Description
Through the years the rodeo arena not only boasted death-defying entertainment that would make professional cowboys consider carefully, but featured a virtual who’s who of American popular culture. Readers will probably be treated to stories about a lot of American and Texas folk heroes, including Western film stars ranging from Tom Mix to John Wayne, and music legends such as Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Through extensive archival research Roth introduces readers to the convict cowboys in both the rodeo arena and at the back of prison walls, giving voice to a legion of up to now forgotten inmate cowboys who risked life and limb for a couple of dollars and the applause of free-world crowds.