2025 Performers
Bart Wilson & the Idaho Cowboy Band
The Idaho Cowboy Band is a local Magic Valley band that brings together the best of western/country and bluegrass music. It was created a few years ago by accident when Claudia asked them to open for Dave Stamey at the Lost N Lava Cowboy Gathering. Since then they have added some new members and play for many different venues Bart Wilson, Ron Scagg, Bill Butler and Stacey Kinyon 
Poppa Mac
Poppa Mac Cowboy Preacher/ Poet/ Storyteller Born in Manitoba and raised throughout Western Canada. Geoff was drawn to the cowboy life at an early age. He's done about everything there is to do on a ranch, starting as a Waddie and working his way up to wrangling. He even did a season or 12 as the camp cook for other ranchers before founding the M2 cattle company. he has helped to break and train a number of working ranch horses for a variety of clients. He spent many years working in the rodeo as a rodeo clown, wrangler, and preacher. He is the founder of the Canadian Rodeo Wranglers Association which helps run rodeos throughout Western Canada. He can still be found helping out at friends ranches and farms. Poppa Mac assures that all his poems are absolutely true except for the stuff he makes up. He shares real life in poetry and stories which connect with the audience, with his poetry coming from a place of someone who has been there and done that. His travels have taken him all over Canada and the United States delighting audiences at trail rides, rodeos, cowboy churches and gatherings. 
Johnny &Jen
Johnny is a guitar and mandolin picker/teacher, singer/songwriter and recording producer living in Boise, Idaho. He performs solo and in a duo with his daughter, Jennifer. Johnny also performs with his good friend and longtime singing partner Deborah Day in the duo Joshua Tree. Jennifer Pisano is a real estate obsessed, world wandering, design loving, nature addicted Idaho songbird. Born and raised in Boise, Jen grew up the daughter of a small business owner, in downtown Boise’s iconic local guitar store, Old Boise Guitar Co. After graduating from Boise High School she pursued her first love - music, at University of Idaho, but soon after her addiction to design took over. Traveling the country designing retail spaces was just the adventure she needed to realize that Boise was where she was meant to land. 
Buddy DeVore & The Faded Cowboys
Born in Othello, Washington and raised in Southwest Idaho, Buddy DeVore grew up surrounded by ranchers, cowboys and Country Music. He started playing mandolin and singing at the age of 8, and got his first guitar at 14. He started learning songs by singing along with records and the radio, and has developed a huge repertoire of somewhere between 3 and 4 hundred songs. He now makes his home in New Plymouth, Idaho, where he and his wife Samantha are raising their three sons. After spending 12 years as a professional cowboy throughout the western states, Buddy began to focus more seriously on his music about 15 years ago, and began playing professionally. In 2017, he brought together several other talented musicians from Southwest Idaho to form Buddy DeVore & the Faded Cowboys. With their energetic brand of Western Honky Tonk music, the band plays extensively at venues and festivals throughout the Mountain Northwest. The Faded Cowboys consist of Buddy DeVore – lead vocal and guitar, Bernie Reilly – upright bass, guitar and vocals, and Rob Matson – guitar and vocals. Their shows feature the best of classic traditional Country Music, as well as original material written by Buddy. The band released their first album, “Beautiful Day” in November, 2019, and it is currently enjoying critical success as well as airplay in the U.S. and overseas. They have a new album, “To Save a Miserable Hide”, released last summer. |
Tony Argento
Cowboy poet, humorist, story teller, historian, entertainer, public speaker, writer, emcee an’ ambassador of cowboy poetry. Tony was introduced to cowboy poetry from his Granddad. From that point forward, he began reciting at age 5 in ’65 with his first memorized poem, “The Devil’s Tail” by Gail Gardner. Tony calls his "style o’ recitin,’ Tuned Up and Twisted." Once you see him perform, you’ll know why. A common statement heard from the audience is, “He’s quite animated.” He does voice animation, vocal sound effects and makes good use of props. Tony says, “Once you get a transfusion of ‘cowboy poetry’ in your blood, you’ll be hooked for life. That’s what happened to me. An’ YES! It’s VERY contagious!” Tony’s line-up includes: Classic, patriotic, humor, rodeo, gunslingers an’ drifters, novelty, original, gold rush, solemn an’ more. In addition, he does Civil War recitations such as the Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s favorite second Inaugural Address. He also recites the most famous letter from the Civil War. Tony's accolades include: 2011 winner of both events from the Texas Crossroads Cowboy Gatherin, The “Kamikaze Cow” poetry/song/story contest, and the “Overall Audience Entertainment Value” competition (voted upon by the audience). 
Colt Angell
Colt grew up on a ranch in eastern Idaho. He was born in Hog Hollow, a suburb of St. Anthony. “We lived so far out in the sticks, we had to bring our own sticks and everyone had to have their own tomcat. We went back towards town to go hunting and it was all uphill.” He grew up a cowboy learning the trade from his grandfather and father “and that’s where I learned my profession of fixing things with lots of baling wire.” Colt started playing music at 5 years old, learning songs to the record player. His first instrument was a diatonic push button accordion given to him by his great grandmother, Ruby. Next he moved to piano and the obsession of playing music became a reality. He decided he wanted to play everything, so he did! Colt picks a mean guitar. He also plays fiddle and upright bass. “I’ve tried to make a living on playing music and went broke every time (successfully).” At 14 years old he met a group by the name of Riders in the Sky and was mentored by the King of the Cowboy Fiddlers, Woody Paul. He traveled around the country touring with Riders and selling merchandise. His love of music propelled from there. Colt has been a member of Cowboy Poets of Idaho since 1986, when he was just 6 years old. (The youngest member of Cowboy Poets.) He was also a member of the Western Music Association (WMA) and played music all over the country. Colt still lives in Hog Hollow on the family ranch, raises a little hay and has a few horses. Colt is a man of many talents and will lend a hand to anyone in need. A lot of the inspiration for his music has been the fondness he has for his family and past loves. He writes about his life experiences; the good, the bad, and the ugly. He loves the cowboy way of life, for that is who he is. He is a father and husband to a brand new baby girl Quill and wife Amanda. 
Ted Hoffman
A retired veterinarian and rancher from Mountain Home, ID, Ted Hoffman has enjoyed assisting his daughter assume management of the cattle and ranch and looks forward to seeing grandchildren do the same. He finds the management of cattle and natural resources a fascinating challenge with profound positive impacts on those who follow that path. Veterinary and ranch work both require physical and mental abilities and work - a good balance for life. A ranch also requires family participation and cooperation leading to many shared memories and accomplishments. Ted often describes that, “Altogether it creates a fascinating and increasingly rare opportunity for both individual and family challenges and successes.” Drawing on personal experiences and interaction with so many clients, family members and neighbors, Ted finds the material for the poetry and music he has been writing for 40 years. In 2021 he published a book, “This is Still the West” containing his poetry and drawings by John Schutte, a talented artist living in Bruneau, ID. |
Headliner
Dave Stamey
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Cowboys and Indians Magazine has called him “the Charlie Russell of Western Music.” Western Horseman Magazine has declared his “Vaquero Song” to be one of the greatest Western songs of all time. True West Magazine named him Best Living Western Solo Musician four years in a row.
Dave Stamey has been a cowboy, a mule packer, a dude wrangler, and is now one of the most popular Western entertainers working today. He has been voted seven times Entertainer of the Year, seven times Male Performer of the Year and Five times Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association and received the Will Rogers Award from the Academy of Western Artists. He’s delighted audiences in twenty-three states and finds that he prefers this to being stomped by angry horses. In November 2016, Dave was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame. |