Born in New York in 1945, New Mexican Cowboy Poet Baxter Black grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He attended Las Cruces High School where he was in the Future Farmers of America, graduated from New Mexico State University, and obtained his Doctorate from Colorado State University. After practicing veterinary science, he transitioned into writing full time in the early 1980’s and became one of the best known New Mexican Cowboy Poets, having a long and storied career. He appeared for numerous years on NPR, wrote many books and a weekly newspaper column, and appeared on countless television shows throughout the years. His last weekly column can be found here. He rode off for final time with his favorite horse on June 10, 2022, in Benson Arizona.