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Chester A. Reynolds Award
Awarded in 2019
Dave Stamey
Dave Stamey is one of the most celebrated cowboy singer-songwriters and entertainers of the modern era. A nationally acclaimed performer, Stamey was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and has been recognized five times by True West Magazine as the Best Living Solo Western Musician. Over the course of a distinguished 25-year career, he has accumulated many honors, but one of the most meaningful came on April 13, 2019, when he received the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum—recognizing him as a true steward of Western tradition and, simply put, an exceptional singer and songwriter.
Stamey’s work has become part of the musical fabric of the American West. Western Horseman named his iconic “Vaquero Song” one of the greatest Western songs of all time, while Cowboys & Indians has dubbed him “the Charlie Russell of Western Music.” Before taking the stage full-time, he lived the life he sings about—working as a cowboy, mule packer, and dude wrangler. Today, he stands among the most popular and respected Western entertainers performing anywhere in the country.
Even with a demanding touring schedule, Stamey continues to produce new creative work. He released his twelfth album, Good Dog, showcasing the wit, tenderness, storytelling, and musical craftsmanship audiences have come to expect from his compositions. His recent literary projects offer a deeper look at his artistry: The First Twenty-Five Years: Songs and Stories (2018) includes more than 60 original songs and their backstories, while Pigaroo and the Code of the West (2021) presents a collection of original short stories.
His music resonates far beyond the cowboy world. As Baxter Black once wrote, “It doesn’t matter if you are a farmer, an electrician, deputy sheriff, horse shoer, own a tire dealership, or are an English major at Stanford—Davey will touch your heart through laughter and song.” Seth Hopkins, Director of the Booth Western Art Museum, summed it up simply: “Perhaps the greatest cowboy balladeer alive today.”
Dave Stamey remains a powerful voice for Western storytelling—preserving the spirit, humor, and heart of the American West one song at a time.
Dave Stamey is one of the most celebrated cowboy singer-songwriters and entertainers of the modern era. A nationally acclaimed performer, Stamey was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and has been recognized five times by True West Magazine as the Best Living Solo Western Musician. Over the course of a distinguished 25-year career, he has accumulated many honors, but one of the most meaningful came on April 13, 2019, when he received the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum—recognizing him as a true steward of Western tradition and, simply put, an exceptional singer and songwriter.
Stamey’s work has become part of the musical fabric of the American West. Western Horseman named his iconic “Vaquero Song” one of the greatest Western songs of all time, while Cowboys & Indians has dubbed him “the Charlie Russell of Western Music.” Before taking the stage full-time, he lived the life he sings about—working as a cowboy, mule packer, and dude wrangler. Today, he stands among the most popular and respected Western entertainers performing anywhere in the country.
Even with a demanding touring schedule, Stamey continues to produce new creative work. He released his twelfth album, Good Dog, showcasing the wit, tenderness, storytelling, and musical craftsmanship audiences have come to expect from his compositions. His recent literary projects offer a deeper look at his artistry: The First Twenty-Five Years: Songs and Stories (2018) includes more than 60 original songs and their backstories, while Pigaroo and the Code of the West (2021) presents a collection of original short stories.
His music resonates far beyond the cowboy world. As Baxter Black once wrote, “It doesn’t matter if you are a farmer, an electrician, deputy sheriff, horse shoer, own a tire dealership, or are an English major at Stanford—Davey will touch your heart through laughter and song.” Seth Hopkins, Director of the Booth Western Art Museum, summed it up simply: “Perhaps the greatest cowboy balladeer alive today.”
Dave Stamey remains a powerful voice for Western storytelling—preserving the spirit, humor, and heart of the American West one song at a time.
