Summer Thunderheads, Navajo Lightning & Wyatt Earp Strikes Out

 August 17, 2026

   A giant thunderhead on the horizon.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"An Arizona Thunderhead"

   I know this looks fake, like a flying saucer taking off, but I drew this from life of a giant thunderhead that towered over New River Mesa last year. Powerful? Oh, yes, but I am not alone in my awe of that regard:

"In Navajo-Diné culture, Thunder and Lightning are the most holiest entities, known for their ability to locate lost or missing items.

"There are two genders of lightning in the Navajo-Diné culture. Male lightning strikes from the sky down to the ground. Female lightning strikes from the ground up to the sky.

"According to Navajo-Diné culture, lightning and thunder are not to be feared, as they serve to guide and protect the people. Lightning can alert you to impending danger and can act as a defense when you have no weapon to defend yourself. However, it can also bring punishment if you are doing something wrong. Navajo-Diné tradition advises against touching anything that lightning has struck, including animals and trees, because it can cause a deadly illness.

"Thunder Deities created various animals like reptiles, scaled fish, dogs, and horned toads or lizards. The Navajo-Diné people are not supposed to eat these animals or mark them with the color red, as red symbolizes thunder.

"Snakes are lightning bolts, and their remains can be revived by lightning. Navajo-Diné customs discourage picking things up between their fingers, because it is a behavior that is associated with snakes. Dogs, seen as gifts from the Thunder Deities, can perceive the unseen and they should not be touched or kept indoors during storms, as they embody lightning."

—Jim Tang

Read more from Jim Tang here:

Firekeepers

Meanwhile, out on the film stock range. . .

Ten Westerns I'd Really Like to See

   I think it's time for a new angle on the true stories of the Old West.

   Over the past century-and-change, a ton of Western characters have had their stories told in Western film. Some more than others. Here's a random list of the number of films by character:

• Billy the Kid, 67 films

• Jesse James, 39 films

• Wyatt Earp, 32 films

• Custer, 32 films (Wikipedia says "more than 30")

• Calamity Jane, 21 films

• The Dalton Gang, about 12 films

   But even though Hollywood has drawn from the same characters numerous times, it's kind of amazing what topics they haven't yet touched. This is where these new stories come from. You know, like this one:

   And, yes, I know the movie "Sunset" (1988) deals with Wyatt Earp (James Garner) and Tom Mix (Bruce Willis) having adventures and solving a mystery in Tinseltown, but the premise is backward! The real Wyatt Earp couldn't get arrested in Hollywood (I mean that metaphorically because the real Wyatt Earp did, in fact, get arrested for a bunco scheme) and he desperately needed money because his wife was addicted to gambling and she went thru all their money. I don't know about you, but that is the story I want to see on the silver screen. A "hero" who has no clue about storytelling. That should be quite funny and poignant.

"Suppose. . .suppose."

—Wyatt Earp's last words

Gila Monster Mama Meets Flattop City Drama

 August 16, 2026

   Back in Cave Creek after a delightful run up and back down off the mountain from Payson. Yes, drove up yesterday morning early, and did the same on the return this morning.

   I met some very creative filmmakers at the Third Annual Payson Film Festival and we just might do some business together on projects like this:

Daily Whip Out: "Gila Monster Mama!"

T W O-L A N E

Daily Whip Out: "Two Lane Flattop"

   And, if you are wondering, yes, I had one.

BBB Flattop City

   And, I have a sneaky hunch that hairstyle led to this strange love.

Whole Lotta Strange Love

   And, that, in turn, led to here. . .

Daily Whip Out:

"Baby Dust Devil In A Tattered Sky"

"Real Wild Women"

   Got this sweet comment from a very talented playwright I know.

"There is absolutely no one who captures the heart of a woman on canvas like you."

—Jody Drake

Searching For The Searchers With John Ford

 August 15, 2026

   Took off from Cave Creek at three minutes before five this morning and took the back way to Fountain Hills via Rio Verde. It was a very nice 73 degrees out when I left and the serenity out on the desert was absolutely magical.

   No AC, driver's window down, cruising along in the quiet cool for the first time since, maybe 1987? No, that's a joke, but when it's 112 every day and 86 for the low every night, this kind of reprieve seems that long ago and it definitely seems heaven sent.

   After Fountain Hills I cruised up and over the Four Peaks Range, past the Gisela turnoff,  thru Rye, up the hill, and landed at the Airport Cafe in Payson for a 7 a.m. breakfast with the Payson Film Festival crew. We laughed it up pretty hard and got kicked out at 8:30.

   Next week, I have a longer drive.

Heading for Mission Beach next week

to spend time with these crazy offspring.

Meanwhile, back in Payson. . .

   At 11:30 I found myself at the same spot in the same restaurant—High Country BBQ—as last year. Only this year I was expounding on "The Searchers."

   I also, actually watched "The Searchers" on the big screen with the film festival crowd and I have to say the big Navajo landscapes loomed like behemoths, but I had forgotten how hokey, the subplots are. The silly romantic subplot really fell flat and other characters hauled in for comic relief, including the Swedish neighbor Lars Jorgensen (John Qualen), who uses a faux Norsky accent, and Mose Harper (Hank Worden), a half-wit treated like a mascot, really came off lame. This second strand is without interest, and those of us who value The Searchers filter it out, patiently waiting for a return to the main story line. On the other hand. . .

"Two things make Western pictures—horse manure & dust."

—John Ford

Heading to Payson Tomorrow

 August 14, 2026

   Hard to believe it's time for the Third Annual Payson Film Festival. I will be up there tomorrow at the High Country BBQ to talk about the film "The Searchers." If I see you there, remind me I should give you a free copy of the new issue which just landed at my doorstep yesterday.

Hot off the Press!

   Remember, you get it for free only if you mention this offer, the one I made right here on the blog. Otherwise, it's $5 bucks, baby.

   Meanwhile, Rebecca Edwards and I are working on a few movie poster ideas. You know me, I like to start at the end of the process and work backwards. Here's one in progress.

A Movie Poster Rough of My Next Film

   Yes, the leap of imagination here is that the guy who lived one of the most celebrated lives on the American frontier did not know how to tell his own story. And, if that isn't enough of a mind blower, try this one on. . .

"History without discomfort is propaganda."

—Old Vaquero Saying

Dust to Dust to Record Guacamuggies From The Duke of Dust

 August 13, 2026

   Sometimes the most subtle strokes can convey an entire world. This is one of those happy accident moments—less is more—in my long quest to capture the nuance of the many dust storms I grew up in.

Daily Whip Out: "Dust Storm Refugees"

Daily Whip Out: "Dust Up In Oraibi"

Daily Whip Out: "Dust Buster 13"

Daily Whip Out:

 "Erotic Nude In Dust Storm"

And, speaking of beauties, here's one final dust up for you.

"Dusty Springfield"

Okay, I lied.

"A Bonus Guacamuggie In Full Bloom"

   Speaking of full blown Guacamuggies, as reported in The Arizona Republic, a dust storm several days ago had a maximum dust concentration of 6,136 micrograms per cubic meter, the second-highest ever recorded in the Valley.

"Contrary to popular belief, dust is not my middle name."

—The Duke of Dust

Pushin' Eighty

 August 12, 2026

   Yes, you might say I've got "pushin' eighty" on the brain. Just the damn number is haunting me, especially since it represents eight decades on the planet! This is daunting enough, but now I hear it everywhere. Read on.

BBB in the Alabama Hills

BBB in the Alabama Hills II

Eighty Is The New Forty?

Dream on grandpa.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

"I don't think bad things happen to good people. I think bad things happen to everyone and the way good people respond is what makes them good."

—David Lynch

An Italian style poster for "Fistful of Dollars" in the Scottsdale Museum of The West's new show, Still In The Saddle.

Morning Thunderhead Over Green Door

"Cleanin' my truck, get it pushin' eighty

Pickin' you up and later, maybe

Gettin' one kiss and goin' half-crazy. . ."

—Drake Milligan, "Sounds Like Somethin' I'd Do"

They Rode All Night & Remembering Chip DeMann

 August 11, 2026

   I keep finding little throw aways in my studio and wonder if they could be saved.

Daily Revised Whip Out: "They Rode All Night"

   And, as you might have noticed, some Whip Outs just lend themselves to one more pass. . .

Daily Revised Whip Out: "Not A Care Mare"

Then there are Whip Outs I don't remember doing. 

Daily Whip Out:

"Young Vaquero Guards The Fronteras Juzgado"

   And, it isn't just Whip Outs. Sometimes I look back on the work our design team has done and think to myself, "That was pretty righteous, but I wonder if we could improve it?" This is one example:

Geronimo:

Warrior, Founding Father,

Legend

   Pretty damn sweet. Speaking of sweet, there was a great guy from Northfield, Minnesota who really helped me—and many others!—who wanted to know the truth about the ill-fated bank job of the James-Younger gang in September of 1876. His name was Chip DeMann and he was a born-and-raised local and he went out of his way to help me, and many others, find the right look and the right history. Charles E. "Chip" DeMann II, age 70, of Northfield, passed away on Sept. 13, 2024. On August 19th the town of Northfield is honoring him with an exhibit.

“If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”

—Pearl S. Buck

The Long Riders In The Rearview

 August 10, 2026

   Drove down into the Beast yesterday to introduce a classic Western at the Scottsdale Museum of the West.

Real Brothers Riding As Historic Brothers

All The Way to Northfield, Minnesota

   Back in 1971, James Keach wrote a play for he and his brother Stacey to star in, called "Brothers." This led to a Country Musical, "The Bandit Kings" which appeared off Broadway, then that led to a screenplay, "Outlaws" which morphed into "The Bad Guys," and finally as "The Long Riders," which was made into a film directed by Walter Hill and released in 1980.

   Of course, we now know, the title is a misnomer, because the real James-Younger gang actually rode trains from Missouri to Minnesota and bought horses when they got there (although for at least Frank and Jesse, they did, in fact, have a long ride home). The hook to the movie is that real brothers are portraying real brothers and they are:

• James & Stacy Keach, as Jesse and Frank James

• David, Keith and Robert Carradine as the Youngers.

• Dennis and Randy Quaid as the Millers

• Christopher and Nicholas Guest as the Ford Brothers.

   At one point Jeff and Beau Bridges were slated to appear as the Ford brothers but Jeff's filming commitments got in the way.

   They filmed the Northfield scenes in Parrott and Leary, Georgia and the train sequences were done in Sonora, California and the Texas State Railroad.

   The film cost $7.5 million and it only made back $5,891,149 so it was considered a failure, but it has since found an audience and is considered by many a classic. It doesn't hurt that Ry Cooder did the authentic music.

"I hates the Yankee nation

And everything they do

I hates the Declaration of Independence, too:

I hates the glorious Union

 'Tis dripping with our blood

And I hates their stupid banner

I fought it all I could."

—Ry Cooder, "I'm A Good Ol' Rebel" (traditional)

Somewhere Beyond Recognition Lies Hope

 August 8, 2026

   It was my honor to receive a big, fat belt buckle from The Western Heritage Foundation in Prescott recently.

   Here is a first take I am creating for use in a BBB movie trailer.

"Beyond Hope #1"

(lies insight)

   It's a little crude but I like the concept and I'll tweak it tomorrow.

Last Liar Wins

   Now that everyone else has weighed in on their little theories about the Don Bolles killing, it's time for mine. Will it be the final word on this sordid affair? Hardly. Will it be closer to the actual truth? Well, it's closer to my truth, from the perspective of the life I knew at that time (one of my on-air radio friends actually dated Ned Warren's son!). So, my version will be closer to the ground, as it were.

"Less than you'd like to believe, more than I'd like to admit."

—A local politico I know who was right in the middle of the mess when I asked him how involved he was?

In Praise of Old Yeller (Although Uno Was Rather Unimpressed)

 August 7, 2026

   My old friend Allen Barra asked me if we wanted his favorite Westerns off the beaten path? And, as we put in the subhead in the next issue, Barra's list of 20 is for those of us "numbed by the classics."     

   Just to give you a small taste, here is how he critiqued "Old Yeller":

   That's it. No set up, no background on the production, just a quote from the movie Stripes and one line of agreement.

   So, I was so inspired by this, we watched the old tear jerker from 1957 the other night and I am happy to report it actually holds up.

Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran

(1949-2007) 

   The "mongrel dog" Old Yeller from the book and the script was actually portrayed by a 170 pound Labrador Retriever. A couple times, Uno looked up at the TV, but I could tell he wasn't all that impressed.

"If you ask me, he's a bit overweight for playing a scrawny mutt."

—Uno

Wyatt Earp: Brave, Courageous & Broke?

 August 6, 2026

   Three outlaws get off a train. Looking around they are not amused by what they see.

  "What the hell?!"

   They get back on the train and take it to the end of the line.

   Thus begins the untold, true story of Wyatt Earp In The Last Outlaw Town.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Wyatt Earp, Brave, Courageous & Broke!"

   It's more than a little bizarre that the man who lived such an incredible life on the frontier—one that we celebrate to this day—could not sell his own story. In the one town that was crazy for good stories! That is one mighty fine ironic life lesson, right there.

"Wyatt & Josie In The Last Outlaw Town"

   True, I have visited this premise once before. In fact, it was a cover story in True West more than a decade ago. Here is the incredible, true story I told then, and every plot point of the forthcoming movie is here, ripe for the harvesting.

Wyatt Earp In Hollywood: The Untold Story

   Somewhere between Tombstone and Blazing Saddles and Rustler's Rhapsody lies the story I want to tell.

Wyatt Earp And The Vendetta Riders

"We don't celebrate Wyatt Earp for who he was, but rather for what he means."

—Thom "Kid" Ross

Let The Record Show I Claim No Relation to The Stud Hoss Historian

 August 5, 2026

   As some of you know, I have a bastard second cousin who I rarely talk about. Basically, he is everything I am not and we do not get along. At all. Recently I saw one of his postings (literally a xeroxed flyer—glued to cardboard—and held in place with nails) on the community bulletin board at the Hackberry post office and this is what it said:

The Stud Hoss Historian

Will now take your questions:

Bob Booze Bell

"What can you tell me about your family connections to The Wild Bunch?"

—K. Johnson, Butlerville

BBB: "Oh, please. Like you really care. If I need any crap from you, I'll squeeze your head."

"I notice you use 'El Chivato' in your articles on Billy the Kid, but some now challenge that and insist it's actually 'El Chavito.' What do you have to say to those people?"

—Boxlip Darrell, Logasville

BBB: "If I see you on the street, I will kill you."

"Any truth to the rumor that Glenn Boyer once caught you in a goat pasture?"

BBB: "That is a groundless lie, but let the record show I am still quite fond of that goat."

"Some people over here claim you were criticizing Janelle Moloney about calling herself the 'Hottie Historian' and you tried to lamely compare it to calling yourself 'The Stud Hoss Historian.' Admit it, isn't that where this all came from?"

—James B. Mills, Australia

BBB: "You sure know a lot for being so damn dumb!"

"Okay, some of this I made up."

—BBB

It's The Contradictions Stupid!

 August 4, 2026

   I've been going back to revisit and re-tweak some of my old whip outs, like this one.

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Deceitful Mamacita"

   Actually kind of joyful to add a wash, or two, to these. Speaking of joyful, here's some old photos that make me smile.

East Coast Bitties

   As opposed to my kind of women:

Real Wild Women of The Real Wild West 

     When we went on the Copper Canyon Railway in Mexico a couple decades ago, we encountered these giant cacti on the ridges near Topolobampo Beach west of Los Moches. Can't remember their name. Do you?

Daily Whip Out: "Giant Mexican Cacti"

Contradictions Anyone?

• Pretty ugly

• Seriously funny

• Fully empty

• Clearly misunderstood

• Small crowd

• Liquid gas

• Open secret

• Found missing

   Which underlines Marcel Duchamp's point:

"Contradiction is the whole point."

   Okay, one more for the road:

"If the news is fake, imagine how bad history is."

—Old Newsman Saying

Six Whip Outs On The Verge of Inspiration

 August 3, 2026

   Took the day off yesterday to read and rest. Back at it this morning.

Daily Whip Out: "Faded Frederic"

Daily Whip Out: "New Kid In Town"

Daily Whip Out: "Cast Iron Teddy"

   I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like to visit art museums where I can be exposed to art that matches my sweatshirt with the palette.

Rothko & BBB Sweatshirt

Daily Whip Out: "Dog Day Afternoon"

Daily Whip Out: "Baby Face Nelson"

(inspired from a screen grab off of

"Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou")

Daily Whip Out: "Under The Navajo Brim"

"Bad decisions lead to good stories."

—Old Vaquero Saying

Gila Monsters And Pendejos Rising And AI Sinking

 August 1, 2026

   My neighbors to the north recently captured this hefty little "monster" in their chicken house eating all the chicken eggs.

A Gila Monster Caught Red Handed

   I intend to do a much deeper dive on this weird little lizard. Stay tuned.

Daily Reworked Whip Out:

"Border Crossers"

Pendejo Rising to The Top

"Fun factoid: pendejo comes from Latin pubic hair, and supposedly—meaning who knows?—was first used in 16th century Spain to describe adolescents (just beginning to grow pubic hair) acting foolishly. Pendejo now has such an elastic meaning —A-hole, fool, twit, jerk, idiot, prat—it can be applied to anyone. Meaning it belongs at the top of your vocabulary."

—Daniel Buck

   Here is an AI ad that Rooster Rob created for me:

This Just In
"Never expected my favorite living artist to be using AI."
—Lane Creek

   Okay, is this where we are in the culture conversation? Did I miss a meeting?

Helpful Tips From The Hassayampa Grandpa

• Exercise in the early morning before your brain figures out what you are doing.

• If you want new ideas read an old book.

• Whatever it is you are seeking it won't come in the form you are expecting.

• I hate when I gain ten pounds for a role and then realize I'm not an actor.

• If you walk around your yard with a fake ankle monitor, your neighbors will not ask you to watch their kids.

"I am out with lanterns, looking for myself."

—Emily Dickinson