<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Bud Strom
Dolan Ellis, Arizona's Official State Balladeer
© Scott Farence, August 2006
Dolan Ellis
Arizona's Official State Balladeer
Since 1966
 
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AFP Guest Artists

Dolan with Bud Strom, Cowboy Poet Extraordinaire


This photograph was taken between Christmas and New Year's, 2001.  Bud was the last of several guest artists to fill in for Dolan after an elbow surgery.  Dolan had sufficiently recovered to do half a show, with Bud ably taking the stage for the rest of the show.  At the end of the program each day, they shared the stage.  Dolan sang "The Man in the Big Hat is Buying," and paused between verses for Bud to tell one of his stories about children.  It's one of those "Kids say the darndest things" events, things they say when he goes out to schools to teach them about being a cowboy and writing cowboy poetry.  The last quote was the best, and Dolan almost didn't recover from his laughter sufficiently to finish the song. 

Bud has been at the AFP many times, and has a wonderful performance style. 

Bud has owned the Single Star Ranch in Hereford since he retired from the Army. He was co-chair of the Cochise Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering for 10 years, and along with founder & co-chair John Shaver (an AFP Board Member), brought the Gathering to national recognition.

Bud got his start as a cowboy when he was orphaned at the age of 16 in Red Lodge, Montana; got his start as a poet while in the Army and stationed in Vietnam; and got his start as a cowboy poet while he was still in the Army and attended a huge commemorative roundup in Red Lodge where he saw and heard Baxter Black, his first cowboy poet.

Bud was in charge of the school program for the Gathering and taught thousands of children about things that he loves: being a cowboy, writing poetry, and writing cowboy poetry.

These days, Bud travels around the West and even the East, as an invited performer at gatherings. He also continues to work with children.

Bud has written two books of cowboy poetry and has recorded a CD entitled "Lightning and Angels." . You can read more about him and listen to samples of his poetry at www.arizonafolklore.com/bud.htm .

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