FEATURING: Darrell Holden, Carson Houser, Annie Mackenzie.

Three poets, each raised on the family ranch, share their stories. Utah poet Darrell Holden and North Dakota poet Carson Houser convey the male perspective on growing the next generation, while Oregon poet Annie Mackenzie offers the female point of view. Between the laughs, the heartfelt moments, and a few tears, they'll remind you that raising the next generation is never short on stories!

From the 41st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

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PLAYLIST

"Keeper of the Flame" - Carson Houser"
"Where I'm From" - Annie Mackenzie
"Influenced" - Darrell Holden
"The Medicine Keepers" - Carson Houser (poem by J.B. Allen)
"Million Dollar Ranch" - Annie Mackenzie
"Dry" - Darrell Holden
"My Boy Wants to Cowboy" - Carson Houser (poem by Carson Houser + Ken Cook)
"Best Hand of All" - Annie Mackenzie
"Spurs" - Darrell Holden
"The Good Man in Disguise" - Carson Houser
"A Family Outing" - Annie Mackenzie
"The Plea" - Darrell Holden
“Sagebrush Lonesome” - Carson Houser
"When We Rode Ponies" - Annie Mackenzie
"Echoes" - Darrell Holden (poem by Darrell Holden and Brenn Hill)

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Darrell Holden
Vernon, UT
Darrell Ekker Holden is a proud fifth-generation rancher and cowboy poet from the West Desert of Utah. He writes about the legacy passed down by those who came before him and shares stories of working ranch families and cowboys who are still making a living with livestock. Married to his best friend Angie, they have two outstanding kids, Hailey and Dalton, and are soon to be grandparents. Darrell considers poetry to be simply life expressed in rhyme. And he hopes you hear what he writes and recites with your hearts.

Carson Houser
McClusky, ND
Carson Houser is a rancher, bull rider, and cowboy poet from McClusky, ND. Raised on his family's cow-calf operation, Carson developed a passion for ranching and cowboy culture, which led him to writing his own poetry. His style is inspired by the music and stories he grew up hearing from ranchers, rodeo cowboys, and others involved in the rural lifestyle. Carson's work ranges from original poems to beloved cowboy poetry classics, all rooted in the people, traditions, and values of the West.

Annie Mackenzie
Jordan Valley, OR
Annie Mackenzie is a fourth-generation rancher and part-time cowboy poet. She was born and raised in Jordan Valley, Oregon, and grew up on her family’s ranch just north of the small town. Annie has always had a love of the written word and the western way of life. She’s combined the two into the cowboy poetry that she shares. Whether it’s moving cows, fixing fence, working dogs, or watching a cowboying disaster unfold, there’s a lot that happens on the ranch to inspire her poetry.

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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 Jan. 29, 2026.

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

Brought to you by the Western Folklife Center, using story and cultural expression to connect the American West to the world.
www.westernfolklife.org

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