Highland Cowboys

This book will be available March 2025

Our Ebooks are powered by Glassboxx
Click here to learn about our Ebooks.

About the Book: 

From droving to driving, heilan coos to long horns, Highland Cowboys explores the links between the two cattle cultures of Scotland and America through music, song, dance, and folklore. The vast number of Scots who emigrated to North America, whether through forcible eviction during the Highland Clearances or voluntarily in the hope of a better life, has been well documented. With them they took their culture, their language, their music and their skills. Cattle droving in Scotland was an established profession from the 16th century, and many such migrants took cowboy jobs in the American West. The medium of music paints a vivid picture of their social and personal lives, and describes a mutual exchange as music crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic creating strong links between the old culture and the new. This unique exploration of the cowboy culture sheds new light on the everyday life of the cattle communities.

Reviews: 

Go beyond Hollywood cliche and learn the truth is even more colourful and fascinating. The cattle trade was an international brotherhood and sisterhood whose story has now finally been explored: with humour and sensitivity. TOM BRYAN

... bringing to the forefront Scots who were instrumental in forming the cattle kingdom of the American Wild West. DAVID WILKIE

About the Author:

ROB GIBSON was born in Glasgow and brought up in Dennistoun, and now lives in Evanton, Easter Ross. His early interest in Scottish history encompassed both Highland hillwalking and land reform. In 1972 he graduated from Dundee University with a degree in Modern History and, until 1995, pursued a teaching career in Easter Ross. Through his love of traditional music he has convened the Dingwall-based Highland Traditional Music Festival for twenty years and he has sung in several groups. With the band Ceilidh Ménage, he has performed at festivals in Scotland and Brittany. He wrote the show Plaids and Bandanas for performance at the Highland Festival of 1998.

Rob’s interest in land issues has led to an active political life including working for eight years from 1988 as an SNP District Councillor in Ross and Cromarty. In 2003 he was elected as an SNP MSP, first as a regional member for Highlands and Islands, then in 2011 as constituency member for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross. He convened the Rural Affairs Climate Change and Environment Committee from 2011 to 2016 when he retired from Parliament. He has contributed to various journals over the years and has published several books including The Promised Land: Crofter Power in Easter Ross, Toppling the Duke: Outrage on Ben Bhraggie?, Highland Cowboys, Highland Clearances Trail and Reclaiming Our Land.