The Still Standing 20/66 True West Celebration Party With Free Wine, Beer & Bryan's BBQ

August 14, 2019
   In the fall of 1999 we paid way too much for a failing magazine we loved. We being, Bob McCubbin, Rick Baish and myself.

An early shot of the True West staff

(okay, that is a joke)

   I had Dan The Man Harshberger redesign the logo, we improved the paper, conned some friends into writing for us, and took a flying leap. I wish I could say it worked from the git go, but it didn't. Not by a long shot. 

   We lost $30,000 a month for a long, painful time. In addition, we made some big mistakes, some of them so attractive, we made them more than once. 

   Both of my original partners got tired of the losses and bailed.

   But here I am in the fall of 2019 and we–the new collective "we" which includes Carole Glenn, Ken Amorosano, Robert Ray, and others—are still standing. And now it's time for a little celebration.

   I know, we can't quite believe we're still here, either!

The Still Standing 20/66 Celebration Tour begins on October 26th (of course!) at the Cave Creek Desert Foothills Library, from one to four p.m. Bring your passion for all things Old West.

   I'm calling it the 20/66 celebration because we have been carrying the True West banner for 20 years, but the magazine is 66 years old this year.

Room is limited (the room only holds 120), so you need to tell me, the gatekeeper, you're coming, or you're not going to get in.

   "History knocks at a thousand gates at every moment, and the gatekeeper is chance. We shout into the mist for this one or that one to be opened for us, but through every gate are a thousand more. We need wit and courage to make our way while our way is making us." 
—Alexander Herzen