FEATURING: Sterling Drake, Lone Piñon, Jake Riley.

Some say the world is shaped by reality. By inches of rain, by prices of hay, by the generosity of neighbors. But what shapes that reality? What builds our communities, records our histories, preserves generational knowledge, perpetuates age-old wisdom, and makes sense of the worlds we find ourselves in? Stories, of course! And nobody spins a tale quite like Nebraska poet Jake Riley, Montana musician Sterling Drake, and New Mexico band Lone Piñon. They’ll bring you stories that reveal the truths of life. And, they’ll transport you into delightful new realities...all for the story’s sake.

Hosted by Kent Reeves.

From the 41st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

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PLAYLIST

Sterling Drake
"Before You're Back Again"
"The Coyote"
"Holy Ground"
"The Ballad of Kitty Leroy"
"Calusa"

Jake Riley
"Hedge Post Hai Karate"
"Sheep Camp"
"The Game"
"The Battle of the Breadbasket" (poem by Bill Potter + Jake Riley)
"Friction"

Lone Piñon

“La Suegra,” “El Templado” (traditional melodies from the repertoire of Gregorio Ruiz)
“Bailando en Phoenix” (from the repertoire of José Moreno)
"Un Mundo Raro" (words + music by José Alfredo Jiménez)
“Corre Corre Mi Burrito“ (music by Jordan Wax)
“El Preso Número Nueve” (words + music by Roberto Cantoral)
"La Cobra" (words + music by Fito Olivares)
"Nochesita" (words and music by Víctor Huesca Chipres)
"El Querreque" (words and music by Pedro Rosa Acuña)

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sterling Drake
Philipsburg, MT
Songwriter Sterling Drake’s journey has taken him from the Big Cypress of south Florida to the mountains of western Montana and everywhere in between. With a penchant for honest storytelling, and a family history of ranching and roping gators, Sterling weaves his own perspective into the American songbook, often highlighting a strong sense of place. Rolling Stone has praised his “rough-hewn aesthetics” and his honky tonk roots have expanded to a lush, adventurous sonic palette in his full debut album “The Shape I’m In.” Sterling is joined by bandmates Thorleifur Gaukur Davidsson (harmonica, guitar, album producer), Norbert McGetiggan III (bass), and Julian Paneli (fiddle).

Lone Piñon
Santa Fe & Albuquerque, NM
Lone Piñon is a New Mexican string band, or orquesta típica, whose music celebrates the integrity of their region’s multicultural and rural roots. The oldest sounds of Northern New Mexico’s traditional string music had all but disappeared from local communities. Lone Piñon revives the language of the orquesta típica for present-day audiences through close relationships with elders, careful study of field recordings, bilingual vocals, creative connections to other traditional music and dance revitalization movements, and local and national performances. The group consists of Tanya Nuñez (upright bass), Santiago Romero (guitar, vihuela), Jordan Wax (fiddle, guitar, accordion), and Karina Wilson (fiddle).

Jake Riley
Riverdale, NE
Jake Riley was born in Salida, Colorado, and grew up, for the most part, in the upper Arkansas Valley of the Colorado mountains. He began roping and rodeoing as a kid, which led to helping
out at local ranches, which spawned his love for cowboy culture. Much of Jake’s work involves firsthand ranch and rodeo experiences told from his perspective on the contemporary fringe. He’s shared his work from California to Minnesota. Jake now calls the plains of Nebraska home, living there along with his wife Carley and a teeming horde of younguns with an affection for
western ways.

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Filmed in front of a live audience with help from the E. L. Wieg Foundation at the Western Folklife Center’s G Three Bar Theater in Elko, NV, on Jan. 30, 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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