Performers by Name

Ken and Fran pamper visitors and tourists with their cabin rentals in Custer County, Colorado and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, so the beauty and peach of the mountain ranges and prairie ranches can be enjoyed by vacationers. They met in a Victor Herbert musical, “The Fortune Teller”, and married in 1964. When not “hosting”, they’re singing! Or composing. About 20% of their repertoire consists of original songs written by Fran.

Taylor Ware is 13 years old and loves horseback riding, is a girl scout, and has fun doing crafts with grandma. She is the Yahoo! Yodel National Champion. She was a top finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent first season as the “Yodeler”. Her favorite honored place to perform is on the Grand Ole Opry where she has performed with the wonderful Riders In The Sky. She has been on several national TV shows…Ellen DeGeneres, Inside Edition, Rachel Ray, Entertainment Tonight, and the Today Show.

Barry Ward is an accomplished singer and songwriter from southwest Kansas. His music is a tribute to Western traditions and lifestyles. A fourth generation farmer and rancher, Barry and his family continue to live in the farmhouse and work the land where he was raised. In 2003, he was one of the top three finalists for The Western Music Association's Male Performer of the Year.

Washtub Jerry is a recognized authority for building and playing the washtub bass. In 1999 he was named Instrumentalist of the Year by the Western Music Association. Jerry has performed with Patsy Montana, Yakov Smirnoff, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Riders In The Sky, Peter Yarrow, Johnny Gimble, and yes, Don, Waddie, Red, and R. W. (plus hundreds of other musicians!). He is a member of the International Society of Bassists.

Fiddlin' Pete has been playing his own brand of high-energy, traditionally based Western Folk music for over thirty years. Out on the road, hitching, riding freights, and traveling in the "Lone Prairie Schooner" (pick- up/camper). Fiddlin' Pete has become a popular entertainer throughout the Eastern Sierra region, playing at festivals, county fairs, schools, churches, dance halls, ranch gatherings, and for the outfitters who pack stock into and around the Sierra Nevada wilderness.

Jim Wilson is a native Texan who was born in Austin and raised in San Antonio. For nearly 30 years, he served as a Texas Peace Officer in Denton and Crockett Counties. Jim Wilson performs across the country at western music festivals, house concerts, and ranch barbecues. He is an active supporter of the Western Music Association and served as vice-president for several years.

Born and raised in Southern New Mexico, Laurie Wood started learning to play guitar when she was sixteen. After playing in "at least a dozen" different country bands over as many years she grew disillusioned with the music and the lifestyle, finally quitting music altogether. Now, more than 15 years later, Laurie has felt the call to dust off her guitar, and is playing the music that she really loves.

Joyce is not only a fine songwriter who writes poignant cowboy songs, but also a wonderful singer in her own right. Her western hit, "He's Courtin' Annie," has been recorded by several award winning western artists.

Forget everything you hate about modern country music, Wylie & The Wild West are old-school cool without being a tired period piece. Singer, songwriter, rancher, horseman, and world-famous Yahoo® yodeler, Wylie Gustafson leads the outfit. Tending livestock daily is the backbone of his art. Whether playing for a crowd of 50 or 5,000, Wylie's goal is the same: "To win a crowd with good music and make 'em feel like they got their money’s worth"