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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Scenes from inside the Star Basque restaurant on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, A volunteer bartender serves a beer at the Pioneer Saloon on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, A guest looks at an Exhibit of Rory Doyle's work on Black cowboys of the Mississippi Delta in his Delta Hills Riders project is on display at the Wiegand Gallery on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Teen Open Mic session on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, A young cowboy photographer at the Teen Open mic session on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Audience members at the Teen Open Mic session on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Elko's The Star is a Basque restaurant that serves large family style meals in the traditional Basque manner, on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Scenes from inside the Star Basque restaurant on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 29, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, A jam session at the Pioneer Saloon inside the Western Folklife Center on Wednesday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Detail of a hat on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Jon Parrish Peede, Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities addresses the audience before the keynote speakers on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Executive Director of the Western Folklife Center, Kristin Windbigler introduces the keynote speakers on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Jon Parrish Peede, Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities addresses the audience before the keynote speakers on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Executive Director of the Western Folklife Center, Kristin Windbigler introduces the keynote speakers on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Vania and her daughter Cheyenne Flemons Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Keynote address by Derek Knapp on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Keynote address by Bryan Neubert on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Dylan Clough, Pip Gillette and Dom Flemons perform together at the keynote on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Dom Flemons onstage during the keynote on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Paulette Tcherkassky braids her hair on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//for the Western Folklife Center)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Elko High School marching band finishes off the keynote address onThursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)

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January 30, 2020 - Elko, Nevada, Paul Zarzyski before his solo performance on Thursday at the 36th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Jessica Brandi Lifland//Polaris Images)