Wes McKinley

By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 09:11 a.m., March 5, 2008
Updated 09:31 a.m., March 5, 2008

The marble hallways of the Capitol are again twanging to the country tunes of Cowboy Wes and his guitar-picking sidekick Billy this morning as House staffers boot-scoot across the floor.

It’s the fifth annual morning cowboy song fest for Cowboy Wes -- AKA Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh -- the House’s true Old West Colorado rancher.

McKinley was decked out in his white Resistol hat, blue neckerchief slide with silver “Wes” and cowboy boots as he and fellow troubadour Billy Whitfield warmed up the crowd before the House and Senate convened this morning.

The tradition began in 2004 when McKinley was first elected to the legislature, helping his fellow Democrats execute a surprise takeover of both the House and Senate.

“Billy and I marched onto the House floor singing ‘When the Saints Come Marching In,’ “ McKinley recalled. “Some were saying it was a little bit of a stretch of the House rules,” he dryly added.

This morning, the now 63-year-old Wes told the gathering crowd: “We’ve got a couple songs we always dedicate to CDOT,” referring to the state highway agency.

Then the cowboy duo cut into a “Detour” by famed country singer Duane Eddy - followed by “Forty Miles of Bad Road.”

“The only difference between Billy and Duane Eddy is Billy can play guitar better, but Duane Eddy made more money,” McKinley opined.

In true country-song fashion, Wes and Billy met because McKinley used to ride rural school bus -- and sing -- with the girl who became Billy’s wife.

McKinley was in for a surprise on the floor later. Fellow legislators and staffers waved cowboy hats and sang "Happy Birthday."