Entertainer Rides American Mustang To Honor Friend

New Orleans Entertainer Rides American Mustang On 1,000-Mile Journey To Honor Deceased Friend
Winston Hall and wife Donna, along with Durango Bobwire, a four-year old American Mustang, and Hart, their dog, spent the night in Hart last week on their way to Estes Park, Colorado, where they hope to arrive in late May.

The Pulse editor, Neoma Williams, caught up with Winston last Friday morning on TX194 on their way to Dimmitt.

The trip is to honor Winston’s friend, Jonathan Avitia. Avitia died in March 2013 at age 31 following a battle with extragonadal germ cell tumor, a rare form of cancer. Avitia had told Winston that he wanted him to have his saddle and black hat after his death.

When Jonathan died, Winston got the saddle from Avitia’s parents’ home in Gatesville, Texas. He had promised Jonathan that he would ride from the family ranch in Gatesville, where Winston also grew up, to Wind River Ranch near Estes Park, where the two of them had spent summers wrangling at a Christian guest ranch.

Before his stay in Hart, he had made a stop in Floydada and Plainview, and spent a couple of days in Lockney when Durango developed a sore back. He and Durango make about 20 miles a day, then rest a day or two.

Durango Bobwire is the offspring of a mare caught wild in the Nevada desert. The four-year old was born in a Bureau of Land Management holding facility and has a neck brand to prove his origins. The woman who owns Durango Bobwire heard about Winston’s journey for Jonathan and contacted him and told him she’d loan the horse for the journey, as he would be the “perfect horse” for such a trip.

Donna is always nearby in a sport van, along with Hart. She blogs about their journey at journeyforjonathanblogspot.com. The blog on Wednesday was about their stay in Dimmitt and Hereford.

After the journey ends, Winston plans to write a memoir about the trip and the profound impact Jonathan’s friendship had on his life.
Winston is a pianist, entertainer and vocalist. He calls Shreveport, Louisiana, home, and has a website: winstonhallmusic.com
He’s known for his raucous energy, soulful ballads, improvisation and eclectic musical style. Hall often teams with acclaimed bassist Chris Allen when performing. (www.chrisallenbass.com.) Hall’s music is available for download on iTunes and cdbaby.com.

Hall’s songwriting abilities have not gone unnoticed. In 2008, his Paul Simon-influenced “Syringa” was selected by Oasis Recordings as one of 21 songs to be included in its Acoustic Radio Sampler. Additionally, in 2012, the rowdy sing-along “Goodbye NOLA” was named one of two finalists in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest presented by the New Orleans Jazz Contest. Hall co-wrote the song with Donna Chance.

Hall began his musical journey by starting piano lessons at the age of five. After graduating from Angelo State University in 2004 with a journalism degree, Hall eventually relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a songwriting career. During his stint in Nashville, he performed at such venues as The Rutledge on Fourth Avenue, The Wild Horse Saloon, The Bluebird Café, and the Listening Room in Franklin, Tennessee.

In 2007, Hall took a detour into the film industry where he worked as a piano coach for Bernie Mac on the motion picture “Soul Men.” In 2010, Hall partnered with executive producer Donna Chance to produce and direct Unbroken: the Pearl Bluegrass Circle. This award-winning independent film documented the bluegrass culture that developed in Pearl, Texas, a small town near Hall’s childhood home. (www.unbrokendocumentary.com)