Michael Robinson
PO Box 592
Draper, UT 84020
(801) 943-9434
rawkinhorse@digis.net
www.cowboypoetryandmusic.com

Availability: July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008

Utah's top cowboy entertainers buddy-up for a memorable show of cowboy poetry and music. From knee-slappin' humor to heart-movin' emotion>>>to nostalgic renditions of your favorite cowboy songs, Sidekicks will leave you full of a sense of the West's fascinatin' cowboy era, when a growing population expanded the beef industry into the wild and woolly frontiers of America.

Michael Robinson, Stan Tixier, and Don Kennington are all well-known performers, and veterans of hundreds of shows throughout the U.S. and Canada. All three have been winners in the Western Legends Roundup - the biggest high-purse cowboy poetry contest in the world. Between them, they have authored a dozen books and recorded a slug of CDs. With their own unique styles, Sidekicks will be your entertainment highlight of the year, ticklin' yer innards and warmin' your souls.

Programs are one-and-one half hours to two-hours in length. Music, including a few, popular sing-alongs, poetry, and humor, are included. The show is suitable for all audiences and is good, clean family fun. Depending on the audience's requirement, material may be adjusted to particular age groups and interests.

Biographical Sketches

Don Kennington is a native of Star Valley Wyoming. Raised on a ranch, he got his start punching cows and shoeing the horses. After moving to Ogden, Utah, he became a full-time farrier, shoeing over 33,000 horses during his 36-year career.

Don's been writin' and recitin' cowboy poetry for over 25-years. His heart-warming renditions and knee slappin' humor have made him a favorite at cowboy gatherings. A multi-time winner of the Western Legends Roundup, he's appeared in hundreds of shows, has been the recipient of the Silver Quill Award, and was nominated for the Academy of Western Artists "Male Cowboy Poet of the Year."

Don has co-authored five books and tapes, and has been a featured poet at the prestigious Elko National Gathering. His colorful performances draw on his real-life experiences.

Some of his contemporaries have dubbed Michael "Boots" Robinson the "wordsworth of cowboy poetry" and Waddie Mitchell has applauded him as "one of the freshest, new, signature talents I've met in all my travels."

During his college years, Michael shoed and traded horses to make ends meet. Five hungry children forced him to find a "real job," but, after retirement, he returned to horses, music, and poetry. Known for his meticulous word-smithing and vivid literary pictures, Michael has written over 500 poems and songs, and has performed over 800 solo shows. He's appeared at gatherings throughout the U.S. and Canada, and on Seabourne and Eastern and Orient Cruises Lines, and is a three-time winner in the Western Legends Roundup. His music and poetry have won awards from a variety of music and literary organizations, and his rich, baritone voice is one of his hallmarks. Michael has authored three books and five CDs.

Stan Tixier has been writin' and recitin' cowboy poetry for years, and his books, A Good Lookin' Horse, A Better Lookin' Horse, and The Best Lookin' Horse have enjoyed multiple printings. A graduate of the University of Arizona's School of Range Management, Stan did some cowboyin' for the Money Hereford Ranch and retired from a career with the U.S. Forest Service. His novel, Green Underwear, draws from his life as a forest ranger.

Stan is an acclaimed writer, and his knack for performing has won several cowboy poetry competitions. His wry wit, rhyme, and meter have made him a popular favorite. A seasoned veteran of the Utah Performing Arts Tour, Stan has charmed audiences in Utah and throughout the West.

He and his wife, Jan, who live in Eden, Utah, raise and train Foxtrotting Horses, and, occasionally, sell one! www.cowboypoetry.com/stantixier.htm

Outreach Options:

• A mini-program for charitable group, elderly center, school, etc.
• A lecture or mini-workshop, relating to writing poetry and music.

Technical Requirements:

• Sound system with one (1) microphone, boom style mic stand, and one (1) guitar input. Sound system must be music quality, and, preferably include basic effects. (i.e. reverb)
• For smaller venues, "Sidekicks" can provide suitable sound at no extra cost. For larger venues, sound is available for an extra charge. (less than $100)
• Three chairs or stools