Alliance Bank in Sulphur Springs

New Program 1230 West on KSST

If you get up early on Saturdays, plan to listen to the new program 1230 West on KSST. You can listen to it at 1230 on your AM radio dial, or with your phone app at ksstradio.com, and of course, streaming on your computer. 1230 West is a couple of hours of Western and Country programming which began on Aug 2. Listeners have been giving us good reviews of the show, and we appreciate the input. From 6-7am, there’s Red Steagall’s Cowboy Corner, then starting at 7am, Enola Gay and Benny Potter do their mix of country, western and cowboy music for an hour. So you don’t have to go far from the barn or corral gate now to enjoy good Western entertainment. It’s free and that makes it even nicer.

Red Steagall is a Texan, and a multi-talented showbusiness personality. His career has covered a 35 year span, and has spanned the globe. According to Wikipedia, he was born Russell Steagall in Gainesville, Texas in 1938. He became a bull rider at rodeos as a young teen, but at the age of 15 was stricken with polio. He took up the guitar and mandolin as a form of therapy. He graduated West Texas State University with a degree in animal science and agronomy. He then spent 8 years as a music industry executive, then the next 40 years as a recording artist, songwriter, and television and motion picture personality. He currently maintains offices outside of Fort Worth where he is involved in the production of motion pictures and television shows. Some of his movie credits include a major role in “Benji the Hunted” and as producer of the movie “Big Bad John” starring Jimmy Dean, Jack Elam, Ned Beatty and Bo Hopkins.

Red is a trustee of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Champions. In 1991, Red began holding the annual Cowboy Gathering in the Ft. Worth Stockyards and it has grown to include a chuckwagon cookoff, ranch rodeo, trappings show, horsemanship clinics, poetry and music venues and western swing dances. Don’t miss the 2014 event, set for Oct 23-25!! The Texas Legislature named him The Official Cowboy Poet of Texas in 1991. Let’s don’t leave out that in 1975 he discovered Reba McIntire and signed her to a recording contract with Mercury Records. His book of poetry “Ride for the Brand” was published in 1993, and ten years later, his book on ranch life “Born to this Land” was published. You can locate Red’s name in the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in OKC, shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Will Rogers, Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Goodnight and Charlie Russell. He’s a big hearted guy with a love for horses, cattle, people and all things western, and I’m glad to know that Western entertainment culture has embraced him right back. Catch his radio show “Cowboy Corner” on KSST 1230AM at 6am Saturdays as often as you can.
(Peggy, can you get a photo of Red from the internet…Wikipedia has a good one)

Here’s a tip for an upcoming Western event in Hopkins County…the St. Jude Trail Ride to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. It’s set for Saturday November 8 at the 2J Ranch in Como, Texas. If you and your horse can travel out there, please join the riders. If you have no horse, you can hop on one of the wagons and ride along. With about 15 wagons, and each having space for a dozen riders, there’s a pretty good bet there will be room for you. Bring any children you have access to that might enjoy the experience. At the end of the 2-hour loop on back roads, the trail riders will end back up at the 2J Ranch for the BBQ lunch and auction. If you have an auction item they might use to gather a little more funding for St. Jude’s hospital, let Jim Murray know. His # is 903-488-3030.
(Peggy, I’m sending two photos for this part, please label them “Jim and Jean Murray, organizers and sponsors at the 2014 Trail Ride kickoff and “You know you’re getting close when you see the gate”)

Speaking of wagons, you know that pioneers and settlers from the east moving into our part of this land had to travel during some bad weather. Then, once they got to where they were headed, or just stopped moving, Texas weather probably treated them every which way too. Quilts were the way you kept warm. There were little to no store-bought blankets, thermal underwear or other weaponry for the cold. Quilts rightfully have a rich heritage among Americans everywhere. Here in Hopkins County, we proudly uphold the best of quilting heritage at the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Show, held each year in September. The Quilt Show will be held September 19 and 20 in Sulphur Springs, at The Roc building of First Baptist Church, near downtown. Admission is $5 for adults, and children under 12 are admitted free. About 125 quilts will be hung for viewing, plus special exhibits and demonstrations. I hope you’ll be able to attend! (peggy, pls remind me about any photos for this quiltthing)

Weatherman says we’ll have a cool spell by this weekend. That will be nice! Take care and enjoy each day you are given, and let’s never forget where all good things and blessings come from! I’ll be watching for you at the corral gate!!

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