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Out West
- University of Illinois Press
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226 FOLLOWING MY OWN PATH “Someplace Far Away,” about a man following the dream of the wagon trains traveling west: And the dream that makes a sparrow fly can make an eagle fall One that makes a rich man money, it ain’t no dream at all It’s a cryin’ shame to wake up just to find it’s all been broke in two Careful what you’re dreamin’ cause it someday may come true. When we were through we were confident that we had songs for radio and songs that revealed Hal as an artist and a first-class writer. The success of “Past the Point of Rescue” and “Sure Love” was rewarded in early 1994 when Hal was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Itwasabigmomentforallofus.Ineverimaginedinmywildestdreams thatIwouldhaveaparttoplayinsomeonemakingittotheOpry.Itwas a big moment for Hal as well. He had started out in the small town of Greenwich(nottobeconfusedwithGreenwichVillage!)inruralupstate NewYork.Hehadas“country”anupbringingasanyone:hunting,trapping , fishing, and making a living as a carpenter. He started playing in a little rock-and-roll trio in high school and would feel most comfortable with that configuration his whole performing career. Life was not easy, and Hal didn’t take life easy. His mother was ill for many years with multiple sclerosis, eventually dying from it, and Hal and his dad didn’t always see eye to eye. He eventually made his way to Texas to follow his musicalstar,whichledhimtoJerryJeffandultimatelytome.Now,here we all were, our Forerunner family, and, best of all, Hal’s dad, sharing thismomentwithhim,ashewentoutonthatOprystageandsang“The Wings of a Dove” with the great Ferlin Huskey. OUT WEST Pat Alger had gotten to know Ian Tyson and went out to his ranch in Alberta to write with him. He had left the music scene for a while after he andSylviabrokeupandhadbecomeinvolvedinraisingcuttinghorsesat achampionshiplevel.Whenhecamebacktomusic,itwasthroughhislife asacowboy.Thefirstalbumhecameoutwithinthisnewincarnationwas thebrilliantCowboyography.WhenPatwasoutvisitingIanhementioned thathewasinvolvedwithmeasapublisherandproducerandsuggested that Ian get in touch with me if he ever wanted to record in Nashville. 227 OutWest Whenwestartedworkingtogether,IwasimpressedbyIan’sfocusand commitment. Here he was thirty-five years into it, in wonderful voice, still writing songs of the highest quality. He was a man who did not believeintakingshortcuts .Hetookprideinhisworkandapproacheditas wouldafinecraftsman.Takenalltogether,thesongstoldthestoryofthe cowboy life in all its glory, in all its heartbreak, in all its tough determination and pride. When we were through, Ian invited me to the annual CowboyPoetryGatheringheldeachyearinElko,Nevada.DonEdwards would be there, as well as a poet named Paul Zarzyski, whose poem had beenthebasisof“RodeoRoad,”oneofthesongswehadrecordedabout a rodeo cowboy at the end of his road. Carol had actually been to the very first Cowboy Poetry Gathering back in the mideighties when she was researching material for a “Cowboy Revels,” so she needed no persuasion to join me. Her son Matthew wasaboutseventeenandhadbeenwritingpoetry,sowedecidedtotake him with us as well. During the daytime, Carol took a Native American cooking workshop, and Matthew signed up to take a poetry workshop with Paul Zarzyski. I decided to take a “gambling workshop” and went up to the casino at the Red Lion Inn, got a $10 roll of quarters and sat down in front of a machine. I was about $8 in when a big pile of coins tumbledout—about$250worth!AfterIspentmynext$10,Idecidedthat that was all the luck I was going to have that day and left. The motel bill was paid. I was a pretty lucky cowboy. Matthew had really enjoyed his workshop with Paul Zarzyski, so we wenttoareadingPaulwasdoingthatafternoon.PaulwasfromtheIron RangecountryinWisconsin,avolatilemixofPolishandItalian,abronc riderontherodeocircuitforfifteenyears.Icameawayfromthissession feeling like I had just witnessed someone special. His energy was undeniable . Later in the weekend Don Edwards gave a concert. I had only heard him yodel when he came to do the Camp Cookie part on “Night Rider’s Lament.” Now I heard his voice, an absolutely beautiful warm baritone,reminiscentattimesofEltonBritt,attimesofMartyRobbins. After his concert, Don asked me if I’d be interested in working with him on an album. Having been drawn into this world by Ian, I felt myself wanting to get further in. It was a new reality for me to explore, where music, words, and dance were an integral part of the fabric of life, just as they were in Appalachia and Louisiana. [3.91.249.156] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 08:22 GMT) 228 FOLLOWING MY OWN PATH Donlostnotimeinfollowingupandwrotemeadetailedletterabout his vision for the album. I suggested that if he felt more at home recording in Texas that would be fine with me. I also said I’d leave it up to him topickthemusicians.Heknewjusttheguys,startingwithRichO’Brien, anexcellentwesternstyleguitarplayerwhoIhadheardandmetatElko. IvisitedDononhissmallranchoutinWeathersfield,westofFortWorth. Thehousewasfullofallsortsofwesternmusicalmemorabilia,anditwas clear...