Cowboy Jim Garling

    Jim Garling is a native Oklahoman whose roots were established by his great grandfather in the land run of 1889 near Norman. Jim has the work ethic, tenacity, and commitment of those early pioneers and incorporates it into his teaching and performing.  
    He lives in historic Guthrie, the first territorial capitol of Oklahoma, and teaches fiddle and guitar lessons at the Double Stop Fiddle Shop. He has approximately 54 students ranging in ages from 5 to 70.
     Audiences young and old enjoy Jim's incredible vocal style, his remarkable guitar skills, and the short histories and interesting anecdotes he often tells about the songs he sings.
    His songs have a just right combination of old-style, acoustic western cowboy and western swing merging the sounds of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Sons of the Pioneers with the swinging feel of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys while retaining the cowboy flavor.  He performs cowboy-era music and music of the cowboy movie stars  as well as music of more contemporary artists who reflect on the cowboy life. He has recorded three CDs, each reflecting those styles.
      Jim has performed at numerous venues around the country: The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City; Cheyenne Cowboy Symposium, Wyoming; Western Music Association Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico (in May 2007 Jim was elected President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the WMA); Cedar Depot Memorial Celebration, Cedar, Kansas; Gene Autry Oklahoma Film & Music Festival, Gene Autry, Oklahoma; Western Heritage Days-Tom Mix Festival, Dewey, Oklahoma; Miles of Memories Country Music Festival, Hastings, Nebraska; Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival, Guthrie, Oklahoma.   
    Several Oklahoma schools and libraries have selected Jim to do programs that incorporate western cowboy music and the history of the State of Oklahoma and traditions of our country.  He is continually promoting and performing cowboy/western music to preserve it for generations to come.
     Jim is available for any variety of performances or workshops at festivals, schools, libraries, private functions, public concerts or house concerts.  He is listed on the Oklahoma Arts Council Touring Roster which can provide funding for 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Check their website (or call 405-521-2931) for information about Jim and if you qualify for funding: www.arts.ok.gov

Jim's videos on YouTube.com
Video from National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
on OklaVision.TV
See a short PERFORMANCE VIDEO - Click here
Interview - In his own words, Jim reflects on western music and
the people who perform and love it, in an interview with
Rhine Nyen, DJ from Steamboat Springs, Colorado

 Also see:   
Bio - Jim Garling & Sons of the Sage,
Bio - Jim Garling & Prairie Drifters

Touring Roster of Oklahoma Arts Council www.arts.ok.gov
Mid-America Arts Alliance www.maaa.org
Chamber of Commerce, Guthrie, Oklahoma www.guthrieok.com
WMA (Western Music Association) www.westernmusic.org
           President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the WMA
AWA (Academy of Western Artists) www.awa-awards.org
OCTMA (Oklahoma City Traditional Music Association) www.octma.org