"I've been nominated over the years, which is always a pleasant discovery... but to actually win it is a wonderful thing."
"The Western Music Association describes the award as recognizing a person who writes "with imaginative power and beauty of thought, with the ability to enable audiences to develop a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Western lifestyle through performance.... Rhyme, meter, stage presence, entertainment value, technical excellence, word choices, and originality are all considered.""
""While I'd like to believe it involves the strength of the writing," he said, "part of it could be exposure while I've been the headline act at gatherings and festivals around the country.""
""Maybe part of the award is to recognize folks who are doing what they can to further the art or work to attract young writers.""
Tom Swearingen, a Tualatin resident, won the male Cowboy Poet of the Year award from the International Western Music Association for the third time last fall, after earlier wins in 2019 and 2022. He also received Cowboy Poetry Book of the Year in 2020 for Reflection. The juried award begins with about 700 fans and performers nominating finalists, and an expert jury making the final decision. Criteria include imaginative power, beauty of thought, ability to deepen appreciation for Western lifestyle, rhyme, meter, stage presence, entertainment value, technical excellence, word choices, and originality. Swearingen attributes success to writing strength, exposure as a headliner, mentoring young writers, and recent recording activity.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]