Will Dudley: Links

Colorado Guest Ranches Where I Sing

The Rainbow Trout Guest Ranch: This guest ranch is located in south central Colorado, on the Conejos and Rio Grande Rivers. When it was built in the 20's, the main lodge was the largest freestanding log structure west of the Mississippi River. This place, no matter how many pictures you look at, has to be seen to be believed. Magnificent simply isn't a good enough word. The owners, the Van Berkum family, are the kind of people that you wish we could all be like. They are not only opening their doors to their guests, they make them feel like family.
Tarryall River Ranch: This ranch is located on the Tarryall Reservoir near Lake George, Colorado. My performances there are Tuesdays.
Powderhorn Guest Ranch: Located on the Cebolla River in the Powderhorn Valley around 40 miles south west of Gunnison in Elk and Trout Paradise, this working ranch offers everything a vacationer could ask for, from great food to wonderful rides, breathtaking scenery, and best of all, the company of the owners Shelly and Greg Williams. Their cabins are warm and homey, the ranch is located in a narrow valley with steep mountainsides and hidden lakes and trails almost right outside your door.
Echo Canyon Guest Ranch: This ranch is located between La Veta and Cuchara, Colorado, near the Spanish Peaks, part of the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Southern Colorado. It is small compared to some other ranches (25-30 guests) and the rides are unique, rugged, and extraordinarily beautiful. The owner, Dave Brown, also owns the canyon next door to Echo, and has it in an Elk Conservance. The wildlife near this ranch includes mule deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, and wild turkeys. The wildlife is in abundance, the food is incredible, and the fun at this ranch never seems to end. It is a great hideaway for a more adult crowd, although they are also very kid friendly.
The North Fork Guest Ranch: This is one of two or three of the most kid friendly ranches I've ever been to. If you like to fish for trout, go white water rafting, or ride each day, it's all there. The fishing guide, Kevin, is thoughtful, helpful, and if you can't catch a trout with his help, your hook is missing. With kids counselors available, mom and dad can rest assured that when the day is done, EVERYONE had the kind of fun they were hoping for. Dean and Karen May own this ranch, and their daughter Haley and son Tyler are two of the best ranch hands I've ever known. Haley knows more about horses than most adults I've ever met, and Dean and Karen are both not only great hosts, but incredible cooks Also, Tyler is one of the most sociable, humorous, and unique young men I've ever met. Dean is also an incredible carpenter, and the cabins and rooms reflect his thoughtful nature and both his and Karen's eye for detail.
Waunita Hot Springs Ranch: This ranch, located 20 miles east of Gunnison, Colorado, is owned by the Pringle family, and I've sung there sinse 1999. It's alcohol free, and the owners are the very best of all people. I am honored to call them my friends, and I don't say that lightly. Rod Pringle, the patriarch of this family, is a role model extraordinaire, and his wife Junelle might be one of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life, and that's just the beginning. Rod's son Ryan and his wife Tammy run the operations of the ranch, and when I want to talk to a friend, laugh with a friend, or just hang around with a friend, I think of Ryan and his brothers Wes and Rod. I've watched their kids grow, and their ranch flourish sinse I started singing there with the Waunita Wranglers, and my memories of this ranch include a horseback ride up to 13,000 feet, to the summit of Stella, one of the mountains nearby where the view can only be rivaled, in my opinion, by a heavenly one. It is the most unique of all places, and home to a hot springs pool, incredible home cooking, elk herds, bear, and all sorts of unique and wonderful wildlife. The accomodations are lodge accomodations, the guests come from everywhere, and your stay at this ranch will become a memory of a lifetime.

Arizona Ranches Where I Sing

Rancho de los Caballeros: This horse ranch, guest ranch, 18 hole golf course, and hidden paradise is located in Wickenburg, Arizona, about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix in the Valley of the Sun. It hosts the Giddyup Gals, a nationwide group of equestrian women, and the people who work at this ranch are some of the very best in the west. It has been hosting some families for as long as 50 years, and is visited regularly by folks from around the world.
Kay El Bar Guest Ranch: This guest ranch is definitely for the family. With a capacity of only about 30 people or so, it's all about personal attention and incredible accomodations. Of all the ranches where I've ever played, their tortilla soup is the best I've ever had. And that's just the beginning. Riding, roping, incredible sonoran desert views and food that'll make your tastebuds think you're in heaven. I started playing at this ranch in 1999, and consider John and Nancy Loftis, the owners, to be among my best friends. It holds a special place in my heart, not only for the beauty of the surrounding Sonoran Desert, but the remarkable and wonderful people who have found it and have made it their own secret "ranch getaway".

My Favorite Musicians

Tracy Grammer Website: This woman sings amazing songs, plays with the finest pickers in the northeast, and tours extensively. She is without a doubt my favorite folk singer. If you're looking for redneck country or traditional cowboy songs and conservative views, though, think again. She used to sing behind Joan Baez, and her convictions ring through in her music. Also, her voice is incredibly beautiful to hear, and she is one monster good fiddler, a fine guitar player, and someone whose career I will follow with great hope. I would suggest buying her album "Flower of Avalon" first. "Tanglewood Tree", one she recorded with the late Dave Carter, is also eye opening and beautiful. She is simply a higher calibre performing artist with better songs than far too many others.

All Things Cowboy

Western Today: This very cool site is all about everything COWBOY. If you want to know where the festivals are, what music the wranglers and hired hands are listening to, or just what they're wearing, this is one good stop
Cowboy Showcase: Lee Raines is a marvelous photographer, and can usually be found with Mike Laughlin, who not only writes for Western Horseman, but is cowboy to the core. Lee took the cover photos on two of my cd's, and her and Mike are two of my dearest friends in Wickenburg, Arizona. They travel, she shoots, he writes, and it's all about cowboys, stockmen, horses, and the good things that surround the western lifestyle.
Classic Heartland: Marvin O'Dell is the best. He plays good music on his internet radio station, and does more to promote the cowboy lifestyle and way than most anyone I know. This site is all about what the cowboys like to sing and write about.