who dreamed of working on ranches and joining cattle drives to experience other parts of the country. Along with herding cattle, some of them captured that history in poetry, books, songs, paintings, and other art forms. In today’s feature article, read about poet laureate Lysius Gough and pioneer cattle baron John Chisum from Lamar County, Ben King Green of Hopkins County, and Frank Reaugh of Kaufman County.

While cattle drives are a thing of the past, many live the cowboy lifestyle today with horse and cattle ranches dotting the rural countryside along with other agriculture environments. Rodeos, trail rides, and dude ranches provide authentic experiences, and special events like the Cowboy Music & Poetry Gathering in Winnsboro kicking off this Saturday — followed by Autumn Trails taking place throughout the month of October — help tickle the cowboy spirit within us all. — P.A. Geddie

For more stories about lifestyle, entertainment, and cultural events in the region visit the County Line eMagazine. Check out the September/October eEdition for stories and features and visit our calendar and Live Music sections. It’s all online in County Line Magazine.

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Cowboy Culture: Trail Rides, Art, Music, and Poetry

Most Texans know when someone says “cowboy up” it’s time to get tough and work through a difficult situation. Just putting on a cowboy hat and kicker boots can make a human of any age, race, or gender feel a little taller, a little stronger, and ready to persist. Learn about a few cowboys from the Upper East Side of Texas then and now and some special events in Winnsboro ready to show visitors how to sit high in the saddle through art, music, poetry, and storytelling. READ MORE.

Happy Birthday Johnny Mathis

Gilmer native and “The Voice of Romance,” Johnny Mathis turns 88 years old on September 30 and is still doing shows and recording. Listen to his incredible voice in the video above as he sings his acclaimed version of “Twelfth of Never” and visit his website to order his music. Also known as “The Voice of Christmas,” he’s got a three-album set of “Christmas Time Is Here,” ready for pre-order and available everywhere October 13. WEBSITE

Hearty Beef Stew

All this talk about cowboy trails brings to mind how they would sit around a campfire and the cook would rustle up some beef stew after a long day of work. They probably didn’t have all the ingredients that Katie-Rose Watson shares in her recipe so thank goodness for modern-day kitchens and our local food sources. READ MORE.

Carlotta Corpron, Light Follows Form of Greek Head, 1946, Gelatin Silver Print

Denton Modernists Featured at PDNB Gallery

PDNB Gallery in Dallas presents Denton Modernism: 1940–1980, to commemorate the establishment of the first studio art program in a Texas public university at Texas State College for Women, now Texas Woman’s University, in the 1940s. The exhibition is on display through October 7. READ MORE.

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