Cowboy Up Podcast Episodes

Early in her career, Lynn Thomas, LCSW, noticed that horses had a profound influence on the troubled youth with whom she was working. That was the start of her efforts to incorporate horses into mental health and wellness programs. Lynn joins Russell and Alan to talk about the two non-profit organizations she co-founded and the campaign “Seen Through Horses,” which brings together organizations, celebrities, businesses, legislators, and passionate individuals to work collaboratively to expand the role horses play in mental health and well-being. And the timing couldn’t be better. May is National Mental Health Month.   [...]

Or at least the Crockett Trail, that 1500-mile stretch from West Tennessee to what is now Texas and the infamous Alamo. That’s the first trail that historian, artist, and author Rod Timanus followed and wrote about. He then went on to traverse other famous trails, as well as explore the lives of famous westerners and landmarks. Now the author of eight books, including the new novel “Penitent Gun,” Rod chats with the cowboys about his many western adventures. [...]

These days, cowboying and ranching challenge those who don hats and boots and rely on the range for a living. If you add in the rodeo circuit, you have one heck of a busy life. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Branch followed one family doing exaclty all of that. He joins Russell and Alan to talk about his book “The Last Cowboys,” as well as his newest collection of true stories, “Sidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Road of Sports.” [...]

Tucsonan David Rychener spent a career in the health field, but a lifetime in music. A singer and songwriter, David performs in many venues around the Old Pueblo, including weekly at White Stallion Ranch. He saddles up to the ranch, guitar in hand, to chat with Russell and Alan about his love of western tunes, what influences his songwriting, and how he’s sharing music through his new podcast “Cowboy at Heart.” [...]

When Craig Johnson wrote his first novel featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire, he had no idea it would lead to a New York Times bestselling series, much less become a TV blockbuster. But that it has! Craig joins Russell and Alan to talk about his newest Longmire mystery, “Hell and Back,” and his career writing about the fictional Absaroka County and the beloved Longmire gang. [...]

Arizona Highways has been going strong ever since it launched back in 1925. One reason is its spectacular collection of monthly photographs that capture the state’s famous topography, as well as its diverse culture. Jeff Kida, the magazine’s photography editor, knows what it takes to get each publication just right. During his chat with Russell and Alan, Jeff explains how he chooses photos and how he has had to adapt over the years to the ever-changing landscape of publishing and photography. [...]

Marjorie Lambert knew what she loved: archeology, specifically southwest archeology. But back around 1930, excavation sites were not a place for women. That didn’t deter Marjorie, a trailblazer who, during her illustrious career, worked as a field manager, museum director, curator, professor, and what’s more, married a cowboy who became a dude rancher. When author Shelby Tisdale met Marjorie Lambert and got to know her, she knew that she had to write a biography about this extraordinary woman. Shelby speaks with Russell and Alan about her new book, “No Place for a Lady.” [...]

While researching her acclaimed book, “American Dude Ranch,” historian and archivist Lynn Downey did a deep dive into how cinema has portrayed dude ranches. It all started back in 1918 with the movie “Hell Cat,” filmed at Valley Ranch in Cody, WY. Lynn chats with Russell and Alan about dude ranch films that many of us have come to know and love, as well as those that may not yet be on our western radar. [...]

Is it the Grand Canyon? Absolutely, BUT there’s so much more to Arizona! Not only does it have more wilderness areas than in the entire Midwest, but it has Route 66, Navajo Code Talkers, hopelessly romantic tarantulas, the western most battle of the Civil War, and the list goes on. In fact, according to travel writer Roger Naylor, the list is at least 200 factoids long! In this episode, Roger joins Russell and Alan to talk about his new book, “Awesome Arizona” and share some amazing facts about the Grand Canyon State. [...]

Who did what and when in the Old West continues to tantalize historians, novelists, filmmakers and others. Bill Markley has spent more time than most delving into infamous events and characters and trying to sort fact from fiction. Did Butch Cassidy die in Bolivia? What about Davy Crockett’s many deaths? And what really happened during the Johnson County War? Bill joins Russell and Alan to take a trail ride into the West’s intriguing past. [...]