We have a guest at the junction today! Let’s give a warm welcome to KyLee Woodley, author of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender. KyLee’s giving away a copy of her book!
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Campfire Ballads and Cowboy Truths
Before playlists and pop charts, what did music mean to a cowboy riding under the stars?
Music was more than mere entertainment—it was a tool for teaching lessons, building community, and expressing faith. On Petticoats and Pistols, we’ll focus on songs and stories that shaped cowboy culture.
The first song we’ll look at was used in a minstrel-style format, with a with versions dating from colonial times to the early 1900s. “Root Hog or Die” had a quirky title—rooted in colonial practices of letting pigs roam free to fend for themselves—that helped it evolve into a colorful and enduring piece of Americana.
“Root Hog or Die” started as a sort of proverb or adage, warning folks to work hard. The Vermont Gazette (1829) called it a “vulgar proverb” but admitted it often encouraged a strong work ethic. During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate sides created their own versions of the song. One variation, taken from the Confederate tune “Flight of Doodles,” goes:
I saw Texas go in with a smile,
But I tell you what it is, she made the Yankees bile;
Oh! it don’t make a nif-a-stifference to neither you nor I,
Texas is the devil, boys; root, hog, or die.
A 1911 folk version of the song shares a glimpse into the difficult, unpredictable life of the cowboy. One verse reads:
Sometimes it’s dreadful stormy and sometimes it’s pretty clear.
You may work a month and you might work a year.
But you can make a winning if you’ll come alive and try.
For the whole world over, boys, it’s root hog or die.
[caption id="attachment_107357" align="aligncenter" width="363"]
Photo Credit: Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. (1918). United States: Macmillan.
This next song is dear to my heart. I’ll forever remember my mom singing “The Streets of Laredo”—likely the Johnny Cash version—with its hauntingly sweet melody and timeless cowboy sorrow. “The Streets of Laredo” traces its roots to the late 19th century and was first published in 1910 in Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads by John Lomax. It originated from the older Irish folk tune The Unfortunate Rake, which also later influenced St. James Infirmary Blues. Over time, cowboys adapted the lyrics to reflect frontier life, making it one of the most enduring Western ballads. (You can listen to a gorgeous duet version by Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash online.)
Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print%5B/caption%5D
“The Texas Ranger” is a traditional ballad, dating back at least to the 19th century, tells the story of a young Texas Ranger facing danger on the frontier. It often highlights encounters with Native American tribes and frontier justice. Passed down through oral tradition, one well-known version was documented in 1959 but here is one of the earliest versions.
I was scarcely sixteen years of age when I joined that jolly band;
We marched from San Antonio unto the Rio Grande.
Our captain there informed us, perhaps he thought it right,
“Before you reach the station,” says he, “boys, you’ll have to fight.”
As we trace the melodies of the old West, we’re reminded that the music of that era wasn’t polished or perfect—but it was real. These songs echo the grit, humor, grief, and resilience of everyday folks navigating life on the frontier. Whether sung around a campfire or carried in a mother’s voice at bedtime, they were a reflection of a people learning to hope, endure, and belong. And maybe, just maybe, in a world that feels far from simple, they still have something to teach us today. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I’d love to hear which cowboy tune holds a place in your heart.
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THE BOUNTY HUNTER’S SURRENDER
An expecting widow, a rugged bounty hunter, and a set of secrets that might shatter her fragile heart.
The death of Aubrey Willot’s wealthy but abusive husband left her with an unborn child, an empty chateau, and the last name of a criminal. When she learns he double-crossed a ruthless business associate, she’s forced to accept the protection of the handsome and daring bounty hunter tasked with finding her late husband’s fortune. Though Aubrey swore never to trust another man, she can’t help but be drawn to the bounty hunter’s rugged charm.
After a tragic mistake cost him everything, Nathan Reed spent years running from his past. Now, he needs funds to care for his orphaned niece, and quickly. The chance to retrieve a set of stolen documents offers an opportunity he can’t resist. He’ll find those papers and claim the reward, even if it means deceiving the alluring young widow.
As danger rises, Audrey’s strength, honesty, and compassion break down Nathan’s defenses, daring him to embrace a future he never imagined—a loving wife and a family of his own. But when his secrets are exposed, will his chance at redemption and Aubrey’s heart slip through his fingers?
Purchase links can be found HERE.
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KyLee Woodley teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas where she lives with her husband of 18 years and their three teenage children. Having been raised in the Pacific Northwest and spent part of her adult life in Texas, she has a deep respect for American values. She grew up in an impoverished area and began ministering to homeless, drug addicted, and desperate people while in her teens. As a result, she feels a deep sense of concern for society’s unloved. This comes through in her stories, enriched with historical detail that shows how loving the unlovely is a timeless need. On weekends, KyLee cohosts and produces the Historical Bookworm Show—a steadily growing author interview podcast for history lovers and readers of historical fiction.
KyLee has generously offered to give away one copy of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender to one commenter. The winner will randomly be selected on Sunday.
What ballads, nursery rhymes, or songs shaped you growing up?
Thanks, KyLee, for being our guest today!
I remember having some Mother Goose albums and books as a kid.
I remember Mother Goose as well. My aunt lives with us and one night the lights went out because of a storm. She sat with my little sisters and I, eating tangerines and reading Mother Goose.
I remember reading the Grimm’s Fairy Tale book several times growing up.
I read an old version of Grimm’s and was very surprised at the difference between it and the modern retellings. Still, the stories and truths are timeless.
I grew up in the Appalachian Mountain culture, known for its rich folk music and stories. I had a wealth of these growing up — from relatives who sang and played, or as we said, made music, to my parents who told story after story. When I started first grade at five years old, I found a whole library full of stories to fall in love with.
What a beautiful legacy!
tv show kid’s songs
Do any in particular hold a special place in your heart?
My family watched all the westerns when I was growing up. I listened to all their theme songs and I’m still seeing a lot of the reruns on TV now.
I love seeing the old reruns. I believe INSPY hosts a few old shoes these days.
All I remember are some Mother Goose songs.
I still tell these from memory to my students.
Welcome KyLee! We sang all the old songs like Stephen Foster’s “Way Down Upon the Suwannee River” because we lived near it, fished on it, water skied on it, swam in it, and later had a vacation home on it! And Al the old hymns we sang at church.
This isn’t a ballad, but it’s a wonderful memory of my father. My father didn’t sing, he whistled. My brothers and I grew up playing cards and board games. One evening while my brothers and I were playing Crazy 8 on the dinning room table, my father came by and started singing,”Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds I cry! If a tree don’t fall on me I’ll live till I die!” We sat there opened mouth. My father started laughing. And we said,”Daddy, you are singing!” He just grinned. So our singing experience didn’t just come from Mama. It came from Daddy too.
Best wishes on your book! You can take me off the Chance to win. I’ve read the first one and this one. Aubrey’s ex-husband was one cruel man! Can’t wait to read the third one! I’ve enjoyed the bad boy character who befriended the first heroine! I enjoyed both!
Hello Tracy,
What a special memory. Thank you for sharing.
My sister played piano and my dad was an antiques dealer. He would get old sheet music, and she would learn them. We would sing them around the piano. “The Erie Canal,” “Blood on the Saddle,” and “Oh My Darling Clementine.”
Also, I am so glad you enjoyed the first two books. I will tell you, book three has taken some turns I did not expect. Beau was a much deeper hero than I realized and his counterpart, Miss Clara, is just what he needs despite her own sad history. You will have to let me know what you think once it releases in March. ?
By the way, the audio version for book 1 just released! I am listening to it now and am actually very happy with it. I was afraid I might not enjoy the narrator, because I am very picky about my audio books I listen to. It is quite good though. The same narrator who reads books for Mary Connealy and Karen Witemeyer–two of my favorite authors. ??
Songs from the era. Whose been working on the railroad, Clementine, Candy Mountain and many more.
I took remember those from my childhood. ?
My father sang opera to us since he had a magnificent voice. We grew up listening to records on the hi-fi and enjoying them every Saturday.
What a special memory. There was an old record player in the basement of an old house my parents bought when I was about 9. My sisters and I would sit around it listening to music and comedy shows on rainy days
Welcome and thanks for sharing this wonderful post. My mom was a singer. She loved to make music so everyone could join in and be happy along with her. When there was a sad time, she would hum and we all knew that everything was going to be ok. She sang a lot of different songs. Some gospel some not. When we started to go to church, she would sing some songs from there. So my life has always been full of song and humming.
The power of music is truly amazing. Thank you for sharing your very special experience with music and family.
My mother really enjoyed country music so I grew up listening to ballads by Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and others. I remember the songs Running Bear, The Battle of New Orleans, The Streets of El Dorado, and more.
I don’t think I’ve heard The Streets of El Dorado. Is it any version to The Street of Laredo?
We listened to country music quite a bit when I was younger, thank you for giveaway opportunity!!
Country has definitely made its mark in our culture.
Jack and jill Went up the Hill
Itsy Bitsy Spider
are 2 songs I remember singing. I grew up with the nursery rhymes .
I grew up with all the nursery rhymes but I especially remember theme songs from some of the early tv shows like Bonanza…I can still hear that song in my head…. And Gilligan’s Island . Wow I am dating myself.
My husband and I used to binge watch Bonanza when we were first married. I didn’t realize the ranch was so close to Virginia City. Actually, book three–The Convict’s Courtship –is set in VC.
I took a class in library school that explained the true meaning of nursery rhymes. It was a way to tell the truth about the gospel when teaching about religion was prohibited by the government.
That is fascinating! I did not know that.
Welcome, Kylee. I grew up listening to Marty Robbins singing all his ballads on a little 45 record player. I knew all the words and would sing along very loudly. Jim Reeves was another me and my sister listened to. Also Tennessee Ernie Ford, Bob Wills, and Hank Williams, Sr. all lived at our house–at least their music did. My little sister and I would swing as high as we could go and sing our hearts out. Such good times. Wishing you tons of success with your book. Love the cover.
You are too kind!
Wheels on the Bus
Hahaha. A classic. ?
I love learning when, where and why things came into practice. We were always told, “root hog or die poor”, meaning you had to work hard if you wanted to rise above poverty. Of course, we were taught that each person in our family had to do their part, there were seven of us children. Love all the old songs and grew up listening to Jim Reeves, Mary Robbins, Eddie Arnold, and Hank Williams, among others. Always love watching western movies and listening to the music they listened to while on a trail drive.
Your book cover is amazing and I would love to win a copy. Thanks for the opportunity.
Root Hog or Die does ring with truth regarding work ethic. It reminds me of that verse in the Bible that says if you don’t work you don’t eat.
Thank you for the kinds words. The covers for all three books in the series have been very pretty, and I am grateful to my publisher and cover designer.
My grandmother always did Old mother Hubard she used to say that poor lady on the shoe. ?
Awww. I remember those! ??
I always loved Martin Robins version of The Streets of Laredo. Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson both had a lot of ballets that I loved.
I recently watched a duet of Johnny Cash and Martin Robbins singing The Streets of Laredo.
When I was growing up, the now “oldies stations” was the music I listened to with my parents and siblings. I can’t say that music shaped my life in any way though. I can say I enjoy a good beat when listening and many times I miss the lyrics because of this. lol
Thank you for the insight to music of “cowboys” and such. It was very interesting.
You are very welcome!
When I was growing up there was always music playing on our stereo record player. I especially loved to listen to music on the weekends when my sisters and I cleaned house. When I was way younger though I loved the song Home on the Range, I was actually singing it to myself in my mind when my husband and I were on our way home from a little town that is a drive about 2 hours from where we live and it is desert fields and the area has had alot of rain and it was so nice and green and lots of wild flowers growing and we even saw some antelope on the range. Have a great day and a great weekend. Your book sounds like a great read and the cover is Stunning, I love it!!
Home on the Range is a sweet old song. It’s funny how old songs just come along when we are feeling nostalgic.
When I was a young child I grew up listening to a lot of country music because my dad played the guitar and harmonica plus sang country and western. My mom would sing all the old children’s songs to me and my brothers. However. My favorite songs to sing were Christmas carols.
Yes, Christmas carols have a special place in my heart as well.
Years ago my dad used to play records on his record player. He had a varied collection of records.
Good times.
I remember listening to Marty Robbins’ Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, and also his #1 Cowboy albums with my dad. I love cowboy music!
I ran across that when I was researching this article. Love hearing music from bygone days l.
I grew up listening to the old ballads. I love westerns and Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty to name a few. I like Jim Reeves and was a fan of the Grand Ole Opry which I got to visit twice . I also loved our church hymns and still do I love the Gaither Videos with all the older singers . Southern Gispel music is my favorite and probably shaped my life more than the western but I still like both.
Sounds like you’ve carried such a rich soundtrack—faith, westerns, and all those classic voices. I love how music shaped your story. Thanks for sharing a bit of it here.
I about wore out my Daddy’s Johnny Horton album!! I now have five or six of his albums, plus at least four CD’s, but I think I have six of those, too! I also have Marty Robbins CD’s and albums. I also really like Lefty Frizzell and Leroy Van Dyke. Newer country, like George Strait, Trace Adkins, and Brad Paisley have some good ballads, especially Brad’s Whisky Lullaby.
That’s a powerhouse lineup—Johnny Horton and Marty Robbins alone could fill a whole frontier of memories. I love how your collection bridges the golden era and the newer voices. *Whiskey Lullaby* gives me chills every time. Thanks for sharing your soundtrack—it paints such a vivid picture.
I took piano lessons for 12 years I learned a lot from that growing up
That’s a beautiful foundation. There’s something about learning music young that stays with you—it teaches patience, rhythm, and how to listen deeply. I imagine those lessons shaped more than just your fingers on the keys. Thank you for sharing that piece of your story.
I loved the Mother Goose Rhymes. I even had a red shoe toy to go along with the one rhyme.
That’s such a sweet memory—there’s something magical about the way rhymes and toys come together at that age. I can just picture that little red shoe, full of stories and imagination. Thanks for sharing that warm glimpse of your childhood.
I love music, especially story songs. Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash and The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia by Reba McIntyre are my favorites.
There’s something unforgettable about a song that tells a story—and those two pack a punch. “Ring of Fire” carries that raw intensity, and “The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia” always gives me chills with its twist. Story songs have a way of sticking with us like old friends. Thanks for sharing your favorites—now I’ve got them playing in my head.
There wasn’t much time for nursery rhymes, etc when I was little. I am the oldest and my mom had 4 children under the age of 6 and barely had time to breath. My aunt was a big fan of Marty Robbins and would play his records whenever I was over there. In college I discovered The Sons Of The Pioneers and love their music. Ghost Riders In The Sky, Cool Water, and Blue Shadows were some of my favorites. When we lived in Colorado Springs, CO, we discovered The Flying W Ranch and The Flying W Wranglers. They are the second oldest western group after Sons Of The Pioneers, established in 1953. They had a western village, chuck wagon supper and show singing all of my favorite Western songs. Unfortunately, the ranch venue burned when forest fire hit the area in 2012. They rebuilt bigger and better and reopened in 2020. I can’t wait to go back. When we first went, the group contained many of the original members. I think most would have retired by now. Sorry I got carried away, but it really was a taste of the West. The new facilities are much more polished and expanded, but the music should be great.
What a treasure trove of memories—thank you for sharing it. I loved reading how music found its way to you through your aunt’s records and later through your own discoveries. Ghost Riders and Cool Water carry such haunting beauty. And your stories about the Flying W Ranch? That’s the kind of living history that makes the West feel close. I hope your return visit is just as rich—and full of song.
My memory is really bad but I do know that my dad loved listening to the oldies station all the time when I was little.
That’s such a sweet memory—those songs really do become part of the background music of childhood. Even if the details get fuzzy, the feeling of hearing them with someone you love sticks around. Thanks for sharing that little piece of your story.
I’m 3/4 Irish and my parents had a large collection of Irish folk music on vinyl records; it got played pretty often. “The Unicorn” song still resonates in my imagination. As an oldest child, the nursery tale about the Little Red Hen appealed to me (why aren’t my siblings pitching in with the work?)!
I’d enjoy reading your book; thanks for running the giveaway.
Disney songs
The Yellow Rose Of Texas
Old Dan Tucker
Eating Goober Peas
Twinkle,
Twinkle Little Star
What A Wonderful World
Girl Scout Camp songs: Kumbia, Taps
Blowing In The Wind
Puff The Magic Dragon
Bonanza Theme
Mickey Mouse Club M,I,C,K,EY…
Mighty Mouse theme
Rawhide Theme -GiddyUp, Move em Out
Over The Rainbow