Everything in the Song is True is a hilarious and moving cowboy music and poetry doc about hard work and preserving a unique legacy of The American West.
Four iconic cowboys whose music, art and way of life sustain vital connection to the folk culture that defines the American frontier. As modern life continues to encroach on the wide open spaces, their stories take on a new relevance. Their songs and deeds speak to a powerful connection to the land, the animals and a way of life that is unique to the United States and revered around the world.—Anonymous
Everything in the Song is True is the story of legendary cowboy songwriter, yodeler and poet, Gary McMahan. We are introduced to McMahan onstage straight away, as he performs at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. The story quickly moves to a New Mexico trail ride where we meet Jeff Nourse, a legendary cattle rancher and singer in his own right, as well as a talented iron sculptor. Gary and Jeff have been friends for decades. Jeff lives on a ranch in New Mexico, and we are introduced to his uncle Fred through archival 16mm film, who was a famous rancher, outlaw and rode with Pancho Villa after serving jail time in Mexico. Gary then introduces us to Brice Chapman in Lubbock, Texas, one of the world's most talented trick ropers, animal trainers and farriers. We follow Brice in his daily routine as he explains the pitfalls of shoeing horses and introduces us to the memory of his father, Burney Chapman, who used to shoe the Queen of England's horses and those of the Saudi royal family. From here, the film moves back and forth amongst theses central characters as they ply their trades, entertain the masses and generally get on with the business of life and work as cowboys and cowboy talents. Gary talks about driving a stagecoach for a living and renting out horses at The T-Lazy Seven ranch in Aspen, Colorado for years. He goes broke several times trying to become a successful songwriter in Nashville. At one point, he's tackled in a Memphis hotel by Gerald Ford's secret service. Midway through the film we meet Yvonne Hollenbeck, a rancher, cowgirl poet and award-winning hand-stitch quilt maker, in South Dakota. Yvonne and Gary go way back, too. Throughout the film we hear the instrumental guitar music of John Moore, acclaimed bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist from the band, California, who laid down the soundtrack and teams up with Gary onscreen and the end of the film for what is arguably one the greatest cowboy poems ever conceived, McMahan's "A Cowboyin' Day," which resides in The Smithsonian Collection in Washington, D.C.
