🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Steinke’s artistic journey took her from Connecticut to the world stage during World War II, where she painted American leaders and sketched wounded soldiers in hospitals for their families. After marrying photojournalist Don Blair, she eventually settled in the American Southwest. There, her passion turned to Western themes and portraiture. Her home, "The Compound," in Santa Fe became a thriving creative space, and her role as a mentor to young artists earned her the affectionate nickname “Mother Blair.”

The episode also highlights Steinke’s deep ties to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Her painting Father and Daughter at the Crow Fair won a prestigious Purchase Award at the Prix de West, and she helped found the National Academy of Western Art. The museum honored her with retrospectives and a lifetime achievement award. Steinke passed away in 1999, but her artistic legacy continues to inspire through her portraits, mentorship, and contributions to elevating Western art to fine art status.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

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🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Listeners will learn how Phillips helped found the influential Taos Society of Artists in 1915, advocating for both art and the environment throughout his life. His legacy lives on in Taos, which remains a thriving art community, and at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, which currently houses some of his work. The episode also highlights the ongoing celebration of Western creativity with the 53rd Annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠 This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The podcast retraces Wayne’s journey from a small-town Iowa boy to one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons. From his early struggles in the film industry to his legendary roles and deep involvement with the museum, the episode paints a rich portrait of a man whose legacy still looms large in Western culture. With stories of family connections, iconic film props and a donation that became a cornerstone of the museum's collection, this is a must-listen for any fan of Wayne and Western heritage.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

From standing alone atop a burning tank destroyer under enemy fire to playing himself in To Hell and Back, Murphy’s life was a remarkable blend of valor, vulnerability, and the American spirit. Join us as we honor a reluctant hero whose real-life courage shaped not only the outcome of a war, but also the golden age of the Western film genre.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The episode traces Lougheed’s journey from a farm in Ontario to the studios of New York and the open plains of the American West. Along the way, it explores his influence on generations of Western artists, the continued relevance of his philosophies on art, and his impact on one of the country’s most prestigious Western art exhibitions, opening June 6 in Oklahoma City.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The episode explores how Simplot’s early experiments with dehydrating and storing potatoes led to massive government contracts during World War II. But his most transformative contribution came in the 1950s, when his company developed a process to freeze precooked French fries. That innovation aligned perfectly with the rise of fast food, culminating in a historic deal with McDonald’s that forever changed how Americans eat—and launched Simplot’s business into the stratosphere.

Listeners also get a glimpse into the larger-than-life personality behind the empire. Simplot was more than a businessman; he was a true Westerner. He built the country’s largest cattle ranch, invested in technology, and maintained a plainspoken, boot-wearing presence well into his 90s. Despite becoming one of America’s wealthiest men, he never lost his frontier pragmatism or his deep roots in the land that raised him.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Marking the 50th anniversary of Bob Wills’ passing, the episode traces his journey from a small Texas town to national stardom. You’ll hear how Wills’ childhood in the cotton fields exposed him to a wide range of musical influences, how he developed his signature style as a young performer, and how songs like “New San Antonio Rose” catapulted him to fame. Even after personal struggles and the breakup of the Texas Playboys, Wills’ music continued to inspire generations of artists and earned him places in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

We dive into Dightman’s incredible journey, from his early days working as a ranch hand and bullfighter in East Texas to his historic debut at the National Finals Rodeo in 1964. Despite the racism and obstacles that stood in his way, Dightman earned his place among rodeo’s greats, capturing wins at top-tier events like the Cheyenne Frontier Days and Calgary Stampede, and leaving an indelible mark on the sport’s history.

Listeners will also hear stories of Dightman’s mentorship, his appearances in classic rodeo films, and the legacy he’s built back home in Crockett, Texas, where a statue and an annual rodeo honor his groundbreaking career.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Beyond his announcing, Clancy was instrumental in promoting rodeos nationwide, often arriving in towns weeks ahead of events to build excitement. He also became rodeo's first historian, documenting the sport's origins and publishing influential works like My Fifty Years in Rodeo. Over his career, Clancy befriended Western legends like Will Rogers and Gene Autry, preserving the stories and spirit of early rodeo life.

Despite financial hardships, including a failed Wild West show venture during the Great Depression, Clancy remained dedicated to the rodeo world. His later years were spent writing and traveling with his wife, Alice, and their five children. In 1991, long after his passing in 1957, Clancy was honored with induction into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, ensuring his legacy endures.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

This episode recounts how Cather’s early aspirations of becoming a doctor gave way to her irresistible urge to write. From her teenage essays in the local newspaper to her rise as one of America's foremost regional authors, Cather’s literary voice resonated with authenticity and emotional depth. Though her star dimmed in the mid-century literary shift toward modernism, her works have since been rediscovered and celebrated anew for their enduring insight into human experience on the frontier.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!