Performers by Name

Cowboy Joe, his beautiful wife Carol and gorgeous daughter Lorrie have been signing together as a family group for many years. This family is at home singing the songs of not only the Old West but the songs of the modern day working cowboy.

Joe sings authentic cowboy and western music while accompanying himself on guitar, although he has also performed as a member of many western music groups. He has performed at cowboy poets’ gatherings, western music festivals, cowboy dinner theaters, cookouts, concert halls, museums, churches, private parties and anywhere else people want to hear a cowboy sing.

After a scrumptious Texas dinner, sit back and enjoy the music at the Ball Ranch. The family has sung together with their children for over 20 years! You could say it was destiny for the family as Gary and Sue both came from a heritage of authentic western music! Gary's dad was a renowned guitar and fiddle player, playing the old western classics for over 50 years, passing his love of the harmonies and lyrics of these well-loved melodies to his son.

Eli Barsi is a full time musical cowgirl, growing up on a ranch and once living the western life, she now travels internationally singing and writing about this lifestyle.  She is an award winning recording artist originally from the prairies of Saskatchewan Canada now based out of the Ozarks of Missouri. She has recorded 10 CDs, released numerous charting radio hits, and had 3 videos on CMT.  Her show is lively family fun, a true western experience, with smooth vocals, great yodeling, strong musicianship, compelling originals and tastefull standards all paying tribute to our Western Heritage.

You might recognize Bill Barwick from the Starz/Encore "Westerns" Channel, and the "six gun salute". Hailed as a cowboy's cowboy- song singer, and accompanied by superb guitar work, his singing, songwriting and storytelling are a performance not to be missed. He's the Academy of Western Artists’ 2005 Cowboy Music "Male Vocalist of the Year". An internationally recognized entertainer, Bill appears regularly at Denver's historic Buckhorn Exchange, and is a frequent guest at cowboy gatherings and music festivals across the country.

Troy Bateson is a Christian entertainer, songwriter and poet based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His songs and stories reflect the colorful heritage of the Old West and his own experiences. Troy cowboys a little on a nearby ranch, and he hunts, fishes, and wanders in the Rocky Mountains. In addition to building walking sticks and shooting a camera, he serves as "band pastor" to the Flying W Wranglers, a popular Colorado Springs cowboy band.

Chelsea Beck is a singer, guitar player and songwriter from Kingfisher, Oklahoma. She is a yodeling champion as well as an award winning vocalist. She and her friend, Jake Simpson, a champion fiddle player, travel all over the United States performing at festivals, RV rallies and special events. They were chosen in 2007 and 2009 to perform for the Oklahoma State FFA Convention. Chelsea began her pursuit of Western and Country Music thanks to her dear friend and idol, Janet McBride. Chelsea wants to keep the Western Heritage alive because that’s the Cowboy Way!!!

John Bergstrom is a performer of both traditional and original music from and about the West. Since joining the Western Music Association, he has released his debut CD, "Western State of Mind," and by the summer of 2009, hopes to be ready to release his second CD, "Throw Down the Box." John has performed at a variety of events including; festivals, coffee shops, restaurants, community fundraising events, and local radio shows. Western music is fun for the whole family. Invite some friends over and host a concert in your home. You can get a taste of his music at his web site.

He's been playing the banjo since he was old enough to know better, and is a compulsive picker, collector and learner of weird instruments. He plays (at last count) 65 different instruments, and sings in several languages. What makes this even more remarkable is that he has never had any formal music training, doesn't read music, and is on leave from the Phoenix Home for the Musically Bewildered. Joe's clawhammer banjo technique is unique.

Aspen Black is a poet, singer and songwriter. A former rodeo rider turned horse trainer, she inherited her love of the west from her father. She has a deep understanding of the aging cowboy and the need to preserve the knowledge of the older generations. She writes emotional pieces about love, loss, aging, and changes faced by modern ranchers today. Blending the nostalgic feel with modern viewpoints, she strives to bridge the gap between generations.

Mike Blair is a singer/songwriter immersed in cowboy culture. He likes to rope, ride out in the back country, and sing songs about the cowboy way. His lonesome, tear-jerking and light hearted songs always stir your emotions and connect with people, even if they don't wear a cowboy hat. His song writing can vary from traditional style ballads, to modern cowboy music. He is a talented writer who has left an impression with audiences across the Canadian West.

In 1986, Donnie Blanz was offered a staff writing position with Ed Bruce's publishing companies on music row in Nashville. Over the next 15 years, Donnie was schooled in the craft of songwriting by hit songwriters Ed Bruce, Ron Peterson, Glen Ray and others. The Donnie Blanz/Ed Bruce song, "You Just Can't See Him From The Road," was recorded by Chris LeDoux and was included on Chris's platinum selling album, "Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy."

The Blue Sage Trio is a high energy acoustic folk trio specializing in cowboy music, bluegrass, and the folk songs of the west. The heart and soul of the Blue Sage Trio lies within the repertoire of well know folk singer Mike Iverson. Regarded as one of the finest clawhammer style banjo players, Mike also plays guitar, mandolin, and harmonica with the trio.

Dave has been performing classic and original cowboy songs for awhile.  Since the "New Horizons" CD came out, Sharon has joined Dave on stage reciting poetry and performing speaking parts in several songs.  Fulltime jobs limited their touring schedules in the past but June 12th, 2008 Dave retired from a 30+ year career.  Check out our website for a detailed bio, information on our number 1 song and touring schedule.

Marci recites with a farm-girl point of view. The agrarian-life style Marci was once so eager to escape beckons her return through memories and verse. Marci and her siblings herded cattle and sheep, pitched hay and manure, pulled calves and the "honey wagon," bottle-fed calves and lambs, gathered the eggs and butchered chickens, watered down the hogs and the garden, put up hay and fence. Her topics stroke the heartstrings, generating memories and laughter.

Buckshot Dot is a very talented western singer, songwriter and writer. She can be found at most of the major western music and cowboy poetry events across the country.

WMA Awards:
1997 Songwriter of the Year
1997 Song of the Year ( "Kinney Rim" co- written with Michael Fleming)

Teresa is a poet and native Texan that descends from an ancestry of farmers and ranchers of Oklahoma and Texas. This upbringing has given her empathy for the agricultural industry and the people who make their lives in it. Her material reflects a desire to preserve her heritage and to share a female’s perspective on living the western lifestyle. Most of Teresa’s poems are inspired by her personal experiences; therefore people are able to relate to them, and they reflect her personality and witty sense of humor.