Judy was born in Hamilton, TX where she developed a love for Western Music and History. After graduation from McMurry University, she became a High School Choir Director with her award-winning choirs being invited to sing in many places, including Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The lure of the West and her love for the Western Genre was still there. She began singing again and has performed from Branson, MO to Elko, Nevada – from Donna TX to Great Falls, MT. She has been nominated several times for Female Vocalist of the Year and received the 2021 Academy of Western Artists Female Western Singer of the Year.

Judy has recorded seven albums:

Additionally, she has written two books.

• Western Wisdom – An Educator’s Guide for Teachers
• Parker County Legends: Trail Bosses and Wild Hosses (true story of Oliver and Charles Goodnight,) a co-write with Pam Tarpley.

In 1997, Judy began hosting Cowboy Jubilee with Judy James each Saturday morning, for which she is a four-time recipient of DJ of the Year for the International Western Music Association. This show airs on Western Heritage Radio and is heard on TuneIn radio, live365.com, and https://judyjames.com. In 2019, she began a gospel show which airs on Sunday mornings on the same stations!

The vision for a youth music camp began in 2013 because she saw a need to work with young people who wanted to further their talents through Western Music.

Jean Prescott grew up horseback, living and loving the rural western lifestyle and teaching herself to play guitar at the age of 16. She began singing professionally at the age of 18. Looking back on her life, Jean realizes that God gave her the gift of music and she takes that gift very seriously. Jean’s performances have spanned from the National Cowboy Gathering in Elko, Nevada, to Christian Youth Horsemanship Camps, concert stages, campfires and Cowboy Churches across the country and abroad. She has no plans to slow down any time soon.

A multiple award-winning singer/songwriter, Jean keeps the history and heritage of the west through her songs about cowboys, cowgirls and those who love the western way of life. Her CD with husband, Gary, “Satisfied Hearts”, garnered numerous awards and accolades. Jean’s latest recording is a gospel CD called simply, “Joy”.

Often called “The First Lady of Western Music,” Prescott believes the future of western music lies with our youth. We must be good leaders and set great examples for them. Jean has mentored young singer/songwriters for many years and joined the staff of the Y Bar J Youth Western Music and Poetry Camp in 2019. She has been an integral part of the camp since then. Jean teaches songwriting and works with each camper in various areas. She became the Assistant Camp Director in 2021 and works closely all year long with the Camp Director, Judy James, to prepare for the annual camps. Jean is passionate about carrying on and preserving Western music and cowboy poetry by mentoring and helping young campers pursue and achieve their musical and poetry goals.

Jean and her husband Gary live and love life on their ranch south of Abilene, Texas.

Leah Sawyer is a Texas native who has been fiddling and singing her own songs since she was 5 years old. Leah was born into a musical family and grew up performing with their group – Simple Gifts the Sawyer Family Band. As a homeschooling family, the Sawyers were able to travel full time. Many of their performances involved traveling on Sunday mornings and bringing their music to a different church every Sunday.

While traveling with her family in high school, Leah also played fiddle with many different bands in the Fort Worth Stockyards. She performed around the country playing everything from National Fiddle Contests and Cowboy Music Festivals to small churches and senior living centers.

Leah currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. She regularly performs on the road with Country and Bluegrass artists. Leah spends much of her time doing session work for Nashville artists and film makers. In the last year alone she has performed with Michael Martin Murphey, Red Steagall, Jake Hooker, Mary Sarah of the Voice and Kylie Frey of America’s Got Talent just to name a few. In addition to playing fiddle for other groups, Leah writes original music in the Cowboy and Western Swing genres and often performs with her own Western Swing trio.

Leah is passionate about the traditions that good music comes from. Her desire is to create excellent music in an artistic way that glorifies God and points to his goodness.

David Sawyer is a Texas native renowned for his masterful guitar playing and classic open road hat. David leads worship at a local church, plays bass with Riley Gilbreath and Lone Star Blue and plays solo gigs that combine his earthy vocals with his finger-style guitar.

He has taught private lessons, been featured on a number of recordings including Judy James recent project Because of Him and been a part of this camp since its inception.
Off the musical stage, David creates original pieces of art using words and found items. He is also a caricature artist who loves to sit one-on-one with people, drawing their faces while making each one feel noticed and special.

David and his wife, Kathy, live in Weatherford, TX. They have two adult children.

You can find out more by visiting David’s Facebook page – Guy With the Guitar. You can contact him at guywiththeguitarandsharpie@gmail.com or by texting 214-882-1867.

Hi y’all!! My name is Caroline Wiseman and I am so excited to meet all of you at camp this year. I am currently a junior at Sam Houston State University and I am studying animal science with a focus on equine science. I have been singing since I was 8 years old and it wasn’t too long before I picked up a guitar and learning how to play it.

Over the years I have gotten the privilege to learn from and talk to many people who have become mentors of mine. Without those mentors including Bobby Flores, Judy James, Jean Prescott, and many others, I would not have the knowledge that I have today which I now get to also share with these amazing campers. I am proud to say that I was once in the shoes of the campers who are going to be attending this camp and without this wonderful camp I would not have learned what I know or met the people I have gotten to meet throughout the years. I love getting to help out at the Y Bar J Youth Western Music and Poetry Camp and I can’t wait to see each one of the campers new and old that will be joining us for camp.

Fourth generation Texas Panhandle rancher Dale Burson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. He runs cow-calf and yearling operations near Channing, Texas, and writes songs focusing on ranch life and family values.

Dale is a featured performer at cowboy gatherings and concerts throughout the United States. He was awarded the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for “A Life More Than This” as Outstanding Original Western Composition.

He has recorded with his son and daughter, Ross and Brittany, releasing the albums The Burson Family Ranch and Dancing With Daddy, and has written songs with Red Steagall while touring with his band. Dale also can be heard playing guitar on the album Ridin’ Old Paint: Documenting the Canadian River Breaks Fiddle Tradition, produced by the Western Folklife Center. He released The Heart in 2015, and his album Just Me came out in 2024.

Decatur, Texas, brings us cowboy poet Dennis Flynn. After spending many years cowboying and raising “a little hay, some pretty good horses, and fabulous grandkids”, you can now find the Texas cowboy writing and reciting authentic, cowboy poetry at conferences and events across the county.

Darci, his wife, is a camp volunteer providing camp chronicles through the lens of her camera.

Fourth generation Texas Panhandle rancher Dale Burson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. He runs cow-calf and yearling operations near Channing, Texas, and writes songs focusing on ranch life and family values.

Dale is a featured performer at cowboy gatherings and concerts throughout the United States. He was awarded the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for “A Life More Than This” as Outstanding Original Western Composition.

He has recorded with his son and daughter, Ross and Brittany, releasing the albums The Burson Family Ranch and Dancing With Daddy, and has written songs with Red Steagall while touring with his band. Dale also can be heard playing guitar on the album Ridin’ Old Paint: Documenting the Canadian River Breaks Fiddle Tradition, produced by the Western Folklife Center. He released The Heart in 2015, and his album Just Me came out in 2024.

Dawn currently works at Montgomery High School in Montgomery, TX as a CTE teacher. A veteran of many camps, she offers her experience and knowledge to Y-J camp by serving as the activities director. The activities room is an essential part of our camp and Dawn brings many fun activities to the camp: making the a “camp”. The Activities room is the center of the camp as it helps build comradery.

A native of Weatherford, Texas, Andrea was married to a working cowboy and well-known cowboy poet, Larry McWhorter, until his passing in 2002. Eventually, Andrea met and married rancher Frank Waitley from Iliff, CO. She and her eight-year-old daughter moved to northeastern Colorado to Frank’s ranch and Andrea spent the next 17 years of her life there, until Frank’s passing in 2022, at which time she moved back to Weatherford.

In 2002 Andrea established “Cross My Heart Ministries” and began her ministry to women, traveling across the country sharing the gospel and making much of Jesus. She and her husband Frank also ministered to young adults from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, CO, through their weekly Round Pen bible study. Andrea has a heart for youth and is a perfect fit to be the chaplain for the Y-J Youth Western Music and Poetry Camp. She inspires and encourages young people to love Jesus and live according to His word. Andrea loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. She has a blog on the “Cross My Heart “ Facebook Page and conducts a weekly Brown Bag Bible Study for women as well as being a speaker at various women’s retreats and events across the country.

A native of Weatherford, Texas, Andrea was married to working cowboy and well-known cowboy poet, Larry McWhorter, until his passing in 2002. Eventually, Andrea met and married rancher Frank Waitley from Iliff, CO. She and her eight-year-old daughter moved to northeastern Colorado to Frank’s ranch and Andrea spent the next 17 years of her life there, until Frank’s passing in 2022, at which time she moved back to Weatherford.

In 2002 Andrea established “Cross My Heart Ministries” and began her ministry to women, traveling across the country sharing the gospel and making much of Jesus. She and her husband Frank also ministered to young adults from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, CO, through their weekly Round Pen bible study. Andrea has a heart for youth and is a perfect fit to be the chaplain for the Y-J Youth Western Music and Poetry Camp. She inspires and encourages young people to love Jesus and live according to His word. Andrea loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. She has a blog on the “Cross My Heart “ Facebook Page and conducts a weekly Brown Bag Bible Study for women as well as being a speaker at various women’s retreats and events across the country.