Wendy Corr:
Well, hey there folks, welcome to The Roundup. We are a podcast that focuses on really interesting people from the cowboy state or who live in the cowboy state, who are attached to the cowboy state. This guy is all three.
This guy that we're going to talk to today has made the rounds in the tourism industry. He's currently working for Cheyenne Frontier Days, and has so many stories to tell, about music, about people, about places here in Wyoming.
This is Jim Wilkinson, and if you haven't met Jim, which I'd be surprised if there are people in the state that haven't met him, because Jim has made himself known around the state. So I want to welcome Jim Wilkinson to The Roundup. Hello, Jim! We have known each other for a while, right?
Jim Wilkinson:
Yeah, we have. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate it. I hope I'm as interesting as you, as you, as you say, I am. I looked at some of these other guys, and they do some pretty cool things. But I thought, well, hopefully I'm interesting enough for your audience to find it interesting.
Wendy Corr:
You know, for me, Jim, you have such you've touched so many people in your journey around the state, whether it's in the tourism industry, whether it's in advertising, whether it's in music, because you're a musician as well, and you make your way around the state playing music and and you've got a radio background.
So I want to kind of dive into this, but first, there's not a whole lot of people that we talk to, Jim, who started out life in Rock Springs, Wyoming, but that's where you are from. Tell us about growing up in Rock Springs and how that launched you into the rest of your career?
Jim Wilkinson:
Yeah, my mom and dad, you know, they, they got there, like in the 1940s and stuff. So they were, they were true Rock Springs, family on the, on the, you know, on the bitter Creek there. And so I was, I was born in 63 there, so in the early 60s, and I lived there, you know, my whole life I and I graduated from Rock Springs High School in 1981.
But I was really proud to be from Rock Springs. You know, it was a hard working community. It was a really kind of a small town when I was born there. And I've always said, you know, Rock Springs, when you tell people you're from Rock Springs, or you're from Gillette, the first thing they say is, I'm sorry. It's like, Don't be sorry. Don't be sorry, because the view looking from the inside out is a lot better than the view from the outside looking in, you know.
And I'm very proud to be from Rock Springs Wyoming, in Sweetwater County. I love it there. And so I love growing up in Rock Springs. And then after that, you know, I went to University of Wyoming, and then, and then life started to happen.
Wendy Corr:
And life started to happen. And you have, you, you embarked on a career. You started out. Did you start out in radio? Jim,
Jim Wilkinson:
I, you know, I delved in radio a little bit when I was in high school, a little bit. But actually I delved in, I was in theater, and it's kind of a weird background, but I was a theater major in the University of Wyoming, I got us, I got a scholarship at the University of Wyoming and and I studied theater, and I loved acting and singing and things
Wendy Corr:
That explains a lot about you, and that really does Yes, coming from a fellow theater major, that explains a lot. There you go
Jim Wilkinson:
in speech and debate, you know. And I think you know, you if you can teach kids to communicate, they can do anything, you know, I mean, they can do it's just important at one time or another, you're going to get asked to get up in front of an audience, and you're going to have to give a speech, or you're going to have to give your thoughts or something like that. And if you can communicate, man, there's a lot of things you can do with your life.
So I really, I really love my background in theater and speech and debate and all that stuff that kind of kind of formed and molded me, what I what I became in the future.
Wendy Corr:
So you, you did Speech and Debate, you did the University of Wyoming, proud. UW cowboy. Very good. And then, but it took you away from Wyoming for a time, and tell us about that.
Jim Wilkinson:
Yeah, see, I was, well, I was, I had this bad attitude that I wanted to be a performer. That's all I've ever wanted to be was a performer, you know. So I was in theater and and it just wasn't enough for me. It just wasn't enough that, you know.
I was, in, I was in plays, and, you know, I always thought I deserved the lead, and I didn't get, always get the lead. And so I wanted to be, I wanted to perform every day, you know, so that's when I kind of left in,
And I was, I was performing in bands, you know, when I was in high school and things like that. And I was, then I got to college, and I was performing in bands. So I thought maybe it's the music thing that I really need to be doing.
And so that's when, you know, I told my mom and dad that, you know, I'm I'd like to go on the road with a band called the innocents from San Francisco, California. And much to their chagrin, they're like, really, that's what you want to do. It's like, yeah, you know this college things is, is great, but it's you.
It's just not what I want to do. So I so I got to go on the road in in the innocence, and we travel, you know, throughout the country and and did a lot around Wyoming in the early 80s, you know, around 8085 86 you know.
We played in Cody back in the day, you know, at the Holiday Inn, we played in Riverton, you know, we played in places like that, Gillette up at the complex and things like that, you know. So that's where I learned.
I can truly say I learned more on the road as a musician than I ever learned in college. You know, it was just really life. It was life changing experiences. That's add that happens, that happens so often as our education happens after we after we get out of college.
Wendy Corr:
So you were, you were able to follow your dream of being in a band and do those things. We'll come back to the music. We'll come back to the music. But, but you found yourself in Kansas at one point,
Jim Wilkinson:
Yeah. So then after, the after, I got off the road, you know, I wasn't making a whole bunch of money, you know. So I went back home to Rock Springs, of course. And then I got, I worked for kiss at FM, and I got, kind of my feet on the ground in the radio.
And then from there, I worked in in Logan, Utah, worked in Salt Lake City for a little bit. I worked in Laramie at KRQU. And then so, and it was the late 80s by then, and I had, I accepted a job in in Wichita, Kansas, and in a rock station.
It was 96 three krzcz, and I was Jim Wilson. Back then I took on the name, that's where I became Jim Wilson, and they changed my name. And so I was doing nights, and every single night there was a tornado.
And one particular night, the the windows kind of blew out of the radio station, and we were huddled in this little closet, and they said, we'll just do, you know what, what you we're taught in grade school, it's a tornado. And I said, you know, I, I grew up in Wyoming, and we didn't have a lot of tornados there.
And so, so I put in my notice the next day, and guy named Chuck snow, Tony Montoya is his really name. He was, he was working at kkz here in Cheyenne, and he said, Well, I've got an afternoon spot here, and why don't you come over and do it? He offered me $1,000 a month. It's all he had. And I said, I'll be there in two weeks.
And so right before Cheyenne Frontier Days, I show up in in a truck and long hair and a radio station that was kind of out in the country, and it wasn't much of anything coming from, you know, a major market in Wichita. And I thought, What have I done?
And so my my goal was just to stay just a few, a few, a few weeks to a year, and then move on to Fort Collins and Denver. And I had my sights set on a major market, but it just didn't work out that way. Here I am, I'm still here.
Wendy Corr:
Here you are, you're still here. And that's that's great. Now, Jim, you have you. You got out of radio, and you made your way into the tourism industry, which is where I think you have met so many people across the state. Tell us about your travels, marketing Wyoming, because that's what you did. You marketed Wyoming.
Jim Wilkinson:
I did, you know. And that kind of relates to radio too, you know. And I think everybody around the state may know a guy, his name is Chuck Coon, and on the radio, his name was Curtis Scott, and we met on the radio, well, well, that he had been in radio for in shine for a long time, and then he delved into the tourism industry, and then he started working for the state.
And then it was about, Gosh, I guess it was around 19 or maybe 2001 I guess when, when Diane Schober was the Director of Tourism, and she had worked in Chicago with a company called Weaver multimedia group, and they were doing the official Chicago travel guide.
And so when they said, Well, we're going to hire Weaver to do the official Wyoming travel guide. And I think this was 2001 I want to say, or something to that effect, 2000 I can't remember, years now, they go, they go by. It might have been, it might have been later than that, 2005 to six anyway, I guess it doesn't matter, but, but Diane was looking for somebody.
And Chuck said, hey, they're looking for a guy to sell the official Wyoming travel guide around the state. She he said, Jim, it'd be a great job for you. You travel around, you talk to people and and I said, Well, I think I could do that.
So, so I got hired. It was Weaver multimedia back then, and we did the official Wyoming travel guide. We had a winter guide and a summer guide. And so I just traveled all over the state, and I met so many people in the tourism industry, and we put out this publication, and it was and I enjoyed it.
And so that that led to, you know, we were becoming miles Weaver and then becoming miles destination marketing. And to my knowledge, they're still doing the official Wyoming travel guide, but I got to meet people like Claudia Wade and Rick honing housing up in your neck of the woods. And you know, Jim waldrops of the world, you know. And of course, my roots back in Rock Springs and in every corner of the state.
And I was a pretty good ambassador of Wyoming, because I loved it. And I remember a guy, gene, Brian was the Director of Tourism annual back in the day. Do you know gene is a very special
Wendy Corr:
Yes, yes.
Jim Wilkinson:
And he always said that if you can, if you can just talk to people, if you can just talk to people when they come to town, you they may stay another night. All they're looking for is a little advice. And so I took that philosophy and I went when I went to town, I love to see my clients, but I also like to go to a restaurant or belly up to a bar and talk to people that were here and tell them about Wyoming and tell them about things.
Because I think we get so jaded living in this state, when people come from Chicago, where they come from, you know these big cities in in it's concrete and steel. But if we can, we can show them about places like Rock Springs and places like a natural bridge up in, up in Converse County, just these little things that we take for granted every single day that they go, this isn't, this is an incredible state.
And I go, you're so right. You're, you know, just just, it's just the little things that matter. We have, we have huge things like Yellowstone National Park and Cheyenne for our two days. But there's also some little nooks and crannies this state that I love to tell people about so they can go see it and see it for themselves.
And then hopefully what that does is is once you, once you, once you get bit by that Wyoming bug, then your family is going to come back here for generations and generations. And that's the way we've built this thing called Wyoming tourism. I think one tourism, one tourist at a time.
Wendy Corr:
I love that one tourist at a time. It's so true. It's so true. We get people that come back to us year after year after year. And it's a very exciting thing when you can make old friends, right?
Jim Wilkinson:
Oh yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, absolutely, you know. And I've made so many great friends.
Wendy Corr:
Yes, you have.
Jim Wilkinson:
I've made great friends in the industry, of course. And it's, that's, it's like a big family. You know, I remember we used to start, when I first started, that I would had a little band and we would play at the Tourism Conference. Well, well, these people, they didn't stop talking because they love each other.
I told Diane one time, is that these people, all they want to do is just talk. All they want to do is hang out and they want to talk. And it's just a big love fest. It's, it's a big family and tourism so and they're, they're, they're incredible people, because they're the, you know, some of the front line people that greet our visitors every year after year. They're just, they just love what they do in and everybody's just one big, huge family in the Wyoming tourism family. It's cool. It
Wendy Corr:
It is cool. And you've you've taken all of those connections that you made while working for miles, you've taken that now, and you've got a role at Cheyenne Frontier Days. And tell us now about the inner workings. We want to hear the inner workings of Cheyenne Frontier Days, what it takes to put it on, and what it is, what it is that makes Cheyenne Frontier Days, even though it's down there in Cheyenne, what makes it a draw for the entire state? Why do people from up here in Northwest Wyoming make sure that they're making a beeline to CFD every year?
Jim Wilkinson:
I think it's just because there's just nothing else like it. You know, there's a lot of rodeos out there, but a Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo is in different in so many aspects, and one is that there's so many rodeos out there that are subsidized by maybe a city like in Houston or a whiskey in Pendleton, but Wyoming, Cheyenne Frontier Days was built on the back of our volunteers. And what we do is we take the revenue that we make year after year, and we put it right back into what we do and make our park bigger and better.
And our our rodeo is, is, is truly ran by volunteers. We were the rodeo that gave just a volunteer a high level position and in to to to to control a rodeo that's called the daddy of them all. This is the largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration in the world. And and when people come and see it, and they see the cowboy hats, and they see the how we how we respect our military, it's it's very touching.
And the company, Cowboy State daily. And you know Jimmy, or he worked for pacematic Before he got here. And pace O Matic is our biggest sponsors. And here's a great example. These guys are from Atlanta, Georgia, and they've been coming here for four years now. They bring in a ton of people every year.
But Michael pace, the owner of the company, and his staff, they came the first time, and they said, We've never seen anything like this. They had a quote. He said, We got off the plane in in in Atlanta, Georgia, and we landed in America and, and what a great quote and, and what a great attribute to Cheyenne for two days in the city of Cheyenne and state of Wyoming, because we respect our military,
Jim Wilkinson:
we're hard working, you know, stall to the earth people who, All we wanted to do is make those guys happy. And, and they thought, this was, this is this is this is America. This is, this is America. This is the America that they wanted to live in. And so that's what shine Frontier Days is, I think, you know, in all the volunteerism.
Jim Wilkinson:
This thing was created, you know, 128 years ago as a way to pull people from Colorado to make money. And, and it's still going on. It's still it's still the volunteers are still excited about what they do. And, and the rodeo is better than ever.
You know, I'll put our rodeo up against any rodeo in the world. You know, it's just, it's wild west, it's outdoor, it's rain or shine, and nobody minds. We have night shows this year.
We we're going to have some some rain storms here in Cheyenne. My sponsors sometimes have to stand out in that mud and watch a concert. And you know what they're they're just happy to be there, you know? And it's, it's just something shine for two days. Is unlike anything in the in the world.
And our our sponsors, especially the ones from out of town, they tell us that every year, and that just gives you a little more umph to to do it better and bigger and better every year.
Wendy Corr:
Yes, it does. And so that's your job, is you take care of these, these sponsors. That's the hat that you wear, I guess, during shine Frontier Days. But that's, it's a big job, but it's also it's got to be a lot of fun for you, because you're here showing off your home state to these people.
Jim Wilkinson:
Oh, yeah, it's great. You know, I do have a pretty good job. You know, there's only, I think there's only 18 full time employees that shine frontier day. So we're very lean, and we do a lot of different things. But my job is, when I first got here, this was a mere, like, six years ago.
I mean, I mean working at CFD for about six years, and I worked with Carrie Balkan. Carrie Balkan was here for 38 years, and she just retired last February. She was my we always she was my work wife, you know, I was her work husband. Everybody's got one of those, right? And I worked side by side with her for six years, and then she retired.
But in the in that time that I was able to work with her, we went from prospecting for Cheyenne Frontier Days sponsors, and then we built this nice building here. And I think you've been here, the Event Center, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Event Center. And when we built this, we were able to really offer our sponsors a VIP experience, a world class experience.
And so since that time, and this was, you know, we built it right before the pandemic, and then right after the pandemic our years. It was the 120/5 anniversary of Frontier Days. In 2021 we brought in Garth Brooks and all these things and and things just began to fall into place for us.
And now we've got an actual waiting list of sponsors, because there's only so many people we can put in this building. I wish we'd have made it bigger, you know.
So we've got a waiting list of sponsors, but our sponsors are for anybody that Albertsons, which is a grocery store and cowboy skill, you know, in the gaming industry, to Union wireless is a homegrown Wyoming company. They're a huge sponsor of chi Frontier Days in the University of Wyoming at last Wyoming athletics, all the way down to ALF's pub over here, you know. And everybody in between oil and gas sectors and and everybody just wants to come and be a part of it and enjoy the experience that is Cheyenne frontier day.
So it's, it's been, it's been an incredible ride. And, and we're just getting started, you know, we've got it. We've got some plans to do some things in the next, you know, four or five years that people are going to, you know, really, really be proud of. I think that.
Wendy Corr:
I think that's fantastic. Jim, looking back this year's Frontier Days, because it was just a couple weeks ago, looking back, what was, what was the most, I can't even say what was the best thing about it, but do you think that the weather was really what made this year stand out? Because you guys got monsoons down there during your days.
Jim Wilkinson:
I you know, we got a little bit of rain, you know, I've seen worse, you know. I've seen better. I've seen worse, but we got a little rain here and there. It got a little muddy, but I would say, you know, this year, we were comparing this year to two of the lat, two years of the best years we've ever had, you know, ever since the 120/5.
And it seems like after the pandemic, people were just wanting to get out. And what we had to offer this is what they wanted. They wanted to be able to go to a rodeo, and, and, and, you know, be free and see country music, live again, live music, live rodeo. And since that, it just kind of snowballed in into, you know, two and three, the best years we've ever had.
So now our numbers may have been down a little bit in our night shows this year, our rodeo was down, what, 1% which is incredible. There was a lot of rodeos across the country that they were probably down a little more than that, but people still, this thing is still about a rodeo, which does my heart good? You know, we bring in some of the best entertainers in the business, but this thing was built on a rodeo, and so people are still coming to see the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo and the finals at Cheyenne.
And, you know, I'll put it up against anything in the world. It's just an incredible, incredible rodeo. And now we have, you know, the tournament style rodeo. So even the last you know, Friday and Saturday before the finals are very, very exciting at Shine Frontier Days.
And when we first did that, you know, it wasn't a popular thing with the rodeo athletes. And I don't, I don't even know if the audience really understood what we were doing, but now that they've seen it in in in person, I think people now they get it and they go, this is that's even made our rodeo even better the past couple of years.
So that the things that so we might have been down in our night shows, but entertainers Wendy are getting tough to get you know, they're expensive and they, you know, it Live Nation has made it so venues like Cheyenne Frontier Days, you know, we want to crack at these guys. We want to crack at the A listers and stuff, but they're signing these big, huge stadiums, and they're not taking a second look at places like Cheyenne.
And I hope that changes now there are other there are people that just love to play here, like a Cody Johnson, who's a rodeo cowboy. And he, he, he, he, I think he would come here every year if he could, you know, but he loves places like this and so. And those are the kind of entertainers that we love. To bring in the people who really get what this thing's all about and and bring in the people that that appreciate it the most you know. So it's, it's getting tougher.
Wendy Corr:
Although, I will say, I can't tell you the number of people from up here that went down for the Ludikris concert. I mean, ludicrous concert was all anybody was buzzing about in the the people that I knew and but you bring in people like that, even the people who are and the entertainers who are not rodeo, who are not country, and they draw huge crowds.
Jim Wilkinson:
They get a nice crowd. And, yeah, we brought in MGK on a Wednesday, a machine gun, Kelly and and then we brought in ludicrous AND T PAIN. And in some, some of the old old guard, they kind of criticize us for it's like, well, this is a, this is a Western celebration.
And we get that, we understand that, and we have pancake breakfast, and we have, we still, you know, really pay attention to the tradition of Cheyenne for two days. However, we have got to get a different demographic and a psychographic of people to enjoy our rodeo so that we can build new fans in, and we're going to be around for the next 128, years.
And so we seen all kinds of different people, people that would never be here. They don't wear cowboy hats, they don't wear boots. They just came down here to see Ludacris concert. You know, there was that's generational, or an MG, Jake, mg, GK concert, or Post Malone years ago, when we first brought in Post Malone, I mean, that was we still say that. People still tell us that's one of the most incredible shows that we've ever had here at Cheyenne Frontier Days, and it just brought a different audience.
And it's our belief that those people will come back and see a rodeo, or spend a couple days and and see one of our our shows that that may need, may not be of the country genre.
And then, and maybe there's, there's, there's country artists now that are there, there are crossover acts and and so they're, they're playing music that these guys can enjoy and, and hopefully that's going to, that's going to going to start another generation of us of the CFD fan that's going to come here year after year and enjoy it.
Wendy Corr:
Well, I think it worked. I think it worked, just from the buzz that was happening up here. So that's great. I want to shift gears here, because we're almost out of time, but I want to, I want to shift gears here talking about entertainers, Jim, you got a side hustle going on.
And you're, if you are Facebook friends with Jim, folks, you see where's Jim playing next. Jim is his own musician. He's self contained. He's a one man show. But Jim, you're playing all the time. Tell us about your your music outlet that you have created for yourself.
Jim Wilkinson:
Oh yeah, I'm loving it right now, honestly, you know, I played in a lot of bands and things, and I was always the guy in the band that had the sound system, and I had to make sure everybody had the right mix and and they were happy with their sound and stuff. And it was fun, and I had a lot of fun.
And I got to do men open up for some really great entertainers throughout the years. But then it was right before the pandemic. I think, well, yeah, it's been like seven years about the same time I came to shine front two days.
I I just wanted to do a solo act, and just so I was a bass player. By by by nature, I played bass for a long time, and I kind of dealt in the guitar. So I really, I got a high end guitar, and I started practicing, and I, you know, 30 songs, and then led to 40 songs, and then 100 songs.
And then I started bookings, these one man bands, these, just these solo shows at these breweries around here and in now, I play on a regular basis. If I don't play, at least on Friday or Saturday. A lot of times I'm playing Friday and Saturday, you know, I I kind of feel a little left out, you know. And there's some cool places to play around here.
You know, we've got a lot of, you know, the black tooth breweries are all in Wyoming now, and Westby edge and Sanford's, you know, grub and pub over here, Al's pub, and these places that I play blue Raven and, excuse me, they're perfect for one man shows you come in and you entertain.
And what I like to do is my act is, it's kind of a George Strait, Chris Ledoux type of a thing. A lot of Wyoming ties to it older country music. I do some of the newer country music that's a little more like the Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett. I love the vibe of Old Dominion and things like that, you know.
It's just happy type of music, you know, country music, it's not all full of roses. I get it, you know, and I but I think that my show is something that you could come and see and and hopefully forget about your problems for a while, hang out and drink couple beers and talk about your friends. I don't want to be real loud so you can talk and, and that's the kind of vibe I like to to to project at my shows. And it's,
I have a website, it's Jim Wilkinson guitar.com and that'll tell you where I'm playing, you know, week to week. And sometimes I play with a percussionist that I played with since the 90s, names Todd, while at a Laramie and a percussionist and an acoustic guitar. It's kind of a different dynamic, but, but it seems to be working for us, you know. And and me and Todd are best friends, and that's what, you know, it's just a lot of fun.
So I'm having a blast. And just like you, I think when you take that stage, you know, isn't it that that's the best hour and a half of your day is when you get to entertain people? Am I wrong?
Wendy Corr:
It is absolutely the truth, and I feel that every day that I'm up on stage, it's just a it's a gift, because it's an exchange of energy. It's an exchange you're there, you're hoping that the people that you've been singing to are going to leave happier than they came.
Jim Wilkinson:
Exactly. And that's and that. And I love it. I look forward to it, you know, I've got a show at the bunk house bar and grill on Saturday, one to five. And can't wait. I can't wait to, you know, to have people come out and and just, just play some music and have some fun for a while.
You know, the world's, world's, it's weird place right now, man. And so let's just kind of like, let's enjoy each other and, and at the end of the show, it's, it's, I always tell people, you know, just make every heartbeat count and and be kind to each other, and I hope to see you again. And that's, that's, that's way I end my shows every night, and I truly mean it.
Wendy Corr:
Well, you have had that effect on people all across the state, Jim, when people meet you, they just have to smile because of your genuine enthusiasm for the state, for music, for people.
And so we're just glad that we've gotten a chance. I'm glad I've gotten a chance to highlight you on the roundup this week, and this has just been a really fun conversation. Jim, you've got such a unique perspective on life in Wyoming.
Jim Wilkinson:
Well, thank you, Wendy. I appreciate you having me. You know, it's it was cool to share, and I probably talked too much.
Wendy Corr:
So that's the whole point. That's the whole point. We want you to share. We want you to tell us about this. Jim, thank you for being on the show today, and folks, thank you for tuning in. Jim told you where to find out where he's playing next, but he also did such a good job of hyping up next year's. I mean, I'm I know I'm looking forward to next year's Cheyenne Frontier Days, so I'm hoping that we will all get a chance to experience CFD in the future.
So Jim, thanks so much for sharing
Jim Wilkinson:
you bet and thank you. Wendy, you guys have a great day, please, and tell Dan, I say hello.
Wendy Corr:
I will, for sure, folks, thanks for tuning in to have a great week. We'll see you next week, and don't forget, if you have missed any of these great conversations, please get on our website, cowboys stated daily.com, and check out previous conversations. If you've got an idea for somebody that we really need to talk to go ahead and send that information and email us and we'll we'll get them on the list. So thank you, folks. Have a great week. Thanks, Jim.
