GARLAND, TEXAS—The Granville Theater became the latest venue to host the ever-expanding Will Rogers Awards, a selection process conducted by the Academy of Western Artists to celebrate the finest in Western arts, crafts, and culture.

The awards show, held Aug. 7 (always on a Tuesday night), was opened with a welcome by Bobby Newton, editor/publisher of Rope Burns and director of the AWA, and by Charles Williams, executive vice president, who announced his upcoming retirement from the AWA and related wonderful memories of his time with the organization. Lynn Anderson (country recording star and cutting horse champion) joined with Wayne Mitchell to present several categories. A special moment occurred when Liz Anderson, Lynn’s mother, was awarded Western Music Songwriter of the Year for “I Rode in as a Stranger,” which Lynn Anderson performed for the crowd later in the evening. Later in the proceedings, Anderson won Best Western Music CD/Album for her Cowgirl effort. The gathering onstage became a family affair as Anderson called her father to join them at the podium.

A crowd favorite was Tammy Gislason of Canada, who as “Tammy Pearl” does a contemporary impression of Minnie Pearl, in addition to her regular performance routine of Western music and song. With her checkered tablecloth dress, widebrimmed hat with the requisite price tag still attached, and red tap shoes, Tammy Pearl fetched big laughs for her commentary on the ways of city folks and her quest to find a “feller.” Gislason was this year’s winner of the Skinny Rowland Humor Award.

Lynn Anderson sings one of her hits

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing, and as Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition took the stage, the crowd got just that—Mata’s traditional country with that big swing sound. Mata is past winner of several AWAs. In 2005 the popular performer was the biggest winner of the evening as he took home Entertainer of the Year, as well as Best Western Swing Male. Outstanding performances were given by other previous AWA honorees, including Leighan Cortes, Bobby Flores (Swing Instrumentalist), and Doug Moreland (Entertainer of the Year).

This year’s roll of winners included some familiar, popular names as well as numerous first-time winners. The Cindy Walker Award was given to Jerry Max Lane, who personifies country music just as did the musical namesake of this award. Singer, songwriter, bandleader, stage actor, and world-class honky-tonk owner for 40 years, Lane earned the enduring respect of his peers and fans from around the world.

Craftsmen might not enjoy the day-to-day spotlight so much as entertainers, but this was the night for several. Tony Wallace was named Spurmaker of the Year; George Holt was Saddlemaker of the Year; Nate Wald was Braider/Hitcher of the Year; and Bill Lusk was Engraver of the Year. The Garnet Brooks Chuckwagon Award was presented to Bob and Nancy Sparks, operators of the B-S Wagon. (Incidentally, any who wonder if chuckwagons qualify as art could get their answer by attending any of the popular chuckwagon competitions around the country. Not only do the cooks prepare meals fit for a gourmand, they do so outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions, using equipment identical to that used by chuckwagon cooks on cattle drives. The results can be impressive, to say the least.) Winner of Best Artist was Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, who is profiled in Joe Brown’s column in this issue (pp. 84- 88). As an added treat for readers, we have prepared an online “virtual gallery” of Shoofly’s artwork, viewable by clicking one of our links at www.americancowboy.com/nd07. Noted cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell took honors as Best Male Cowboy Poet. Mitchell’s performances have spanned the gamut from local poetry gatherings to The Tonight Show on NBC.

Regular readers of American Cowboy will recognize the names of Chelsea Beck (Best Yodeler), The Quebe Sisters (Best Western Music Group), The Light Crust Doughboys (Best Western Swing Group), and Gislason as performers or acts AC magazine has profiled in past issues.

Presenters included the likes of R.J. Vandergriff (trainer/entertainer), Anne Lockhart (actress and Western producer), Tracy Pitcox (record producer), Dallas McCord, and Eddie Kilroy (XM radio DJ, host of “Willie’s Place”). With the awards being presented by fewer presenters handling multiple categories, less time was spent getting on and off stage and this year’s ceremony moved more quickly and entertainingly than past years’.

Lynn Anderson closed the evening by singing one of her biggest hits, “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.”

AWA organizers have stated that they seek to honor the best and brightest in all facets of contemporary cowboy heritage with their conferrals of the Will Rogers Award. They seek to recognize outstanding talent, craftsmanship, and artistry in those who exemplify the cowboy way of life.

Will Rogers was, of course, the most famous cowboy entertainer of his day—and arguably the most famous of all time. His diverse talents included achievements as humorist, columnist, movie star, radio commentator, comedian, author, trick roper, and cowboy philosopher, and he also did duty as America’s unofficial “Ambassador at Large.” The Will Rogers Award is a statuette of the performer.

For more information on the Academy of Western Artists go to www.awa-awards.org.