National Public Radio’s Morning Edition for Friday, March 7, focused on “virtues classes,” where parents of different faiths bring their children together to learn about universal values such as kindness and helpfulness.
We were enjoying the engaging story when a familiar name came up:
“The children have been so patient for more than an hour, waiting for the highlight of the class, Cowboy Hay. Gil Miller Muro’s stepfather strides into the room, sporting a long white beard, a hillbilly hat and a banjo. He begins strumming and the kids join in, perhaps not realizing they are crooning a theological message.”
Cowboy Hay is well-known in Coloma for his portrayal of living history characters from the Gold Rush era. He is also a member of two reenactment bands, Coloma Celtic and Coyote Hill, which play music of the gold rush and old Celtic Irish music.
You can find the text of the show, along with photos and audio, at NPR.org. For more about Cowboy Hay, please visit CowboyHay.com.