KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT is the Director of Rider Development and Scouting for the Nashville Stampede — winners of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship — journalist; advocate for public education, libraries, and independent bookstores; and an occasional adjunct professor of journalism for the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University.
He has interviewed a former president; two Nobel Laureates; Congressional and military leaders; Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators; Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Pulitzer Prize winners; members of the Rock & Roll and County Music halls of fame; Olympic gold medalists; philanthropists and a humanitarian, who lived in a teepee.
For the past 15 years, Cartwright has chronicled professional bull riding, rodeo, and the Western way of life. BLACK COWBOYS OF RODEO: UNSUNG HEROES FROM HARLEM TO HOLLYWOOD AND THE AMERICAN WEST is his second book.
ENDORSEMENT
“This was a great conversation. You’re obviously terrific at what you do. … I hope there is a next time and I will remember you because really terrific journalists are rare.”
—Sally Field (September 2018)
LECTURES & PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Buffalo Soliders National Museum and Houston Community College (February 2019)
Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University (February 2018)
Harvard University (January 2014)
Middle Tennessee State University (2013, ’14, ’15 and ’16)
Oshkosh North High School (April 2012)
MEMBERSHIPS
Rodeo Historical Society
Western History Association
Texas State Historical Association
Texas Library Association
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Black Stuntmen’s Association; Honorary Member (Aug. 2022)
National School Public Relations Assoc.; Excellence in Writing (July 2017, ’18 and ’19)
Middle Tennessee State Univ.; College of Media and Entertainment; Wall of Fame (April 2013)
Oshkosh North High School; Hall of Fame (April 2012)
Keith Ryan Cartwright Day in the City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin (April 2012)
Presented ‘Key to the City’ by Oshkosh Mayor Burk Tower (April 2012)
Southeast Journalism Conference, Best In-Depth Story, first and Best Feature Story, first (2000)
Rolex/Golf Digest College Sportswriter of the Year, finalist (1999)
Southeast Journalism Conference, Best Sports Story, first (1998)
EDUCATION
Harvard University Extension School
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM), Journalism (May 2017)
Middle Tennessee State University
Bachelor of Science (BS), Journalism with focus on Magazine Writing (May 2001)
Minors in Political Science and Film Studies
CONVERSATIONS / INTERVIEWS
2 LIVE CREW
3 DOORS DOWN
AEROSMITH
YOLANDA ADAMS
ADEMA
TRACE ADKINS
ALABAMA
MITCH ALBOM
ALAN ALDA
ALICE IN CHAINS
ALIEN ANT FARM
GARY ALLAN
GREGG ALLMAN
ALLMAN BROTHERS, THE
LIZ ALLISON
BOBBY ALLISON
SILVANO ALVES
WHISPERIN’ BILL ANDERSON
PAMELA ANDERSON
ANGIE APARO
DAVID ARNOLD
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
ATICUS FAULT
AUDIOVENT
SHERRIE AUSTIN
STEVE AZAR
OBBA BABATUNDE
KEVIN BACON
BAHA MEN
BAILEY PRAIRIE KID
SCOTT BAIO
LORI BAKER
BAND PERRY, THE
MOE BANDY
BARE JR.
BARENACKED LADIES
LaSHONDA BARNETT
MANDY BARNETT
CHUCK BARRIS
JEFF BATES
MATT BATTAGLIA
MARTY BELAFSKY
DIERKS BENTLEY
BOBBY BERGER
CHAD BERGER
STEVE BERRY
BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS
CLINT BLACK
JACK BLACK
BLACKFOOT
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
BLUES TRAVELER
BODEANS, THE
MARC BOUWER
CLINT BOYERS
BR-549
BOBBY BRADDOCK
TERRY BRADSHAW
BUD BRAMWELL
MICHELLE BRANCH
CHASE BRANDON
CLINT BRANGER
TREVOR BRAZILE
ANGELICA BRIDGES
DAPHNE BROGDON
GARTH BROOKS
BROOKS & DUNN
MARK BROUSSARD
ALEX BROWN
JUNIOR BROWN
MINNIEJEAN BROWN
TONY BRUBAKER
BUCKCHERRY
LONNIE BUNCH III
MELISSA BURCH
ED BURNS
CANDANCE BUSHNELL
GEEZER BUTLER
BUZZHORN, THE
CHRIS BYRD
TRACY BYRD
BYRDS, THE
PATTY CABRERA
CHRIS CAGLE
LARRY CALLIES
EDNEI CAMINHAS
CANDIRIA
ADAM AND GILBERT CARRILLO
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER
CAITLIN CARY
HAROLD CASH
JOHN CARTER CASH
GIL CATES, JR.
WACEY CATHEY
JIM CAVIEZEL
MICHAEL CHANDLER
BETH NEILSON CHAPMAN
JANET CHARLETON
ROSS CHASTAIN
CHEAP TRICK
CHUBBY CHECKER
KENNY CHESNEY
RICHARD CHILDRESS
HENRY CHO
TOMMY CHONG
LES CLAYPOOL
NEIL CLEARY
COWBOY JACK CLEMENT
CHELSEA CLINTON
TA-NEHISI COATES
KELLY COFFEY
COL. PARKER (BAND)
ROSS COLEMAN
COLLECTIVE SOUL
JESSE COLTER
CONCRETE BLONDE
JOHN CONLEE
HARRY CONNICK JR.
ALICE COOPER
TUF COOPER
JOHN CORBETT
CHRIS CORNELL
NIKKA COSTA
KEVIN COSTNER
COURSE OF NATURE
COWBOY MOUTH
CRACKER
CRASH TEST DUMMIES
ROBERT CRAY
CRINGE, THE
CRYSTAL METHOD, THE
EVELYN CUFFEE
CULT, THE
BILLY CURRINGTON
CODY CUSTER
CYPRUS HILL
DAKOTA MOON
DAN + SHAY
MARK Z. DANIELEWSKI
ALLIE DANIELLE
DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL
JADIE DAVID
COOPER DAVIS
DENNIS DAVIS
JADIE DAVIS
JEROME DAVIS
DEATON / FLANIGAN
ANTHONY DeCURTIS
DEEP PURPLE
DEF LEPARD
GAVIN DeGRAW
BOBBY DELVECCHIO
KEVIN DENNY
CATHERINE DENT
JAMES DENTON
VALDIRON DE OLIVEIRA
GUILIANA DePANDI
DERAILERS, THE
DEXTER FREEBISH
LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS
MYRTIS DIGHTMAN
JOE DIFFIE
DIFUSER
MYRTIS DIGHTMAN
AUSTIN DILLON
DISHWALLA
DERYL DODD
JOHN DOE
DR. THOMAS DOHERTY
DOKKEN
DONNAS, THE
DOORS, THE
REGINALD T. DORSEY
DR. DREW (PINSKY)
DRIFTERS, THE
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS
ERICA DUNLAP
BUBBA DUNN
HOLLY DUNN
TROY DUNN
GEORGE EADS
EAGLES, THE
DALE EARNHARDT JR.
DIMITRI EHRLICK
GREG and KIANTE ELAM
BRETT ELDRIDGE
PHYLLIS ELLIS
JOHN ELWAY
E’NUFF Z’NUFF
SCOTTIE EMERICK
EMERSON DRIVE
SARA EVANS
EVERCLEAR
EXIES, THE
URIJAH FABER
JOANIE FAGAN
TIFFANY FALLON
JAY FARRAR
FASTER PUSSYCAT
BRETT FAVRE
FEABLE WEINER
BEN FERRELL
RICK FERRELL
SALLY FIELD
FIGHT
FINGER ELEVEN
SHANDI FINNESSEY
FLESH VEHICLE
FLICKERSTICK
FLOTSOM & JETSOM
FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS, THE
FREDDIE FENDER
MATT FREISE
FOGHAT
FOO FIGHTERS
FOREIGNER
DAVID FOURNIER
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE
A.J. FOYT
PETER FRAMPTON
KIRK FRANKLIN
MARCOUS FRIDAY
FUEL
DAISY FUENTES
MICHAEL GAFFNEY
JEFFREY GAINES
JOE GALANTE
DAISY GARDNER
DONNIE GAY
ELIZABETH GILBERT
VINCE GILL
MICKEY GILLEY
DIHIGI GLADNEY
CRISPIN GLOVER
GODSMACK
GOO GOO DOLLS
DR. ARAM GOUDSOUZIAN
GOV’T MULE
HENRY GRADDY
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
AMY GRANT
MARK GREANEY
PAT GREEN
WAYNE GRETZKY
ANDY GRIGGS
JOHN GRISHAM
SHAWN GROVES
GUNS N ROSES
GUSTER
ROB HALFORD
JESSE HALL aka CHARLIE RENO
JIMMY HALL
HALL & OATES
LAIRD HAMILTON
HANDSOME DEVIL
MARY ALICE HANEY
DWAYNE SR., DWAYNE JR. and AARON HARGO
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS
JOHN HARP JR.
J.W. HARRIS
WILLIE HARRIS
J.W. HART
HAYSEED DIXIE
JEFF HEALEY
BILLY RAY HEARN
CLEO HEARN
ERIC HEATHERLY
TUFF HEDEMAN
MARILU HENNER
HIGHWAY 9
FAITH HILL
PEREZ HILTON
WILL HOGE
KELLY HOLCOMB
MIKE HOLMGREN
STEVE HOLY
HOOBASTANK
MARYELLEN HOOPER
TRE HOSLEY
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON
CRYSTAL HUNT
INDIGO GIRLS
JACK INGRAM
INSANE CLOWN POSSE
INXS
ALAN JACKSON
GLENN JACKSON
NELSON JACKSON, JR.
JACKYL
BRETT JAMES
CHARMAYNE JAMES
JARS OF CLAY
JAYHAWKS, THE
JEM
L.J. JENKINS
SHOOTER JENNINGS
JEWEL
BUDDY JEWEL
CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON
EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON
JIMMY JOHNSON
MICHAEL JOHNSON
RUSTY JOINER
ASHLEY JONES
BRYSON JONES
MELVIN JONES
JOSH JOPLIN GROUP
LESLIE JORDAN
JERRY JOSEPH
ASHLEY JUDD
KANDI
COLLEEN KANE
HELLEN KEANEY
ROBERT EARL KEEN
TOBY KEITH
KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS, THE
HAL KETCHUM
KID ROCK
MERLE KILGORE
JIMMY KIMMEL
LILY KING
KISS
CHUCK KLOSTERMAN
JOHNNY KNOXVILLE
MARGARET RYAN KREEGER
FREDDIE KRUEGER
BRUCE KULICK
LACS, THE
LADY ANTEBELLUM
LA GUNS
ALEXI LALAS
LORENZO LAMAS
MIRANDA LAMBERT
RACHEL LAMPA
ALI LANDRY
LARRY THE CABLE GUY
TOMMY LASORDA
MIKE LATTING
JIM LAUDERDALE
LAVA BABY
DOUG LAWRENCE
REV. JAMES LAWSON
CHRISTIAN LeBLANC
CLARENCE and KENNETH LeBLANC
CHRIS LeDOUX
BRENDA LEE
MIKE LEE
JOSE VITOR LEME
LENNON
DIANE LES BEQUETS
JOHN LEWIS
ALAN LIGHT
ALAN LIGHTMAN
LIGION
LIL’ JOHNNY
JACK LILLEY
AARON LINES
LINKIN PARK
LIT
LIVE
JESS LOCKWOOD
JEFF LOOMIS
KODY LOSTROH
LOVIES, THE
LUCKYDOG
SHELBY LYNNE
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
LARRY MAHAN
MALIBU VINEYARD
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
ANDREW MARANISS
DAVID MARANISS
GUILHERMI MARCHI
MAROON 5
JOHNNY MARR
CHARLIE MARS
ERIC MARTSOLF
MARVELOUS 3
MATCHBOX TWENTY
J.B. MAUNEY
MAVERICKS, THE
JUSTIN McBRIDE
MARTINA McBRIDE
EDWIN McCAIN
LILA McCANN
ANDREW McCARTHY
DELBERT McCLINTON
JEROME McCOMB
SUSAN McCRAY
CHRISTOPHER McDANIEL
TIM McGRAW
MARK McGUINN
BRIAN McKNIGHT
JON MEACHAM
CHUCK MEAD
MEAT PUPPETS
AUSTIN MEIER
TIM MENZIES
LEAH MEYERHOFF
KASSIE MILLER
LANCE MILLER
RONNIE MILSAP
MINISTRY
BOB MINOR
EZEKIEL MITCHELL
KEB MO
SHANNA MOAKLER
MOE.
MONTGOMERY GENTRY
MOODY BLUES, THE
BARRY MOORE
IAN MOORE
SAM MOORE
ADRIANO MORAES
JULIE MORAN
JULIO MORENO (owner of BUSHWACKER)
MOTLEY CRUE
SHAWN MULLINS
DERMOT MULRONEY
TY MURRAY
MUSIQ
CARL NAFZGER
JENNIFER NETTLES
NEUROTIC OUTSIDERS
JODY NEWBERRY
NEWSBOYS, THE
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN
JOE NICHOLS
JON NICHOLSON
NICKELBACK
NICKEL CREEK
BEBO NORMAN
TED NUCE
RENATO NUNES
JOHN OATES
KELLI O’HARA
THOM OLIPHANT
DAVE OLNEY
ONESIDEZERO
JAMES OTTO
BRETT PAESEL
DILLON and H.D. PAGE
BRAD PAISLEY
ROBSON PALERMO
CONRAD PALMISANO
PAPA ROACH
DOLLY PARTON
JAMES PATTERSON
PAYBACKS, THE
PEARL JAM
CHADWICK PELLETIER
CHAD PENNINGTON
TY PENNINGTON
SYNDEY PENNY
TAMMY PESCATELLI
MELISSA PETERMAN
WILEY PETERSEN
KYLE PETTY
RICHARD PETTY
JAMES PICKENS JR.
MARY LAURA PHILPOTT
ZACH PILLER
ADAM PINCUS
PINMONKEY
P.O.D.
POISON
STEVE POLTZ
GREG POPE
TATER PORTER
JAMIE PRESSLEY
PRESSURE 4-5
CHARLIE PRIDE
EMILY PROCTOR
PULSE ULTRA
NATHANIEL “REX” PUREFOY
QUIET RIOT
RASCAL FLATTS
DAN RATHER
JENNIFER RAWLINGS
STEVE REAGOR
VICTORIA RECANO
JERRY REED
JON REEP
MELISSA REEVES
REVEREND HORTON HEAT
GIOVANNI RIBISI
GARY RICHARD
MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS
RIDDLIN’ KIDS
LEANN RIMES
CRAIG RING
JOAN RIVERS
MELISSA RIVERS
JEFF ROBINSON
JEROME ROBINSON
STEVE ROBINSON
AL ROKER
KENNY ROGERS
HENRY ROLLINS
DAVID LEE ROTH
DARIUS RUCKER
ANTONIO SABATO
CHARLIE SAMPSON
PONCHO SANCHEZ
ERIC SARDINAS
SAWYER BROWN
JACOB SCHICK
SEETHER
SELF
AARON SEMAS
RUTA SEPETYS
MATT SERLETIC
SEVENDUST
SEVEN MARY THREE
CHARLIE SEXTON
REMY SHAND
JIM “RAZOR” SHARP
MAIA SHARP
BLAKE SHELTON
T.G. SHEPPARD
CHRIS SHIVERS
MICHELLE SHOCKED
MOLLY SIMS
SISTER HAZEL
RICKY SKAGGS
SLASH
SMASHMOUTH
SMILE EMTPY SOUL
JAME SMILEY
LANCE SMITH
MICHAEL W. SMITH
MINDY SMITH
TODD SNIDER
SNOWDOGS
CODY SNYDER
LUKE SNYDER
SOIL
LARRY SOLOMON
BRADLEY SOMER
SOULFLY
SOUNDGARDEN
MICHELLE STAFFORD
STAIND
BOBBY, TOMMY SHANE and TOMMY STEINER
RICKY STENHOUSE, JR.
STEREOMUD
STEREOPHONICS
MELODY STEVENSON
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
GEORGE STRAIT
THE STRAY CATS
STREEETWALKIN’ CHEATAHS
KARL STRESSMAN
THE STROKES
JAMES STROUD
MARTY STUART
SUGARCULT
SUGAR RAY
HENRY LEE SUMMER
THE SUPERSUCKERS
MATTHEW SWEET
KEITH SYKES
TANTRIC
STANLEY “RAY RAY” TAYLOR
TATTOO RODEO
TENACIOUS D
THIRD DAY
TH’ LEGENDARY SHACKSHAKERS
WILLIE THOMAS
CYNDI THOMSON
LISA THORNHILL
PAUL THEROUX
JOE TILQUE
BOBBY TOMBERLIN
TONIC
RHONDA TOWNS
TRANS SIBERIAN ORCESTRA
TRAVIS TRITT
TRAIN
TRANSMATIC
TRICK PONY
TRIPLE H
BARRY TROTZ
DEREK TRUCKS
KAREN TRUELOVE
TUFF
GLYNN TURMAN
JOSH TURNER
SHANIA TWAIN
UGLY KID JOE
UNCLE KRACKER
UNWRITTEN LAW
WILLIE UPTON
KEITH URBAN
STEVE VAI
VANDALS, THE
VAN HALEN
PHIL VASSAR
V.A.S.T.
JIMMY VAUGHAN
VERTICAL HORIZON
JOHN WAITE
BUTCH WALKER
CLAY WALKER
DONTE WALKER
JIMMY LEE WALKER
JAKE WARD
STEVE WARINER
WARRANT
WARREN BROTHERS, THE
KYM WASHINGTON
RICHARD WASHINGTON
LAUREN FERN WATT
J.C. WATTS
GILLAN WELCH
BETTY WHITE
JACK WHITE
MIKE WHITE
WHITE STRIPES, THE
FRED WHITFIELD
DAVID WILD
ERVIN WILLIAMS, JR.
HANK WILLIAMS, JR.
HANK WILLIAMS III
HOLLY WILLIAMS
TEX WILLIAMS
DR. YOHURU WILLIAMS
MARK WILLS
GRETCHEN WILSON
LUKE WILSON
OWEN WILSON
DON WINSTON
(WISE)CHILD
ALEXANDER WOLFF
CHELY WRIGHT
DWIGHT YOAKAM
PETE YORN
KYLE YOUNG
RUSTY YOUNG
GEORGE ZAKK
ZEBRAHEAD
JEFF ZENTNER
ZEROES, THE
ZZ TOP