Three artists one might describe as down home cow folk are heading to Longview to offer some old time country entertainment this weekend.

Award-winning foothills cowboy poet Doris Daley and California cowboy balladeer Dave Stamey are taking the stage while Nanton artist Shannon Lawlor showcases her western paintings in a triple-bill at the East Longview Hall on March 1 and 2.

Wild Rose Events is known for bringing country crooners like Ian Tyson to the hall but this winter owner Delilah Miller was looking for something unique.

“I realized there is a lot of venues that are doing live music so we wanted to make ours a little bit different,” she said. “It’s a special concert because this fellow has never been to Canada before. I had some neighbours request that I get him because he’s quite popular in the states and he’s big with the cowboy cutting horse crowd.”

Stamey said he is excited about his “first foray in the great white north.”

“I’m a little bit known in patches but it’s always good to spread it out and meet new people and wide mouth the circle of friends that we have,” he said. “Canada has given great music over the years. It’s my turn to give some back if I can.”

The popular western entertainer has been bucked off horses and dragged around cattle pens so when he arrives in cattle country he feels right at home.

“Everybody gets me in ranch country,” he said. “Everybody knows what I’m talking about. It’s very rewarding to play in ranch country.”

Stamey said he enjoys sharing stories about life as a rancher.

“It says to rural people, ‘Ya, you count,’” he said. “‘The lifestyle you have matters and you have a place in this world and here is some stuff about you.’”

The cowboy turned entertainer doesn’t have to worry about being heard. Stamey took home Entertainer of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year for “Twelve Mile Road” during the Western Music Association festival and awards show last fall.

The award-winner looks forward to sharing the stage with Daley.

“I adore Doris Daley,” he said. “I’ve shared the stage with Doris many times. What I love about Doris is her command and love of language. She has a little zing to what she does because she is so linguistically brilliant.”

Putting a cowboy poet, cowboy balladeer and country artist under one roof is a great way to celebrate the west, said Stamey.

“I think it’s something that needs to be celebrated,” he said. “I like to get celebrated on an international level if I could think of a way to do it. We just have to do it room by room.”

Born and raised in southern Alberta’s ranch country, Daley brings humour and history together in her poetry.

In 2004, she was the first Canadian to be named Best Female Cowboy Poet in North America by the Academy of Western Artists.

Nanton artist Lawlor is also an experienced horsewoman, who is as skilled at the easel as she is in the saddle.

She captures ranching life with her country paintings and continues to receive blue ribbons for her art at exhibits around North America. Her work is also featured on magazine covers, event posters, greeting cards and DVDs.

Miller said having Lawlor’s art at the show both evenings ties the western theme together nicely.

“She’s a really great western artist,” she said. “She’s on her way to stardom so it’s nice to have here there as well.”

What better place to bring these country folk together than the East Longview Hall, said Miller.

“People like the venue as much as they like the artists just because it’s in the middle of the country,” she said. “We have quite a good following for that type of music. We want to try and promote the country lifestyle and what better place to do that than in Longview.”

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 pm. Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased by calling Delilah Miller at 403-558-2415.

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