WEST BOUNTIFUL — It’s the sound of the Old West brought to life.
The West Bouniful Arts Council is offering residents a chance to time travel with its upcoming cowboy Poetry and music night, set for Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at the West Bountiful City Hall. Mike Murphy will be among those providing Western-style music, while original and classic Cowboy Poetry will be performed by Von Hill, Kim McKean, RaBae Bangerter and Craig Dransfield.
“Cowboy poetry captures some of the feel of the Old West,” said McKean. “Those things are going away at such a rapid rate, it’s nice to be able to hold on to some of them.”
Cowboy poetry, which grew out of the folk songs and tall tales that cowboys would traditionally swap around a campfire, often focuses on the western landscape or tall tales. Inspired by those tales, Hill’s performance will include a rendition of Robert W. Service’s “The Cremation of Sam McGee.”
“Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code,” reads one part of the poem. “In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load.”
Bangerter will be performing both original cowboy poetry and some classics by Baxter Black. Dransfield, who is also known as the cowboy magician “Al Durango,” will likely offer up some comedic works.
Kim McKean will also be performing original poetry, much of which focuses on growing up on a farm in West Bountiful.
“I had quite a few experiences I put in my poems,” he said. “When I write one, there’s a little bit of family memories along with it.”
For more information check out the Oct.11 edition of Davis Clipper.



