March 4, 2026

Howdy everyone!

In February 2019, when the Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering announced it was ceasing operations, many people thought Gatherings in Alpine would end. Thanks to hard work by a large group of volunteers and committed financial supporters, that story was rewritten into a new beginning, and in February 2020, Joel Nelson and Red Steagall, along with many others, were back on stage in Alpine, with a membership program and online ticket sales firmly in place.

Two weeks later, a pandemic changed the way we lived. The Gathering changed with it, filming two sets of musicians and poets on their home ranches, and distributing those two films to replace the 2021 Gathering.

Each year, the Gathering has evolved, introducing scannable badges for convenience, member credit toward tickets, and reserved seating for attendee convenience and safety.

For 2026, we braved expansion into a new host town and its new venues, necessitated by a lack of hotel rooms in Alpine. We brought 35 cowboy poets and musicians to another part of the state, rich in ranches and cowboy history, and accessible via a day trip to several major Texas cities. The response was fantastic, and now Bastrop is buzzing about cowboy music and poetry. We also kept our commitment to Alpine, holding a simultaneous smaller but top-notch event there with 18 performers.

We also introduced our planned giving program, which enables supporters to help sustain the Gathering long-term through a planned gift.

Everything we have built, and everything we hope to create in the coming years, takes money. We are committed to paying performers fairly for their work, and since 2020, we have brought in more than 40 performers per year. We also contract with sound engineers, lighting designers, videographers, photographers, event coordinators, and venues. Our event producer and Board members are all volunteers, and we have no full-time staff.

Many of you purchased tickets for Alpine and Bastrop 2026 - thank you! And over 160 of you are current members - we thank you for your membership.

But we are also asking you to consider donating to our Gathering Fund in one of two ways:

1) Pledging funds to double-match donations. (Pledges will be collected as donations are double-matched.) Supporters have pledged over $36,000 to date to be used to double-match donations. Our goal in pledges is $100,000.

Yes, I want to pledge to encourage others to give

2) Donating funds ($1 becomes $3!)

Yes, I want my donation to be tripled

Our goal for the Gathering Fund by June 30 is $150,000. Won't you give to help sustain and stabilize the Gathering?

We are looking forward to a bright future for the Gathering. Thank you for your commitment and help in making that happen.

All the best,
Kay and Gene Nowell
Co-Chairs
Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering

P.S. Every donation helps. Can you give today, and have it tripled by our generous supporters?

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