Proud and humbled that the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has chosen my article Texas Jack Takes an Encore, the cover story of Wild West Magazine's April 2022 edition, as their Western Heritage Award-winning Outstanding Magazine Article.
The Western Heritage Awards honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Western heritage through creative works in literature, music, television, and film that share the great stories of the American West.
Texas Jack Omohundro was the first cowboy to rise to a place of prominence in America and was the first to incorporate the trappings of the cowboy lifestyle into a stage performance. He introduced the lasso act to the stage when he and his best friend, Buffalo Bill Cody, launched their acting careers together in December of 1872. Texas Jack was inducted into the museum's Hall of Great Western Performers in 1994 and remains the earliest-born person to be so honored.
In addition to Texas Jack Takes an Encore, Western Heritage (Wrangler) Award winners this year include:
Dark Winds "Monster Slayer" - Outstanding Fictional Television Drama
The Long Rider - Outstanding Docudrama
Dead for a Dollar - Outstanding Theatrical Motion Picture
Red Steagall is Somewhere West of Wall Street - Western Lifestyle
Micki Fuhrman "Westbound" - Outstanding Traditional Western Album
Andrew Giangola "Love & Try" -Outstanding Nonfiction Book
Anouk Krantz "Ranchland: Wagonhound" - Outstanding Photography Book
Casey Rislov "The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show" - Outstanding Juvenile Book
Mary Clearman Blew "Thinking of Horses" - Outstanding Western Novel
W.K. Stratton "Last Red Dirt Embrace" - Outstanding Poetry Book
Red Steagall - Lifetime Achievement Award
Pete Coors - Western Visionary Award
Lou Diamond Phillips and Bob Wills are this year's inductees into the Hall of Great Western Performers.
The Award Ceremony will take place in Oklahoma City on April 14th and 15th, 2023, and is usually broadcast online.