Mike Beck draws on his experience with horses in his iconic song from the animals' perspective. Mike Beck performs "Don't Hurt My Heart" during the "Free Life & Fresh Air" show at the 39th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Mike Beck
Manhattan, MT
Mike Beck is a professional musician and working cowboy whose songs reflect his experiences in California, Oregon, Montana, and Nevada. Born and raised in Monterey County, California, he studied with legendary horseman Bill Dorrance and now travels the United States and Europe conducting horsemanship clinics and making music. Ramblin' Jack Elliott says, "Mike Beck plays the guitar like a Byrd. His strings do things that mine could never do. They obey the slightest finger-touch commands like a fine reining horse." A top-notch guitar player, Mike has seven albums under his belt. His mellow sound combines real cowboy experience with a unique blend of western, rock, and Americana styles. Mike is joined by bass player and fellow Montanan Kenny Williams.

Filmed in front of a live audience with help from the E. L. Wiegand Foundation at the Western Folklife Center’s G Three Bar Theater in Elko, NV, on Feb. 3, 2024.

Made possible by Nevada Arts Council and by the multitude of staff, artists, volunteers, and community members working behind the scenes to make this show happen.