2019 PERFORMERS

Dave Stamey

Known as the “Charlie Russell of Western music,” Dave Stamey is one of the most popular Western entertainers working today. He has been a cowboy, a mule packer, a dude wrangler and now adds to the list seven-time Entertainer of the Year, seven-time Male Performer of the Year, and five-time Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association. In November of 2016, Dave was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame.Dave Stamey

Known as the “Charlie Russell of Western music,” Dave Stamey is one of the most popular Western entertainers working today. He has been a cowboy, a mule packer, a dude wrangler and now adds to the list seven-time Entertainer of the Year, seven-time Male Performer of the Year, and five-time Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association. In November of 2016, Dave was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame.

Kristyn Harris

Kristyn Harris of McKinney, Texas, is a musical powerhouse. Her singing is complemented on stage by her swing guitar playing, yodeling, songwriting, and energetic stage presence. When she’s not playing music, Kristyn’s passions find her trick riding, training horses and working on cattle, including her own small herd of black angus. Her inspiration comes from these experiences as well as vintage musical genres, and a joy in playing music. This 22-year-old was the youngest in history to be named Western Music Association Entertainer of the Year.

High Country Cowboys

Inspired by the good old days of Western music and silver screen cowboys, the High Country Cowboys present their own brand of the classic genre. The three brothers John, Joe and Marty were brought up in the heart of ranch country in Montana and reflect on their experiences and lifestyle through music. Lead singer, Marty, has been awarded Western Music Association’s Yodeler of the Year title three times.

Kathy Moss

Kathy Moss has trained mustangs and domestic horses, calved cows, and taught the art of riding and communicating with horses. Her roots are in poetry, but she has taken on writing two novels as well. Her writing excels in pulling the listener into the landscape and story of her tale. Kathy describers her work as capable of “bringing [a story] alive and encouraging the listener to ride with [her], experiencing the taste, smell and feel of the west as [she] knows it.”

Lynn Kopelke

Inspired by his time in the Ellensburg valley riding, gathering, and wrestling calves, Lynn Kopelke creates beautiful Western art and poetry. Drawing daily influence from his home in the Enumclaw plateau, Lynn writes of the horses, cowgirls and cowboys, and mountains that he admires about both the real and the “reel” west. Poems include “Dance With Me Mister” and “Open Crown,” among others.

Duane Nelson

From riding and working cattle to training horses to ranch roping, Duane Nelson has done it all. Following suit, his poems range all over in subject matter. In fact, he says the only common theme in his poetry is that he wrote it!

More  Featured Performers

Carter Junction

This husband and wife duo performs original and traditional songs in the Cowboy, Folk, and Celtic genres. Both are gifted vocalists, individually and in harmony, with husband, Clinton Carter, singing bass and wife, Sarah Carter, soprano. One reviewer described their music as “Johnny Cash meets Loreena McKennitt.”

Panhandle Cowboys

JB Barber and Dave Fulfs combine music and poetry to create a unique listening experience. JB has been a cowboy poet for 15 years, tapping into his upbringing and time as a rodeo rough-stock rider. Dave, a farmer, draws from the old silver screen era when writing music. Together, the two are irresistible.

Andy Bales

Andy Bales has always been a cowboy at heart. Growing up in a ranch family and keeping up with the lifestyle today, Andy celebrates Western heritage by performing original music and poetry. He has a great appreciation for Western history and pulls inspiration for his music and writing from old stories and real life Western experiences with hopes to keep the lifestyle and history alive.

Paul Wilson

Paul Wilson, a returning performer at Ellensburg’s Spirit of the West, is a working cowboy and owns and operates Chinook Pass Outfitters and Guides, Inc. in Naches, WA. Wilson’s music has been performed for national and local television, rodeos, and cowboy gatherings.

Rockin HW

Alan Halvorson spent many years as a horse wrangler, cattle ranch hand and trail ride leader in Washington. Themes within his works include cowboying, trail songs, rodeo songs, and traditional fiddle pieces.

Scott Glen Lambertsen

Scott Glen Lambertsen, a singer, songwriter from Idaho, first picked up a guitar at the age of 12. Before 14 he was writing songs and performing. Having performed rock, bluegrass, folk, country and the blues over the years, he now returns to his roots with songs of the simpler and more basic emotions and lifestyles.

Lauralee Northcott

Chronicling her experiences as a wilderness guide and pack cook for over 30 years in the Pasayten and Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness areas, Lauralee Northcott has recorded a total of 13 albums. Common themes within Lauralee’s music include horseback riding in the mountains and cooking. A love of land and place are topics she most enjoys entertaining with.

Mark Seeley

Born and raised on a dairy farm in Idaho, Mark Seely has a great appreciation for the Western way of life. In his music, Mark shares the lessons he learned growing up as well as stories with “morals, laughs, wonderment and tears.”