John Wayne rides again

From USA Today: "A century after John Wayne's birth and nearly three decades after his death, commemorations in Wayne's birthplace of Winterset, Iowa, and adopted hometown of Newport Beach, Calif., are putting America's favorite celluloid cowboy back in the spotlight.

"Of course, he never really left."

Everything's bigger in Texas

The world’s largest equestrian bronze statue – a colossal monument weighing 340,000 pounds and standing 36 feet high -- will be unveiled Saturday, at the entrance of the El Paso International Airport. Named “The Equestrian,” the monument was sculpted by John Sherrill Houser and associate sculptor Ethan Taliesin Houser, and commissioned by the city government of El Paso as the second of 12 sculptures intended to depict 400 years of history at the Pass of the North.

Ring of fire

The late, great Johnny Cash's longtime lakeside home in Tennessee burned to the ground Tuesday. The 13,800-square-foot house -- where Johnny and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived from the late 1960s until their deaths in 2003 -- was a showcase where he wrote many of his best songs and entertained U.S. presidents, music royalty and visiting fans. It was also where director Mark Romanek filmed most of Johnny's most famous music video -- for my money, maybe the greatest and definitely the most affecting music video ever made -- available for viewing here.

Pssst! Want to buy a stuffed buffalo? Or a gate from the OK Corral?

A collection of more than 10,000 Western and Native American artifacts -- including, no kidding, the gates from the OK Corral -- will go on the auction block in Dallas next fall. The items were amassed over a period of years (and purchased with city funds) by Harrisburg, Penn. mayor Stephen R. Reed, who had hoped to display them in a Wild West museum that would re-create Tombstone, Ariz., circa 1881. But those dreams were shattered when Harrisburg had to face up to severe fiscal crisis.

Home improvement takes a Westward direction

Members of an Alabama family have brought a distinctly Western touch to decorating their living room.

Blog tip of the day: Inuit & Native Art Bulletin

Check this out for timely coverage of Eskimo Inuit and Native America art.

Multiculturalism in Music City USA

As Nashville gains an increasingly more international flavor, some folks are sounding sour notes. But, hey, if Johnny Cash could add mariachi-style horns to "Ring of Fire," maybe it won't be too hard for different cultures to establish harmony.

Beezie Madden unbridled!

In this in-depth interview at the Dublin Horse Show, equestrian Beezie Madden talks about international competition, riding on a team, the different styles of her horses Authentic and Judgment, methods for keeping a stallion fresh, her plans for the future -- and loads of other stuff that horse lovers and aspiring riders will want to hear!