08/04/2026
It is with deep sadness that Cochise Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering announces that we are closing our doors. We send our thank you to all of our artists, sponsors, volunteers and attendees. You are the best! Happy Trails!
The End of an Era: Closing the Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering
The Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering has ridden into history. We wrapped up our 33rd and final Gathering in February 2026, bringing to a close more than three decades of celebrating the poetry, music, and spirit of the American West.
What began in 1993 as a simple experiment—to see whether the Western genre would resonate with our community—quickly proved its worth. In those early years, audiences regularly topped 1,000, filling venues with the rhythms of cowboy verse, guitar, and fiddle. Over time, however, changing tastes and competing entertainment options drew younger generations toward other venues. Our offerings, though rich in tradition, could no longer sustain the audiences needed to keep the Gathering thriving.
To our Co-Chairs who ramrodded the Gathering over the years, a special thanks: to our founder John Shaver; to Francine Bier; to BG Roy “Bud” Strom whose organizational skills truly developed the Gathering; to Steve Conroy; Bob Fusco; Mike Barker; George Wheat; and Nancy Fusco.
To every volunteer, organizer, and friend who poured heart and hard work into making the Cochise Gathering a true success, we offer our deepest gratitude. Your support and dedication carried us through the years. We also tip our hats to the many artists—sometimes as many as fifty in a single Gathering—who shared their talents and helped establish us as one of the premier events of its kind across the United States. May the trails ahead bring you continued success and inspiration.
To our sponsors, past and present: without your steady and generous backing, these gatherings would never have reached the scale or quality they did. You can take genuine pride in the role you played.
It is with profound sadness, yet equal pride, that the Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering Committee announces the formal closing of our Gathering. The stories, songs, and friendships forged along the way will remain part of our shared history.
Along the trail….
