Rick Landers

Rick will perform his song, "1913 Stag Canon #2" about two mining disasters at the Dawson Company Mines in 1913 and 1923 that resulted in nearly 400 deaths. The cemetery remains, however, Dawson is now a ghost town. The cemetery markers were originally painted black, like the coal the miners mined. And some of those who died in 1923 were sons of men who died in the 1913 disaster. The song is a tribute to the men who perished and to those who were part of the rescue teams who arrived from as far away as Pennsylvania. On the evening of Sept. 3, he'll play a set of songs in Raton to members of the VFW Hall and the following day, he'll play a full set or two of songs to the descendants of those who passed away in 1913 and 1923, about 500 folks who gather every two years to pay tribute to their loved ones.