Father & son speaking at next book review

"Swing Riders" with Mike and Doc Blakely will be the featured program of the Wharton Book Review Club Monday, May 12 at the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church.

A catered lunch by gourmet chef Shane of Wharton County Junior College's culinary department will follow at 11:30 a.m. and is included in the ticket price of $15 per person.

The review begins at 10 a.m. Mike Blakely, author of 16 Western novels, past president of Western Writers Association of America, winner of the 2001 Spur award for best novel of the year, " Summer Pearls," and 2008 best Western songwriter award for "White Buffalo," directs the Swing Riders Texas Show, a musical comedy old- West style.

Blakely's most recent novel, "Tales Out of Luck," was written with the legendary Willie Nelson. He also has the contract to write the screenplay for the movie to be made based on the book starring Nelson, Morgan Freeman and Morgan Fairchild.

During the trail drives of the old West, the most respected positions were those of the swing riders. They turned the herd in the right direction, crossed obstacles and reached destinations others dared not even imagine.

Mike and Doc team up to produce a memorable show full of inspirational tales of leadership in their foot-stompin', barn-burnin' style. Their old trail drive songs and fiddle tunes have earned them the designation of Swing Riders Texas nationwide.

They have been called everything from "Motivational Musician" to "Inspirational Historians" to "Corporate Cowboys."

The Swing Riders are every bit as much fun as they are inspiring. They have performed this two-man show throughout America and even a tour of Australia.

Mike does annual concerts with his band in Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and France. Doc jokes that he doesn't make the European tours. He has to cover the heavy demand for his services in places like Farmer's Branch, Muleshoe and Snook.

As an accomplished novelist/ musician/songwriter under contract with Tor Publishers, Mike conceived the idea of the Swing Riders Texas and enlisted the services of his father, Doc, who learned the skills and music of working cowboys from growing up around the real thing in South Texas.

A multi-instrument musician, Doc specializes in the mandolin and fiddle, though he plays other instruments as well.

The father and son team take listeners on a figurative trail ride, telling tales with humor, songs and tunes that characterize the trail drive era of 1866-1885 when three million longhorns, many with origins in Wharton County, were driven up the Chislolm and Goodnight-Loving trails.

Their world premier in 1992 at the very first Rotary gala drew more than 600 fans and raised $30.000 for charity.

To purchase tickets call Dorothy Hensley, 543-5837; Sally Soderquist, 532-4936; or Sammy Lou Franks, 532-4615.