The scouts have been out and they’ve brought back valuable and actionable intel from the wild country.
Deuce Richardson picked up the trail of G.W. Thomas by way of James Reasoner. Reasoner, a seasoned old scout if there ever was one, put Deuce on the trail:
Author G.W. Thomas has started a new blog called NORTH-WEST ADVENTURES, all about Northerns, a genre that’s at least a cousin to Westerns, but taking place in Canada or Alaska, featuring Mounties, prospectors, fur trappers, etc.
Them’s our kinda tales — especially since what Thomas is putting up is free — as in True North Strong and Free… You can moil for gold here.
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Paul McNamee found a gem of a folk album by Dom Flemons.
From NPR:
Dom Flemons’ latest album, Black Cowboys, is a collection of seldom-heard stories about the roles African-Americans played in settling the West after America’s Civil War. The album’s inspiration came during a road trip back home where the fifth generation Arizonan became enamored with an obscure collection of stories.
“I came across a book called The Negro Cowboys that talked about how one in four cowboys who helped settle the West were African-American cowboys,” Flemons, a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, says. “And being an African-American person that’s half-African-American, half-Mexican-American from the Southwest, I just found that to be a fascinating story.”
Now, the album has earned Flemons a 2019 Grammy nomination in the category of best folk album.
This is sweet stuff — Flemon’s voice goes down easy and the picking is fluid. And he can sling a double-bit ax pretty well, too.
What I want is to get Flemons on a stage with Colter Wall and Corb Lund — all of whom have a deep sense of history — and really tell the story of the West. I could listen to that all night.
Fletcher Vredenburgh says
I discovered a whole bunch of African-American Americana musicians this past fall for my radio show. Flemons and his original band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, are terrific.
JimC says
Produced two powerhouse solo artists — him and Rhiannon Giddens.
Matthew says
I know Lester Dent (the creator of Doc Savage) wrote some stories about Mounties, though I’ve never read them.
I just finished the Double AA Western Detective Agency by Steve Hockensmith. This is part of his Holmes on the Range series about a pair of cowboys who are inspired to become detectives after reading about Sherlock Holmes (who is a real person in the universe of the books.) Hockensmith says in the back he is inspired by Raymond Chandler and Thomas Berger. I would recommend any of the books in the series.
JimC says
I’ve heard nothing but good about those Holmes books.
Matthew says
They deserve to better known. Hockensmith has an enjoyable style and intriguing characters. He took a break from writing them because he had other obligations, but he finally returned to them. Hopefully, we will see more in the future.
Ugly Hombre says
If we could go back 20 years to when they still made good American films, a helluva western could be made about Bass Reeves.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/2/12/frontier-lawman-deputy-us-marshal-bass-reeves/
If they made it now- it would probly have a rap ‘sound’ track. Yeesh…
https://www.historynet.com/lawman-legend-bass-reeves-invincible-man-hunter.htm
Hollywood never heard of the greatest western story- never told.
JimC says
Supposedly Morgan Freeman is producing a Bass Reeves miniseries with HBO with John Sayles to script. We’ll see.
wayne williams says
I saw Dom Flemons perform in a small venue in Boone, NC last year and he was great. I caught him briefly after the show and told him I’d send him some excerpts about black cowboys from Joe Mora’s Trail Dust and Saddle Leather. He’s a nice fellow and easy to talk with. He told me he’s doing some work for the Smithsonian Museum of American History, so I’m sure we’ll hear more from him.
JimC says
The great Jo Mora. Yes indeedy!
Saddle Tramp says
X-Ring three times in a row here. Mystery Adventures, Don Flemons and Jo Mora.
I need a pick up right now and this is the prescription. I bought and have totally enjoyed Don Flemons Smithsonian Folkways offering. History uncovered. Some things still deliver the goods. Thanks Deuce and Jim!
One day at a time…
Hold fast!!
JimC says
Thx ST. Always good to hear from you.
Saddle Tramp says
Timely…
Speaking of Smithsonian Folkways this just arrived in my inbox. Before there was a Easy Rider in 1969 there was this Easy Rider from Leadbelly in the 1940’s. Just as relevant now as it was back then. Truth eternal…
https://folkways.si.edu/lead-belly/easy-rider