Cut ’em out, Rawhide - Tucumcari celebrates Rawhide Days

Two days of events across the community, representation of three families of “Rawhide” stars and more than 2,000 in attendance have the Rawhide Days Festival coordinators looking toward next year’s event. Event founder Karen Alarcon said she was ecstatic and almost in tears as she rode in Saturday’s parade along Route 66 in Tucumcari. The inaugural Rawhide Days Festival was held Friday and Saturday with events at both the Tucumcari Convention Center and Tucumcari Historical Museum. Residents and visitors enjoyed gunfighter shows, trick ropers, vendors, performances by state and Nashville artist all celebrating the TV series “Rawhide” and the heritage of the Old West. Special guests Shirley Brinegar, widow of Paul Brinegar, Kimber Eastwood, daughter of Clint Eastwood and Chrystie Wooley, daughter of Sheb Wooley, took part in events as both event royalty and participants. Luke Reed of Santa Fe and Mike Moutoux of Silver City kicked off the concert that was highlighted by musical performances by the Next Generation Band: Sons and Daughters of Country Legends. The performers including Wooley, Robyn Young, son of Faron Young and Jett Williams, daughter of Hank Williams. Wooley said the audience was extremely attentive from the beginning to end of the concert. She said it was surprising considering how far back the tables were from the stage. “I was afraid that we might lose the audience, but we didn’t,” Wooley said. Wooley said she felt the kind of music that was played during the concert jogged a lot of happy memories for members of the audience. She said traditional country has more of an emotional and sentimental feeling for the audience and performers alike...more