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The Western Music Association is a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation whose purpose is to preserve and promote the traditional and contemporary music of the American West and the American Cowboy. The WMA’s Board of Directors is made up of elected volunteers who might be performers, western music fans, music business people, ranchers, or working cowboys, and many of the most noted individuals in western music comprise the WMA’s Advisory Board. The work of the Annual Western Music Festival committee and other WMA activities are accomplished with many hours of volunteer dedication and sponsor contributions.

Philosophy

The WMA is committed to the community at large, and WMA members take western music, history and literature to the children of our communities to teach them about the American West – a history and heritage that all Americans can call their own. Through our Western Way magazine, we preserve the stories and songs of western music performers from the past and we give voice to our current crop of songwriters and musicians. Articles about our music heritage are published side-by-side with reviews of new recordings and information about cowboy gatherings, concerts and festivals. Access to our website, www.westernmusic.org, is completely free to the public and provides information about the organization and links to our performing members.

History

In August 1988, a group of western music performers and fans met in Las Vegas, Nevada to organize an association and present a festival. They incorporated the Western Music Association as an Arizona non-profit corporation in 1989 and the organization has presented the International Western Music Festival every November since then. Since its inception, the WMA has expanded to include several state and regional chapters, and it’s been among the forces that are responsible for the current popularity of western music around the world.

Scope

The Western Music Association and its chapters foster the professional growth of individual performing members. Our open membership policy encourages western music performers and fans to join and participate in the organization. The WMA publishes the quarterly Western Way, the only professional magazine dedicated to the promotion of western music, and our website, www.westernmusic.org, provides a central focus for western music performers and links to their individual websites. Inclusion on the website is one of the membership benefits for performing members. Our Educational Outreach Program was started because we view it as important to acquaint students with the musical heritage of the American West, from traditional trail songs, through the era of the movie cowboy, to contemporary western songwriting.

In large part, the WMA is responsible for the continuing popularity of western music. Articles on western music have appeared in national publications, including Cowboys & Indians, American Cowboy, Cowboy Magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, and Billboard, in many newspapers and regional publications in the United States and Canada, and in publications in Europe. Western music can be heard on dedicated radio programs and in folk and country radio formats in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and the number of new CD releases in the genre is growing every year. One of our most effective ways of expanding the visibility and enhancing the reputation of western music is through the annual Western Music Festival, Conference and Awards Ceremony. Through performances, workshops, seminars and our answers to frequently asked questions, we educate the public about western music and help people understand and appreciate the contribution of western music to our culture.

Why Should You Get Involved?

The Western Music Association represents what is good and wholesome in our society. We all remember Roy Rogers and the other singing cowboys, and we’ve heard about the Code of the West. The WMA strives to remind folks of this legacy.

There are two ways for you to become involved: as a member of the WMA and as a sponsor. As a member, you may participate in or attend the annual Western Music Festival, where WMA members represent the true cowboy image while providing exceptional family entertainment. As a member, you might also choose to become part of our Educational Outreach Program, which takes the heritage and the music of the American cowboy to students.

Benefits of Membership