One of the great things about performing western music and cowboy poetry is getting to know the other performers. Over time, many have become friends and I treasure these relationships. Wes and Nancy Ruybal, the husband and wife team that make up the band Katy Creek, are two such friends. They work a great deal at promoting western music and cowboy poetry; eagerly and selflessly promoting other artists when they can. Find them at: www.katycreek.com

It was Wes and Nancy who invited me to their house for a house concert where I realized how much fun those can be. It got my wife and I to thinking about hosting other artists in our home. Our first chance came with Way Out West and it was just an excellent time for everyone. We packed our living room with a bunch of friends and neighbors and then enjoyed an intimate concert with three talented people. Slim, Tom and Emmy were fantastic. Our neighbors still talk about it.  You can find Way Out West at: http://www.myspace.com/wayoutwestmusic

Performing artists certainly enjoy the big stages and large crowds; there is a kind of energy we draw from a big crowd and the pay can be rewarding. In a living room, we measure rewards differently—by the number of new friends we make and by the time spent with old ones. Measured in this way, house concerts make us all rich in wonderful, unforgettable ways.