Ivan Doig Archive - Interviews and Readings
Ivan's grandmother, Bessie Ringer, pictured at her home in White Sulphur Springs in 1973.
The interviews and readings collection of the Ivan Doig Archive contains cassette and reel-to-reel audiotapes of various interviews conducted with Doig by commercial and public broadcasters; research oral histories collected by Doig of family members, former neighbors, and friends regarding his own history as well as Montana history. There are also recordings of Ivan Doig performing public readings of his own works in a number of different venues along with a small selection of CD's and videocassettes covering the same topics.
Featured Interviews
Taken by Ivan's mother Berneta, this photo shows Charlie Doig holding his young son, Ivan (circa 1940).
Charlie Doig
Ivan Doig interviews his father, Charlie Doig, on July 5, 1968. During this hour long interview, Doig asks his father to describe such things as his childhood and what it was like to grow up in rural Montana. Doig prompts his father to tell him about the history of the Doig family ranch including sheep herding, running cattle, and the management of the ranch after the death of Ivan's grandfather. Charlie Doig also reminisces on what he had to do in order to protect the family's sheep from wild predators such as coyotes and bears. Other topics discussed include Charlie Doig's days on the rodeo circuit, riding cross country on horseback, and haying.
Ivan's grandmother, Bessie Ringer, holding one of many quilts that she made (no date).
Bessie Ringer
Ivan Doig interviews his maternal grandmother, Bessie Ringer. Doig asks his grandmother to tell him about such things as his paternal grandmother, described as mother Doig in this interview, how the Doig children handled the Doig family ranch after mother Doig's death, places where Bessie Ringer spent her youth, and various other ranching topics, including losing stock, ranch hands, and measuring haystacks.