Scofield's Cowboy Campfire

Tony Ilardi

 Tony Ilardi has been performing Cowboy Poetry and Music since he was three years old.  He sang on KGO radio in San Francisco in 1945; and he has been entertaining audiences across the USA ever since.

  Tony’s poetry has been published on many occasions. He has made recordings and has performed on several radio and television specials.  He has entertained at many cowboy poetry gatherings, state fairs, conventions, private parties and schools.  Tony has been a featured performer several times at the Elko, Nevada Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

  Tony has been collecting, reciting and performing the old classic cowboy poems and ballads that were written in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.  However he also writes and performs modern cowboy poems and songs.

  Tony has performed on stage with many famous entertainers such as:
Sons of the Pioneers, Waddie Mitchell, Don Edwards, Riders in the Sky, Baxter Black, Chris Le Doux, Lacy J. Dalton and The Sons of the San Joaquin.

Johny Walker

 Johnny Walker was born in Oakland , California , in 1956 and there is one song that features more prominently than any other in Johnny’s musical career.  He began playing at age six when one evening he heard his dad’s best friend play the song ‘ Red River Valley ’.  As Johnny recounts he fell in love with the song.  After Johnny learned to play this very song that same evening, the two men let Johnny keep the harmonica and to this day ‘ Red River Valley ’ is a Johnny Walker signature tune. 

By the 5th grade Johnny was a regular playing the harmonica in the classroom and on the school bus and even today Johnny enjoys playing the National Anthem at sporting events and always gets his harmonica in the holiday spirit with in another signature tune, ‘Silent Night’. 

  In 1997 and 300 harmonicas later (all collected in an old saxophone case called his grave yard), it was ‘ Red River Valley ’ that finally introduced Johnny to Cowboy Poetry audiences.  Renowned Cowboy Poet Jim King needed a harmonica player to play this very song in order to finish a CD and when Johnny Walker and Jim King were introduced, the two immediately connected. They have performed together ever since introducing Johnny’s talent to audiences at Cowboy Poetry venues in California and Nevada such as Elko, Red Mill Ranch and Vinton. 

  Over his career, Johnny has played many styles of music but performing traditional cowboy songs remains his favorite.