thank you I’m so happy to be here there is a song that I grew up listening to
is a song that I grew up listening to
is a song that I grew up listening to it’s a Lyle Lovett song my dad used to
it’s a Lyle Lovett song my dad used to
it’s a Lyle Lovett song my dad used to play it on his red guitar in the
play it on his red guitar in the
play it on his red guitar in the basement of the house where I grew up
basement of the house where I grew up
basement of the house where I grew up and it’s a song that is about a
and it’s a song that is about a
and it’s a song that is about a misunderstood community member everybody
misunderstood community member everybody
misunderstood community member everybody knows him everybody loves him but nobody
knows him everybody loves him but nobody
knows him everybody loves him but nobody gets him and it goes something like the
gets him and it goes something like the
gets him and it goes something like the waltz and fool he just might be crazy
waltz and fool he just might be crazy
waltz and fool he just might be crazy because the waltz and fool he keeps the
because the waltz and fool he keeps the
because the waltz and fool he keeps the moon in his car
moon in his car
moon in his car the waltz and fool he swears that it’s
the waltz and fool he swears that it’s
the waltz and fool he swears that it’s running on waltzes and waltzes and
running on waltzes and waltzes and
running on waltzes and waltzes and waltzes I loved that song I love that
waltzes I loved that song I love that
waltzes I loved that song I love that song I felt like every time my dad sang
song I felt like every time my dad sang
song I felt like every time my dad sang it
it
it I was reintroduced to this character I
I was reintroduced to this character I
I was reintroduced to this character I could smell the whiskey on his breath
could smell the whiskey on his breath
could smell the whiskey on his breath and I could hear his overshoes buckles
and I could hear his overshoes buckles
and I could hear his overshoes buckles clanking against each other it was one
clanking against each other it was one
clanking against each other it was one of my first memories that I had as a
of my first memories that I had as a
of my first memories that I had as a young girl falling in love with folk
young girl falling in love with folk
young girl falling in love with folk music and falling in love with the
music and falling in love with the
music and falling in love with the stories I was a girl who grew up on the
stories I was a girl who grew up on the
stories I was a girl who grew up on the backroads of Western North Dakota right
backroads of Western North Dakota right
backroads of Western North Dakota right on the edge of the badlands
on the edge of the badlands
on the edge of the badlands my music was what was coming out of the
my music was what was coming out of the
my music was what was coming out of the 2 FM radio stations 1 country lots of
2 FM radio stations 1 country lots of
2 FM radio stations 1 country lots of Reba McEntire and Randy Travis and one
Reba McEntire and Randy Travis and one
Reba McEntire and Randy Travis and one classic rock and whatever my dad was
classic rock and whatever my dad was
classic rock and whatever my dad was playing on his tape player or coming out
playing on his tape player or coming out
playing on his tape player or coming out of his mouth and out of the sounds on
of his mouth and out of the sounds on
of his mouth and out of the sounds on his guitar and my stories or the stories
his guitar and my stories or the stories
his guitar and my stories or the stories that my neighbors and my uncles and my
that my neighbors and my uncles and my
that my neighbors and my uncles and my aunts were telling around the coffee
aunts were telling around the coffee
aunts were telling around the coffee table and around our kitchen table after
table and around our kitchen table after
table and around our kitchen table after long days of working in the office or in
long days of working in the office or in
long days of working in the office or in the fields and I fell in love with those
the fields and I fell in love with those
the fields and I fell in love with those people and I fell in love with the
people and I fell in love with the
people and I fell in love with the stories that they told about the past
stories that they told about the past
stories that they told about the past and about the landscape and I fell in
and about the landscape and I fell in
and about the landscape and I fell in love with music and I wanted to write
love with music and I wanted to write
love with music and I wanted to write songs like Lyle Lovett wrote that
songs like Lyle Lovett wrote that
songs like Lyle Lovett wrote that brought people in and made them fall in
brought people in and made them fall in
brought people in and made them fall in love with the place and Mae
love with the place and Mae
love with the place and Mae them get to know people made them fall
them get to know people made them fall
them get to know people made them fall in love with my people and my place the
in love with my people and my place the
in love with my people and my place the way I fell in love with the old waltz
way I fell in love with the old waltz
way I fell in love with the old waltz and fool and don’t we all have dreams
and fool and don’t we all have dreams
and fool and don’t we all have dreams like that when we’re nine or ten before
like that when we’re nine or ten before
like that when we’re nine or ten before the world sort of taps us on the
the world sort of taps us on the
the world sort of taps us on the shoulder and tells us well okay yeah but
shoulder and tells us well okay yeah but
shoulder and tells us well okay yeah but you need things like insurance you need
you need things like insurance you need
you need things like insurance you need to make some money girl you want to be a
to make some money girl you want to be a
to make some money girl you want to be a singer well the only way you’re going to
singer well the only way you’re going to
singer well the only way you’re going to make it is if you’re famous someday and
make it is if you’re famous someday and
make it is if you’re famous someday and I didn’t want to be famous
I didn’t want to be famous
I didn’t want to be famous I remember closing my eyes at night when
I remember closing my eyes at night when
I remember closing my eyes at night when I was just a kid and just praying to
I was just a kid and just praying to
I was just a kid and just praying to whoever was listening like please I
whoever was listening like please I
whoever was listening like please I don’t need to be Reba McEntire I got the
don’t need to be Reba McEntire I got the
don’t need to be Reba McEntire I got the hair but I just want my songs to be
hair but I just want my songs to be
hair but I just want my songs to be heard you don’t want to be famous is a
heard you don’t want to be famous is a
heard you don’t want to be famous is a hard one to explain to people when
hard one to explain to people when
hard one to explain to people when you’re walking off the stage after a
you’re walking off the stage after a
you’re walking off the stage after a show maybe it’s a flatbed trailer at a
show maybe it’s a flatbed trailer at a
show maybe it’s a flatbed trailer at a you’re singing at a County Fair or maybe
you’re singing at a County Fair or maybe
you’re singing at a County Fair or maybe you’re an opening act in a theater
you’re an opening act in a theater
you’re an opening act in a theater somewhere and they want to congratulate
somewhere and they want to congratulate
somewhere and they want to congratulate you and they say you are so good why are
you and they say you are so good why are
you and they say you are so good why are you here in North Dakota
you here in North Dakota
you here in North Dakota why aren’t you in Nashville why aren’t
why aren’t you in Nashville why aren’t
why aren’t you in Nashville why aren’t you in LA
you in LA
you in LA why aren’t you someplace bigger and
why aren’t you someplace bigger and
why aren’t you someplace bigger and better what are you doing here to be
better what are you doing here to be
better what are you doing here to be famous is what you should be that should
famous is what you should be that should
famous is what you should be that should be your ultimate goal when you’re an
be your ultimate goal when you’re an
be your ultimate goal when you’re an artist or a musician shouldn’t it go on
artist or a musician shouldn’t it go on
artist or a musician shouldn’t it go on American Idol I thought so at one time I
American Idol I thought so at one time I
American Idol I thought so at one time I recorded my first album then at 16 years
recorded my first album then at 16 years
recorded my first album then at 16 years old of original music I recorded another
old of original music I recorded another
old of original music I recorded another one when I was in college and then I hit
one when I was in college and then I hit
one when I was in college and then I hit the road on behalf of the music touring
the road on behalf of the music touring
the road on behalf of the music touring up and down the Midwest touring for an
up and down the Midwest touring for an
up and down the Midwest touring for an agency out of Nashville and I sang for
agency out of Nashville and I sang for
agency out of Nashville and I sang for my supper a girl in her chevy lumina
my supper a girl in her chevy lumina
my supper a girl in her chevy lumina driving in toll booths and traffic
driving in toll booths and traffic
driving in toll booths and traffic lights and like seventeen lane traffic I
lights and like seventeen lane traffic I
lights and like seventeen lane traffic I grew up learning to drive on a stick
grew up learning to drive on a stick
grew up learning to drive on a stick shift on the backroads
shift on the backroads
shift on the backroads I sew out a place but I felt like all of
I sew out a place but I felt like all of
I sew out a place but I felt like all of a sudden I had this world opened up to
a sudden I had this world opened up to
a sudden I had this world opened up to me where I could start a dialogue about
me where I could start a dialogue about
me where I could start a dialogue about this obscure place called North Dakota
this obscure place called North Dakota
this obscure place called North Dakota that nobody
that nobody
that nobody not even in Wisconsin had ever heard
not even in Wisconsin had ever heard
not even in Wisconsin had ever heard about and like yes I was writing about
about and like yes I was writing about
about and like yes I was writing about the coolies and the Crick’s and the big
the coolies and the Crick’s and the big
the coolies and the Crick’s and the big blue sky and the dusty cowboy hats and
blue sky and the dusty cowboy hats and
blue sky and the dusty cowboy hats and no my accident wasn’t Canadian and yes
no my accident wasn’t Canadian and yes
no my accident wasn’t Canadian and yes we have running water up here and no we
we have running water up here and no we
we have running water up here and no we don’t drive around and covered wagons
don’t drive around and covered wagons
don’t drive around and covered wagons legitimate questions I was asked um and
legitimate questions I was asked um and
legitimate questions I was asked um and it was lovely it was wonderful I met a
it was lovely it was wonderful I met a
it was lovely it was wonderful I met a lot of great people I was young I had
lot of great people I was young I had
lot of great people I was young I had the time but I was Lonesome and I was
the time but I was Lonesome and I was
the time but I was Lonesome and I was missing something because I had this
missing something because I had this
missing something because I had this little piece of my life that was me out
little piece of my life that was me out
little piece of my life that was me out on the road alone singing my songs about
on the road alone singing my songs about
on the road alone singing my songs about a place that I loved so much and about
a place that I loved so much and about
a place that I loved so much and about the people that I loved so much but I
the people that I loved so much but I
the people that I loved so much but I wondered if it was worth it to give up
wondered if it was worth it to give up
wondered if it was worth it to give up all of my passions in the name of one
all of my passions in the name of one
all of my passions in the name of one passion what was I doing it all for why
passion what was I doing it all for why
passion what was I doing it all for why was I so lonesome what was I doing here
was I so lonesome what was I doing here
was I so lonesome what was I doing here so I thought well some people do it
so I thought well some people do it
so I thought well some people do it maybe it’s not for me
maybe it’s not for me
maybe it’s not for me they’ve all been telling me to get a
they’ve all been telling me to get a
they’ve all been telling me to get a real job maybe I should do what they say
real job maybe I should do what they say
real job maybe I should do what they say so I did I finished my degree I got
so I did I finished my degree I got
so I did I finished my degree I got married and I got a real job I worked in
married and I got a real job I worked in
married and I got a real job I worked in fundraising and I work 9:00 to 5:00 and
fundraising and I work 9:00 to 5:00 and
fundraising and I work 9:00 to 5:00 and 9:00 to 9:00 then all of my weekends and
9:00 to 9:00 then all of my weekends and
9:00 to 9:00 then all of my weekends and all of my days were spent putting what I
all of my days were spent putting what I
all of my days were spent putting what I would put into my creativity into my job
would put into my creativity into my job
would put into my creativity into my job and my work as a professional person
and my work as a professional person
and my work as a professional person because that’s what I thought that I was
because that’s what I thought that I was
because that’s what I thought that I was supposed to be doing and that’s what
supposed to be doing and that’s what
supposed to be doing and that’s what they tell you to do when you go to
they tell you to do when you go to
they tell you to do when you go to school and you’re from North Dakota get
school and you’re from North Dakota get
school and you’re from North Dakota get out of here girl go do something bigger
out of here girl go do something bigger
out of here girl go do something bigger go find something better
go find something better
go find something better and I just wondered at night after all
and I just wondered at night after all
and I just wondered at night after all of the worries and work of worries and
of the worries and work of worries and
of the worries and work of worries and work Sep seep into your brain when you
work Sep seep into your brain when you
work Sep seep into your brain when you try to close your eyes to sleep
try to close your eyes to sleep
try to close your eyes to sleep I wondered can we really make a living
I wondered can we really make a living
I wondered can we really make a living and have a life and really have a life
and have a life and really have a life
and have a life and really have a life and make a living and I wondered what
and make a living and I wondered what
and make a living and I wondered what the ten-year-old version of me would
the ten-year-old version of me would
the ten-year-old version of me would think of me now where I’ve given it up
think of me now where I’ve given it up
think of me now where I’ve given it up I’ve given up the stories and I gave
I’ve given up the stories and I gave
I’ve given up the stories and I gave the song and I wasn’t not happy it just
the song and I wasn’t not happy it just
the song and I wasn’t not happy it just wasn’t maybe doing what I wanted to be
wasn’t maybe doing what I wanted to be
wasn’t maybe doing what I wanted to be doing the thing that I promised the
doing the thing that I promised the
doing the thing that I promised the ten-year-old girl I would do don’t look
ten-year-old girl I would do don’t look
ten-year-old girl I would do don’t look back dear don’t turn away and then one
back dear don’t turn away and then one
back dear don’t turn away and then one day we got kind of a word an opportunity
day we got kind of a word an opportunity
day we got kind of a word an opportunity that my husband and I could move back to
that my husband and I could move back to
that my husband and I could move back to the ranch where I was raised and I
the ranch where I was raised and I
the ranch where I was raised and I jumped at the opportunity we loaded up
jumped at the opportunity we loaded up
jumped at the opportunity we loaded up my little car with and his pickup with
my little car with and his pickup with
my little car with and his pickup with all of our hand-me-down furniture or
all of our hand-me-down furniture or
all of our hand-me-down furniture or hand-me-down tables and couches and
hand-me-down tables and couches and
hand-me-down tables and couches and chairs and all the things you acquire as
chairs and all the things you acquire as
chairs and all the things you acquire as a young person our two dogs and my boot
a young person our two dogs and my boot
a young person our two dogs and my boot collection and we threw it all into this
collection and we threw it all into this
collection and we threw it all into this little house tried to find places for it
little house tried to find places for it
little house tried to find places for it in this little house or my dad was
in this little house or my dad was
in this little house or my dad was raised where we used to have Christmas
raised where we used to have Christmas
raised where we used to have Christmas dinners together or used to cram and all
dinners together or used to cram and all
dinners together or used to cram and all of my family in this tiny little house
of my family in this tiny little house
of my family in this tiny little house and I wondered where we fit everybody
and I wondered where we fit everybody
and I wondered where we fit everybody and all that love and all those good
and all that love and all those good
and all that love and all those good memories and I couldn’t find a place to
memories and I couldn’t find a place to
memories and I couldn’t find a place to put my boots and my dresses and then I
put my boots and my dresses and then I
put my boots and my dresses and then I looked out over the barnyard from the
looked out over the barnyard from the
looked out over the barnyard from the kitchen window where the sink was and I
kitchen window where the sink was and I
kitchen window where the sink was and I was home I was where I wanted to be and
was home I was where I wanted to be and
was home I was where I wanted to be and I thought now what their bank is hiring
I thought now what their bank is hiring
I thought now what their bank is hiring in town but let’s be honest nobody wants
in town but let’s be honest nobody wants
in town but let’s be honest nobody wants me to handle their money I could be a
me to handle their money I could be a
me to handle their money I could be a teacher get my teaching degree and teach
teacher get my teaching degree and teach
teacher get my teaching degree and teach music and then one rainy night after a
music and then one rainy night after a
music and then one rainy night after a hot August day the rain poured down on
hot August day the rain poured down on
hot August day the rain poured down on the old on the gumbo clay hills that we
the old on the gumbo clay hills that we
the old on the gumbo clay hills that we used to slide down as kids and my
used to slide down as kids and my
used to slide down as kids and my husband and I we ran to the top of it
husband and I we ran to the top of it
husband and I we ran to the top of it just kind of wild and throwing off our
just kind of wild and throwing off our
just kind of wild and throwing off our shoes and looking up at the sky and
shoes and looking up at the sky and
shoes and looking up at the sky and thinking thank God we’re home thank God
thinking thank God we’re home thank God
thinking thank God we’re home thank God we’re here we looked at one another and
we’re here we looked at one another and
we’re here we looked at one another and we slid on down and then I wrote about
we slid on down and then I wrote about
we slid on down and then I wrote about it I started writing about it I gave
it I started writing about it I gave
it I started writing about it I gave myself permission to do the things that
myself permission to do the things that
myself permission to do the things that I loved to do and I was a kid and I put
I loved to do and I was a kid and I put
I loved to do and I was a kid and I put it on this website just so maybe I would
it on this website just so maybe I would
it on this website just so maybe I would have a reason to get it out into the
have a reason to get it out into the
have a reason to get it out into the world and it felt like it was just
world and it felt like it was just
world and it felt like it was just coming out of me just pouring out of me
coming out of me just pouring out of me
coming out of me just pouring out of me again like it did when I was a little
again like it did when I was a little
again like it did when I was a little girl I climbed to the top of those gumbo
girl I climbed to the top of those gumbo
girl I climbed to the top of those gumbo buttes I picked wildflowers
buttes I picked wildflowers
buttes I picked wildflowers followed my husband and my my dad around
followed my husband and my my dad around
followed my husband and my my dad around I fixed fence I took pictures I gave
I fixed fence I took pictures I gave
I fixed fence I took pictures I gave myself permission to do what I loved and
myself permission to do what I loved and
myself permission to do what I loved and I wrote about the things I was worried
I wrote about the things I was worried
I wrote about the things I was worried about too I wrote about starting a
about too I wrote about starting a
about too I wrote about starting a family I what about who should I get a
family I what about who should I get a
family I what about who should I get a real job I wrote about canning Tok Terry
real job I wrote about canning Tok Terry
real job I wrote about canning Tok Terry jelly in my grandma’s kitchen and how it
jelly in my grandma’s kitchen and how it
jelly in my grandma’s kitchen and how it was a complete and utter disaster and
was a complete and utter disaster and
was a complete and utter disaster and you should never Google how to can choke
you should never Google how to can choke
you should never Google how to can choke cherry jelly you should just call your
cherry jelly you should just call your
cherry jelly you should just call your neighbor and then I started getting
neighbor and then I started getting
neighbor and then I started getting calls and emails and letters and
calls and emails and letters and
calls and emails and letters and messages from people from all over the
messages from people from all over the
messages from people from all over the world not just my grandma who is reading
world not just my grandma who is reading
world not just my grandma who is reading my blog or my aunt in Omaha who really
my blog or my aunt in Omaha who really
my blog or my aunt in Omaha who really loved it but people that I didn’t know
loved it but people that I didn’t know
loved it but people that I didn’t know there was thousands of hits I wasn’t
there was thousands of hits I wasn’t
there was thousands of hits I wasn’t doing it for hits I was doing it to get
doing it for hits I was doing it to get
doing it for hits I was doing it to get it out of me and they were saying my
it out of me and they were saying my
it out of me and they were saying my story was their story my grandma was
story was their story my grandma was
story was their story my grandma was their grandma my home looked like their
their grandma my home looked like their
their grandma my home looked like their home or my home looked like nothing
home or my home looked like nothing
home or my home looked like nothing they’ve ever seen before and boy wasn’t
they’ve ever seen before and boy wasn’t
they’ve ever seen before and boy wasn’t it inspiring and boy isn’t it
it inspiring and boy isn’t it
it inspiring and boy isn’t it interesting what’s happening in North
interesting what’s happening in North
interesting what’s happening in North Dakota and boy thank you for sharing our
Dakota and boy thank you for sharing our
Dakota and boy thank you for sharing our stories with your stories with us
stories with your stories with us
stories with your stories with us because isn’t that what we all want as
because isn’t that what we all want as
because isn’t that what we all want as humans is just to connect and find a way
humans is just to connect and find a way
humans is just to connect and find a way to be heard and find a way to to find
to be heard and find a way to to find
to be heard and find a way to to find ourselves in other people’s songs and
ourselves in other people’s songs and
ourselves in other people’s songs and other people’s stories and then I
other people’s stories and then I
other people’s stories and then I started thinking well maybe I had it
started thinking well maybe I had it
started thinking well maybe I had it right all along maybe this place needs
right all along maybe this place needs
right all along maybe this place needs stories more than ever maybe it’s not
stories more than ever maybe it’s not
stories more than ever maybe it’s not Nashville that needs my stories maybe I
Nashville that needs my stories maybe I
Nashville that needs my stories maybe I need to be a storyteller here maybe
need to be a storyteller here maybe
need to be a storyteller here maybe every place needs a story and maybe our
every place needs a story and maybe our
every place needs a story and maybe our stories our only hope
stories our only hope
stories our only hope and I’m not famous I never will be
and I’m not famous I never will be
and I’m not famous I never will be famous because they don’t have gumbo
famous because they don’t have gumbo
famous because they don’t have gumbo Hills in Nashville or LA at least I
Hills in Nashville or LA at least I
Hills in Nashville or LA at least I don’t think so but I think every place
don’t think so but I think every place
don’t think so but I think every place needs a storyteller every place needs an
needs a storyteller every place needs an
needs a storyteller every place needs an old waltz and fool and maybe that’s me
old waltz and fool and maybe that’s me
old waltz and fool and maybe that’s me maybe that’s you
now as a young girl I dreamed of the
now as a young girl I dreamed of the water
water
water puffing leaves Midwestern thing I beat
puffing leaves Midwestern thing I beat
puffing leaves Midwestern thing I beat no longer landlord to no longer ground
no longer landlord to no longer ground
no longer landlord to no longer ground in no longer turn my face up to catch
in no longer turn my face up to catch
in no longer turn my face up to catch the late evening breathe and the birds
the late evening breathe and the birds
the late evening breathe and the birds they would call me to stretch my body
they would call me to stretch my body
they would call me to stretch my body out across their wings
out across their wings
out across their wings [Music]
[Music]
[Music] but sure
but sure
but sure [Music]
and I had a fast horse traded him for
and I had a fast horse traded him for fast car and I put my hardware it was
fast car and I put my hardware it was
fast car and I put my hardware it was there but I think that horse had a piece
there but I think that horse had a piece
there but I think that horse had a piece of my soul beneath Stars
[Music]
[Music] too many to choose from black top gravel
too many to choose from black top gravel
too many to choose from black top gravel to roll but under the east tires is the
to roll but under the east tires is the
to roll but under the east tires is the road that keeps moving all over each
road that keeps moving all over each
road that keeps moving all over each mile from home and it sings
mile from home and it sings
mile from home and it sings [Music]
yeah but you sure as hell can’t stay
yeah but you sure as hell can’t stay [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
there’s plenty of green grass between
there’s plenty of green grass between here in the oceans now on a piece of my
here in the oceans now on a piece of my
here in the oceans now on a piece of my own I’m facing the skyline but over my
own I’m facing the skyline but over my
own I’m facing the skyline but over my shoulder something keeps calling me home
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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