The Cowboy Up Podcast

Mark Sublette is the founder and owner of Medicine Man Gallery . A formal Naval physician, Mark is an expert in western art, specializing in the art of Maynard Dixon. He hosts the "The Art Dealer Diaries Podcast," which features over 200 interviews with unique individuals who curate, collect, create, write, sell, and deal in Western and Native art. Mark's involvement in the arts is all-encompassin...

As a horse trainer and animal communicator,  Anna Twinney has had the opportunity to work with wild horses. She also advocates for them. What does the future hold for wild horse herds across the West? Will herds continued to be gathered, dooming some horses to a life in feedlot prison? Will birth control be used to limit the growth of herds? Will there be enough forage for herds roaming drought-st...

 "Out with the old, in with the new." Or so the saying goes. But sometimes "the old" is the best, especially when it comes to stories. Russell, Alan and Lynn reflect on the past year and the wonderful guests who we were honored to interview on the podcast. We also celebrate the life of Alan's sister and one of our national treasures, Sandra Day O'Connor. And as you'll hear, sometimes one reflectio...

No, he didn't! He sang it. Ginia Desmond knows the real story behind this beloved holiday song. She was there in sunny California when the idea hatched and the words were written. Ginia went on to write screenplays and produce movies and a whole lot more. Her award-winning indie film, " Lucky U Ranch ," is a charming coming-of-age story set in Arizona. (Available on Apple TV) And she has more film...

America's signature dishes can be found coast to coast. Crab Louie. French-fried onions. Pecan pie. You can practically taste them. Maybe you've even made them. But what most of us don't know is the history behind these epicurean delights. Culinary historian Sherry Monahan decided to investigate signature recipes, from breakfast and breads, to soups and salads, to sides and main dishes, and desser...

One of W. Michael Farmer 's favorite quotes is by the American novelist Oakley Hall. "The pursuit of truth, not facts is the business of fiction," said Hall. Farmer keeps these words in mind while penning his award-winning stories and histories, many of them about the Apaches, including Geronimo and a Mescalero Apache named Yellow Boy. Farmer speaks with Russell and Alan about his historical resea...

In April 2022, Russell and Alan spoke with Scott O'Connor, Sandra Day O'Connor's eldest son, about his mother, a woman who broke barriers, was a role model for many, and left giant footprints across our nation. Scott shared many stories about family life, including what he remembers when his mom stepped into the national spotlight. We wanted to share this wonderful conversation again as our countr...

Jolyn Young grew up in the "real" northern California—the forgotten area at the tip-top of the state with small towns, extreme poverty, and about 40 miles to the Oregonian mountains. In a childhood defined by a subdivision, she decided she wanted to be a cowboy, and two years out of college, she saw that dream through, taking a job at a Nevada ranch in the search f of horses, cattle, and the wide-...

Anna Twinney never expected to make a career out of horse whispering, animal communicating, and energy healing. After all, she was a police officer in England specializing in trauma. But then as a way to deal with burnout, she found herself in California working with Monty Roberts and learning the art of horse training and horse whispering. Anna went on to create the  Reach Out to Horses® Program...

Debbe Dunning is a multi-talented actress, host, and lifestyle influencer. She rose to fame as Heidi Keppert the "Tool Time Girl" on the hit sitcom "Home Improvement," where she won over audiences. She recently hosted her own TV show " Debbe Dunning's Dude Ranch Round-Up " on RFDTV. In addition to her acting career, Debbe is also a DIY expert, exceptional golfer and a passionate advocate for healt...

Dude ranch historian and expert  Lynn Downey decided to set her first novel," Dudes Rush In," on a dude ranch. The second book in the series, " Dude or Die ," has just been published, and guess where it takes place? You bet, on a dude ranch! Not only does her story include cowboys and some cool trick riding, the novel also introduces a character who represents a story of the American West not ofte...

Gallup, New Mexico, located in the northwest corner of the state, abuts the Navajo Nation. During his more than four decades of living in the area, Bob Rosebrough befriended many Navajos. While he was mayor of Gallup, he was introduced to a group of  Navajo Code Talkers . These men, recruited by the U.S. Marine Corps., used their traditional language to transmit secret messages to Allies fighting...

At first,  Erika Bolstad knew only one thing about her great-Grandmother, Anna: she was a homesteader on the North Dakota prairies in the early 1900s before her husband committed her to an asylum under mysterious circumstances. As Erika's mother was dying, she revealed more. Their family still owned the mineral rights to Anna's land—and oil companies were interested in the black gold beneath the p...

In the 1980's, when  Valer Clark moved from the East Coast to a cattle ranch in the Chiricahua Mountains, she fell in love with the area. But she was dismayed at how overgrazed the grasslands were. While observing running water during a forceful monsoon rain, she noticed soil accumulate behind a small rock dam. She began building rock dams, called trincheras, in eroded areas. Her efforts eventuall...

  Every October 4 th , we celebrate World Animal Day and the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. To honor the animals we love, we are re-running one of our favorite past episodes about pets. If you're an Arizona cowboy, those animals include horses and dogs, as well as a bobcat named Bobby, a hawk named Sylvester, and two javelinas named Sandra and Ann. 

In the summer of 2019, Will Grant became a traveling horseman. His plan was to ride the 2,000-mile Pony Express trail starting in St. Joseph, MO and ending in Sacramento, CA. Unlike the original riders who covered the distance in ten days, Grant planned to ride it in a little under five months. He packed his bags, saddled his two horses, Chicken Fry and Badger, and set out on the trail. What ensue...

How many authors can say they've written 67 books? Not many, but J.A. Jance can! She is the author of four series centering on retired Seattle Police Department Detective J. P. Beaumont; Coshise County Sheriff Joanna Brady; former Los Angeles news anchor turned mystery solver Ali Reynolds; and the Walker Family of Arizona. Her newest book is BLESSING OF THE LOST GIRLS, a Brady and Walker Family my...

Charlie Siringo was born in Matagorda, Texas in 1855 and went on his first cattle drive at age twelve. By age thirty, he had published a bestselling memoir,  A Texas Cowboy . His later memoir, A Cowboy Detective, focused on his career with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and influenced early crime novelists. What tales did Siringo have to tell that could fill two memoirs? As Nathan Ward reveals in...

We love our animals, small and large. So do those professionals who help us care for them. Christine Staten, DVM is a large animal veterinarian and owner of  Adobe Veterinary Center, specializing in small and large animals. She also mentors those new to the profession. During more than thirty years of practice, she has seen many changes both in the science side and business side. She chats with Ru...

He's an author, songwriter, storyteller, performer, cowboy, college prof, and Arizona's own state historian. He's Marshall Trimble , also known as the "Will Rogers of Arizona," aptly nicknamed for his wit and demeanor. He can deliver anything from a serious history lecture to a stage concert of cowboy folk music and stories with his guitar. Trimble has appeared frequently on radio and television a...

Bob West was a successful architect, working in the Denver area. He even owned a couple of horses stabled near Boulder, Colorado. But he couldn't ignore the lure of the cowboying and ranching life. After he and his wife bought the Devil's Washtub Ranch in Wyoming and relocated the family, he soon discovered that ownership of two horses does   not  equal twenty miles of fence, 3,200 deeded acres, 4...

Horses in the wild are a sight to behold! Chad Hanson knows this well. He's watched and photographed hundreds of wild horses around the West, particularly in Wyoming. In his new book, " In a Land of Awe: Finding Reverence in the Search for Wild Horses, " Chad gives homage to the equines that symbolizes freedom, beauty, and the American spirit. He joins Russell and Alan to shares his adventures and...

We had a chance to reconnect with Tucson native  Loop Rawlins , who recently performed at White Stallion Ranch. Loop is one of the most versatile western performers in the world today. His act of trick roping, whip cracking and fancy gun spinning has thrilled audiences around the world, from Vegas stages to national sports stadiums to corporate and private events and even the audience of America's...

Bestselling author C. J. Box joined us on the podcast just after the release of "Shadows Reel," his 22nd novel featuring Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett and his wife Marybeth. It's an exciting mystery of that puts the Pickett family in a pair of killers' crosshairs. With our production team enjoying summer get-aways, we decided to replay this wonderful conversation between Box and the cowboys. Box...

They all lived in the same era. Their names still ring familiar and we still remain curious about their lives. Wild Bill Hickok. Jesse James. Bat Masterson. Sitting Bull. Calamity Jane. Wyatt Earp. These are just some of the "celebrities" featured in Chris Wimmer's new book, "The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the American West." Chris speaks with Russell a...