September 3rd, 2017
Updated September 18, 2017
Nashville, TN
“Roots Run Deep” Encores on RFD-TV Monday, September 18th, at 8 p.m. ET
Mackenzie Kimbro brings her cookbook’s themes and recipes to the TV screen, on an RFD-TV special, “Roots Run Deep.” This one-hour feature will give viewers a glimpse into the life and legacy of Wendy Glenn, who Kimbro describes as her biggest cheerleader, her rock, and a no-nonsense grandma. The mark she left behind is apparent, and her family’s commitment to the land shines through.
Q: What all can viewers expect from Monday’s premiere?
A: It all centers around family, fun and good food! This heartfelt first hour is a tribute to my late grandmother, Wendy Glenn, and shows how her legacy is living on in our hearts and in all that we do. Besides giving a glimpse into our crazy lives and her memory, the show highlights our annual Wendy Glenn Memorial Event Fundraiser, which was held in her honor, helping local families that have been stricken with cancer. We show our event from this past May - which entails a huge goat roping, a live auction, a massive silent auction, dancing to an amazing band out of Texas, and a big BBQ dinner, which we prepared ourselves! You’ll see all of the fun that we had that event weekend, including a special dinner for our band and crew at our ranch house the night before the big day. We also held a large luncheon at the house the day after the event! Food is a unifying thread through all of our concepts, as this is meant to be a cooking show as well, so there will be recipes shared and glimpses into my coffee-table cookbook, “Roots Run Deep: Our Ranching Tradition.”
Also, keep an eye out for a few special appearances from our good friend and cowboy poet, Baxter Black, with is “After Thoughts!” Baxter has been incredibly supportive throughout this production process, nurturing me through my television debut and offering his sage wisdom and resources! I am so lucky to get to call him a close friend and am so thankful for what he’s done and continues to do to help me make this successful! And pay special attention to the song that rolls during the credits at the end. Written by our dear friend Craig Carter and performed by Craig and another good friend Zack Casey, “The Malpai Song,” is a beautiful tribute in itself to Wendy’s memory and wraps up the heart of the show just perfectly in a beautiful guitar tune!
Q: How did the concept of this show come about?
A: This is an incredible blessing and there’s actually quite a story behind how it all came about but in short. RFD-TV’s founder and president, Patrick Gottsch, visited our ranch here in AZ for lunch with a dearly loved mutual friend of ours. The lunch conversations were vast and wound around our lifestyle, and at one point included an explanation of my unconventional path since high school and my goals for life moving forward, including some of my biggest aspirations – that’s when I listed that one of my dreams was to produce my own TV show, all-encompassing of our lives here in the Malpai Borderlands of southeast Arizona. From the ranching to the hunting ... to the collaborative conservation efforts ... to the cooking and food ... to the cowboy and southwest culture (artisans, poetry, music, etc.) ... the rest is history! I’m really excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to hear what everyone has to say about it. I’m optimistic to see what the future holds!
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
A: I am a sixth-generation cattle rancher in southeast Arizona, right on the Mexican border, ranching alongside my mother and grandfather on two family ranches. Our family has been rooted in the area for over 120 years. My grandpa is an 81-year old cowboy’s cowboy and man’s man, an icon in many facets of the world and an inspiration to any who know him, and definitely my hero. My late grandma Wendy, which the show and my cookbook are a tribute to, was our rock and the hub around which everyone circled. She was an incredible woman, a no-nonsense grandma, one who loved to teach everyone about anything she was passionate about, be it ranching and conservation or history and archeology, so there was a lesson in everything she said or did. My mom Kelly is one tough cookie, ranching and hunting with Warner her entire life and loving every bit of it. She’s also been a spokesmodel for Ruger firearms for 30 years now, representing good sportsmanship, proper wildlife management, American values, and traditions. My dad, Kerry, is one of a kind and definitely is our support system and the key to helping us keep all the moving parts going! As for me, I love the life we live here. I hold traditions and values and heritage at top reverence, as you will notice throughout all that I do, from my cookbook to the show to my western lifestyle/fashion blog online and all of the other projects I have going on.
Q: What all do you hope viewers walk away with after watching ‘Roots Run Deep’?
A: I cannot even begin to contain my excitement or express all of my gratitude for this entire experience so far. Patrick Gottsch and our friend in this project are both such incredible people and I’m excited to see where this whole deal goes, and I do want to thank Patrick for the awesome reference he made to us in the September/October RFD-TV magazine’s Founder’s Letter. We have worked very hard to get this first hour put together, and I truly am so proud of the way it has turned out! Also thanks to the team at RFD, they all work their tails off and have been integral in making this special come together. I hope everyone loves watching the show as much as we loved making it, and walks away with a greater understanding of what our life here looks like, and hopefully, people are excited to see more of what we do!
Q: How can people get their hands on your cookbook and keep up with you?
A: If you (hopefully!) love what you’ve seen and heard so far, check out my website (which, shout out, was recently revamped by the lovely gals of Denim and Velvet Marketing & Design)! Go to www.colablancaproductions.com. On the site, you can pick up my book and browse two other books, one about my grandpa Warner (written by cowboy and friend Ed Ashurst) and one written by Warner about his first Jaguar encounter. I’ve also got my collection of signature southwest home décor and canvas prints of my photography available on there, a page that tells a little more about me, a link to all of my blog posts, and of course a page about the show and its details! As far as keeping in the loop, you can follow me on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest in my life by following @kenziegk.
Tune in to “Roots Run Deep” on Monday, September 18th at 8 p.m. ET on RFD-TV.
Check out Mackenzie’s cookbook, “Roots Run Deep,” which she wrote as a tribute to her grandmother, the way of life of Arizona ranching and a way to share the recipes she holds dear with the world.
Order Mackenzie Kimbro’s cookbook, “Roots Run Deep” now.
Watch a preview here: