Just back from the National Cowboy Gathering at Elko - what a blast!  this is a quote from the Elko News:

“With the Elko Convention Center auditorium near capacity for Saturday's final show of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, there was much at stake for ending the annual festival on a high-note. The performers did not disappoint. The hot cowboy jazz group Cow Bop led off the final performance with Pinto Pammy channeling Patsy Cline and jazz guitar virtuoso Bruce Forman picking away on the guitar, it didn't seem that things could get any better. That's when fiddler Phil Salazar let loose on the fiddle during a medley of the original piece, “The Boomer Stampede” and the classic “Orange Blossom Special.” Although more commonly heard with a harmonica solo, Salazar filled in on the fiddle, recreating every note with precision, literally sawing away at his fiddle. When it was all over, the group received an uproarious applause from the audience, and Salazar's fiddle bow had shed a few horse hairs.

“I think his horse is complaining, though,” Forman said jokingly in response to the wild applause.”

PHIL SALAZAR joins Cow Bop! World-reknown fiddler decides to become the next casualty in a ever-lengthening list of cowboppers. "I can't say how much it means to me that Phil would join our band. Besides being the best fiddler in the world, he can also play the snot out of a violin!" exclaimed Bruce Forman.

New CD: Route 66 is finished !  It's Fabulous!  Augmenting the band on this recording are: Dan Hicks (again), Shelby Eicher, Rushad Eggleston, Monty Alexander, Bobby Phillips and Noel Jewkes. Street (or trail) date is early next year...stay tuned!

Just found this great quote from the Heber City Cowboy festival last year: "the unexpected delight of the evening was the dance that followed; or rather, the dance band for the dance that followed! Pinto Pammy of Cow Bop has that smoky barroom voice of old-time torch singers, and combined with the incredible musicianship of guitarist Bruce Forman , violinist Richard Chon , and Mike McKinley on drums, this group is pure gold. I left with a CD, and I've played it almost non-stop since." Joe Lynn Kirkwood