Barry Corbin exemplifies the words “grit” and “generosity.” True, it was years ago when someone approached him in the Dallas Arts District and asked him a question. Barry snorted, “Check my IMBD.”
But, shoot! That was so Barry. He’s the “doesn’t suffer fools” type with a Texas accent that directors time and again have sought in such TV shows and movies as “Northern Exposure,” “Lonesome Dove,” “The Ranch,” “The Big Easy,” “Dallas,” “No Country For Old Men,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Yellowstone” and “Tulsa King,” to name just a few.
Like a Tootsie Roll Pop, Barry has been known in these parts for his hard exterior and his “don’t let on compassion” interior that has helped the Roundup For Autism over the years.
To honor his support, Roundup For Autism Founder Bobby Norris revealed the creation of the Barry Corbin Grit and Generosity Award.
The award celebrates “those who overcome challenges while giving back to the community.”
According to Bobby, “In addition to being a good friend for many years and a consistent Roundup Celebrity Chair and participant, Barry Corbin has dedicated so much of his time and resources to the Roundup For Autism over the past 37 years. It’s only fitting to establish an award in his honor.”
The inaugural award will be presented on Saturday, September 21, at the 37th Annual Roundup For Autism, presented by Winch Ranch. The event will be held at River Ranch in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
The first Barry Corbin Award will be presented posthumously to the family of the late Keith Maddox, who died September 4, 2019.
Keith was a self-made man who rodeo arena-ed his way from his birthplace in Idaho throughout classrooms to graduating in 1971 from Eastern Oregon University. His roots in the west steered him to working with TemTex, Bailey Hats, Tony Lama Boots and Larry Mahan.
Why, just to beat the competition in his territory, he was one of the first salesmen to pilot his own plane.
It was in 1996 that he and his wife Susan established The Best Hat Store in the Stockyards. Later he would “revive the American Hat Company, overcoming significant setbacks, including a devastating fire in 2005.”
All of this was achieved thanks to his “brand Positive Times, and he lived by this every day.”
Typical of Keith, he admitted, “I’ve never had a bad day. I had a bad 15 minutes one time, and I will never do that again.”
In making the announcement, Barry said, “I am deeply honored that Keith Maddox will be the first recipient of the Barry Corbin Grit And Generosity Award. Keith was a tireless supporter of the Roundup For Autism from the beginning and I loved spending time with him. I always admired Keith for his business sense, and even more for his generosity and dedication to helping others. Keith’s contributions left an indelible mark not only in Texas but on the international Western community, and this award is a testament to his enduring legacy.”
Somehow, one can’t help thinking that Keith and Barry were cut from the same bolt of sturdy cowboy cloth.
Sponsorships and tickets for the big night are available here.
* Graphic courtesy of Roundup For Autism