[Announcer] Idaho Experience is made possible with funding from the James and Barbara Cimino Foundation, devoted to preserving the spirit of Idaho, from Anne Voillequé and Louise Nelson, from Judy and Steve Meyer, the Friends of Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Public Television Endowment and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

[Announcer] Up next, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons sing “Idaho.” [Singing] Idaho.

[Narrator] The state of Idaho has figured prominently in the musical landscape of our popular culture.

Whether it’s the B-52s proclaiming, [B-52s] You’re living in your own private Idaho.

You’re living in your own private Idaho.

[Andy] Or Ronee Blakely’s passionate performance in the film “Nashville.” [Ronee Singing] And now that I’m older and I’m out on my own, I still love my mom and daddy best in my Idaho home.

For mom and daddy.

[Narrator] When Roger Miller visited Idaho in the 1960’s he was inspired to write the classic lyrics to King of the Road.

[Roger Miller Singing] Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents.

[Narrator] In this episode of Idaho Experience, we tune our ears to a different frequency and follow a musical thread to our past in search of some rare classics.

[Announcer] Time again for song favorite style by the popular baritone of radio and the concert stage, Holden Bowler.

[Judy Collins] Holden was the most wonderful singer.

[Holden Bowler Singing] Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling.

[Gary Eller] All right, boys, we're going to do a “While Away from Whiskey, Wild Women and Beer,” and old Harry Silvey probably played it in the Crescent Brewery back in his day.

It goes like this.

[Gary] I happen to be one of these people that believe that there's value in history.

[Beth Pederson Singing] I'm home again.

I'm home in Idaho.

[Narrator] And along the way, discover what could be future classics.

[Erin Hall Singing] If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

[Group Talking] Cool waters on the rocks below.

Cool waters on the rocks, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Right there.

[Steve Fulton] I love all those pieces and parts of the process.

But my real passion is is creating that piece of music and then sharing that.

That's the thing that I get the most joy out of.

[Music] [Curtis Stigers] Songs always expand on stage.

The version that you hear when we play it live, it's got a shout chorus now, Bap.

[Narrator] Join us as we celebrate the heart of our cultural heritage that is, Idaho in Song.

[Jennie Sue Weltner] The right music is like one of the most important things When when we're producing documentaries like Idaho Experience.

[Idaho Experience theme music.]

[Bill Krumm] One of the founding principals of Idaho Experience, one of our key mission points, was we wanted to highlight the successes of Idahoans.

It's a state that's full of talent.

And it would be contrary to our mission to choose a musical composer that wasn't an Idahoan.

It was kind of a no brainer that Steve Fulton would be at the top of that shortlist because he's respected in Idaho's music scene, border to border.

[Steve Fulton] Yeah, sounds good.

[Idaho Experience theme music] [Steve] The way that I structured “Idaho Experience” was a classical structure, with definitive movements.

The history of Idaho, in the very beginning, it was about the wonder and the discovery.

And then there was challenges, like war.

When you overcome those things, you end up having victory.

I was looking for something that was inspiring.

And so I wanted to build from a single instrument all the way through until the bigger kind of a crescendo at the end.

And so that’s, that's where I went.

[Jennie Sue] It's a big concept.

And he did such a great job in capturing what we were trying to do.

[Erin Hall Singing] If I sing you a lullaby.

[Steve] Feedback that I get from people on creations that I've made is the real thing.

[Erin] He has incredible skill in how you build a song.

[Steve] This was a real joy working with Erin Hall.

You know, this beautiful song that she wrote about her and her father going up 55 to McCall.

And it's, something that just, just such a beautiful song.

[Rich Hall Singing] You're my best friend.

[Erin] My dad, Rich Hall, was an incredible human being, and incredible crooner.

He was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

I said, where do you want to go?

Because it was pancreatic cancer.

It was, you know, a big one.

And, he said, I just want to go to the cabin.

He also was an insomniac.

He passed in October of 2020.

And this song came to me.

I really wanted to think about driving him to McCall because that drive is so beautiful.

[Steve] So She came to me to produce this.

She was singing, and then her husband Gabe was playing the guitar.

And that’s all they had.

They laid down her vocal and his guitar live.

In the way that I produce people that don't have a full band, we usually work like that.

And then we were trying to decide the best thing next.

And the first thing we wanted was Dave Manion on the pedal steel.

And then I really thought that the Wurlitzer piano, the electric piano would be a nice texture.

And so Gabe plays piano and sang with her.

[Erin] And then my sister, I asked her if she'd sing some backup vocals.

[Steve] And I sang a little harmony as well.

[Erin] I really love vocal harmonies.

They blend so well with a song, or they add so much to a song.

And that's really influenced my songwriting.

[Erin Singing] If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

Let the worries of your mind dissipate within these rhymes.

Let me take you to the place that you love.

Let my voice become the drive, heading north on 55.

Where the ponderosa pines surround you.

As you fall asleep.

As you fall asleep.

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

Cool waters on the rocks below.

Take it in and take it slow.

I'll keep my eyes on the road to guide you.

Soon the turning will subside, Mountains open to the endless sky.

Soon we will arrive to the place you love, as you fall asleep.

As you fall asleep.

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

Let the humming birds arrive.

Let the stars erupt at night.

Let the tamarack unveil their golden pine.

Let the quaking Aspen shake.

Let us marvel at the leaves they make.

Let the golden light take away all your trouble.

As you fall asleep.

As you fall asleep.

If I sing you a lullaby, Can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

If I sing you a lullaby, can I sing you to sleep?

[Steve] Yeah.

I love all those pieces and parts of the process.

But my, biggest passion is when I actually finish a creation that I'm proud of and, and I want to share.

I’m always writing.

And as I would go up to Cascade and McCall and stuff, I went up there as a kid quite a bit.

Off the right side of 55, you would, just before you got to Cascade, there was this small building.

It wasn't a barn.

But it was a it was an old outbuilding that was always leaning.

And, it made me think of this idea of a song about a barn that had fallen down like that, and then the history of that about that barn.

That's what this song is about.

The Old Barn.

[Music] The old barn fell down today.

How many times did we drive by and say, how long will she lean?

How long will she stay, till the old wood gives way?

If we could go back to the day it was raised, imagine the horses and picture the hay.

And all of the neighbors came over to help.

They want to, because they'd been through it themselves.

They said, the years will be long.

She will stand strong, hand built by women and men.

When the old barn finally fell down, no one that built her back then was around.

The wood that was piled there is now hauled away.

And memories haunt the bare ground.

[Guitar Solo] Someone just told me a story today of a farmer who lost every thing that he made.

And how someone donated all of the wood, to build him a new barn where his old one had stood.

When the old barn finally did fall, all of the neighbors came to offer their all, to reclaim the wood to be used once again, to build a new barn for family and friends.

When the old barn fell down today, how many times did we drive by and say, how long will she lean?

How long will she stay till the old wood gives way?

[Narrator] Idaho.

With all that the state inspires, where did Idaho's name come from?

Some reports suggest our state's name originated from native tongue.

Meaning, “Behold the light shining on the mountains.” Another interpretation suggests its meaning is, “Gem of the mountains.” Two definitions that celebrate the natural beauty of our rugged landscape.

[Keith Peterson] It was a made up name, apparently made up by a guy who is from what is now Colorado.

[Narrator] When Coloradans were considering a name for their state, the word was a likely candidate.

That is until they discovered its origin was pure fabrication.

But by then, it was a word that had entered into the popular imagination of the day.

[Kieth] Somehow, people in the Willamette Valley heard this word “Idaho” being bandied about, and it gets attached to a small steamboat named the Idaho.

Then what happens is a party of people under Elias Pierce find gold in the Clearwater River.

So people are rushing into what was then eastern Washington Territory.

And many of them were on the steamboat Idaho.

So the saying was, “People are going to the Idaho mines.” So it kind of became attached to what we now know is Idaho.

It sounds so much like an Indian word, I guess, that people almost had a hard time believing that it wasn't.

But it's it's all made up.

It's a complete fabricated story, and we’ll never know exactly how it was made up.

[Narrator] Whatever the word's origin, the mythology behind it would inspire songwriter Cinde Borup to craft a tune that reflects what is commonly beloved of our state, the natural beauty that surrounds us.

[Beth Pederson] Cinde wrote it for the Centennial Song Contest.

She did not win.

But we always called it from then on, “The Idaho National Anthem.” [Beth Singing] Sunlight shining on the mountains.

That's how you got your name.

Moonlight dancing cross your rivers.

Wild and the tame.

I’ve been with you all my life.

You're beauty I have known.

This is my song for Idaho.

I'll always call you home.

Wish that I had known you then, your forests and your skies.

Meadows still unwalked by men.

The lakes unseen by eyes.

When the campfire smoke had cleared, sunlight showed your face.

They sang a song for Idaho, to celebrate your grace.

Singing Idaho, Idaho.

Though my feet may sometimes wonder, my heart will always go.

Like a long-lost friend, I’m home again.

I'm home in Idaho.

[Guitar Strumming] Wagon wheels forgotten now, coyotes lonesome call.

Mighty chiefs stare out through glass, on museum walls.

For the past is dead and gone, some would like to say.

History repeats itself, and lives from day to day.

Here in Idaho, Idaho.

Though my feet may sometimes wander, my heart will always go.

Like a long-lost friend, I'm home again.

I'm home in Idaho.

[Guitar Strumming] [Keith] I think it's a gorgeous song.

And I honestly don't think there's a place you can stand in Idaho that you don't have a mountain view.

So you know, it captures that.

You know it captures that beauty of Idaho.

[Narrator] Music has lifted the spirit of the land and its people since long before Idaho became a state.

A source of that early music can be found in Lapwai, Idaho, on the Nez Perce Reservation, where Nakia Williamson Cloud sings a song of his people.

[Nakia] The music of our people does a lot of things.

Some of the songs represented that deep spirituality of our people.

And it talked about the sacred and ancient relationship we have with the land, and all of the beings that we we share that kinship with.

All of these songs together are documented in the experience of our people.

And this song was sung, prior to 1877, the Kiowas, Tonkawas had learned this song from the Nez Perce people.

The elders that had come before us said that this specific song was utilized to honor Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it or Young Joseph.

The Tonkawas still call this Chief Joseph's Honor song.

So this is a song we utilize to honor chiefs or warriors.

[Singing] [Nakia] These songs are our ways in which we recall and remember our history and the life of our people on this land.

And so many of the songs that you hear associated with the powwow were warrior songs, because that was the intent of of that particular dance.

It was a warrior dance.

And that's why in early years, it was mainly the men that were involved in that.

We had all these other songs, social songs.

We had women's songs.

But because of a lot of the kind of external historical pressures that happened, some of that has been lost.

[Singing] [Nakia] Then you have, some of the other, sacred songs Those were here at the beginning of time, the beginning of our creation.

So those are probably thousands of years old.

A form of spirituality, often referred to as “Seven Drums,” or “Longhouse,” That whole body of songs and knowledge was interpreting and basically prophesying of the changes that were going to come to the land.

That the new people were going to change things, were going to straighten out rivers, and were going to make mountains disappear, because it didn't suit them.

And it was talking about all of the infrastructure and things, hydroelectric projects that dammed up all of our rivers below us.

There's eight, eight dams, the highways and and all the things that we've seen that we live with as a reality.

Those things were talked about many years before the time of Lewis and Clark.

[Singing] [Narrator] Lapwai is also the birthplace of musician Chuck Collins, the father of folk singer Judy Collins, who wrote a song inspired by her dad, “Prairie Dream.” [Music Starts] [Judy Collins] Daddy really took after the Indians.

He loved the Indians.

He loved the stories.

He loved the lore.

He was very aware that we were screwing up the Indians lives, and would do so for a long time.

And, he just took on to Chief Joseph, and he would read us his speech about I can't fight anymore.

I'm done.

Always, I would be surrounded with the idea that these people had some special, special qualities.

And of course, my, my dad had a lot of input in that.

And I have a chorus in this song that says, “Sundown, Sunrise...” Sundown, Sunrise.

Sundown... [Judy] And Sundown, Sunrise is named after the Nez Perce Indian whose name was Jackson Sundown.

And I just was smitten by Jackson Sundown.

[Nakia] So, Jackson Sundown, who is a very interesting figure in terms of his life that spanned the time of when our people roamed free and hunted buffalo, fished for salmon.

He was also involved in the events surrounding what is called the Nez Perce War of 1877.

He was of the age where those young men would be in charge of the huge responsibility of herding and watching over the horses.

And so he was able to utilize those skills that he learned as a Nimiipuu, Nez Perce person within the realm of kind of the newly emerging sport of professional rodeos.

[Keith] His legend begins in 1911 at the Pendleton Round-Up, which was the big show, and still is in many ways.

And that was kind of immortalized in a Ken Kesey novel called The Last Go Around.

And there are three guys who made it to the finals, and they were the heavy favorites going in.

One white guy, one black guy and one Indian.

The white guy ended up getting the, what was then known as the World Championship for saddle bronc.

And the crowd favorite was probably the black guy was last name was Fletcher.

You know, we read the accounts from the time, the people who said, have the toughest horse and probably had the best ride was Jackson Sundown.

[Nakia] And he was operating in a situation where there was a lot of prejudice towards native Nez Perce man participating.

But he was able to rise above and became, even a fan favorite with a lot of different individuals.

And, it was there in 1916 where at the age around 52, 53, he won the World Champion saddle bronc riding.

[Keith] Sundown was just apparently just this elegant horse rider.

There’s stories that when he would perform, the horse and he were one.

[Nakia] For us, he’s definitely revered on a very high level simply because of being able to transition in a time when this was our land.

And we weren’t even yet U.S. citizens.

And so, it was in a time period that was set up and favorable for anybody, then white males to succeed.

His greatness was able to break through a lot of those barriers that were put in place naturally, to keep our people down.

And so I think that's really the the amazing story of him.

[Judy] It just got me.

And one day I sat down and wrote that song, “Prairie Dream.” [Belinda Bowler] It is beautiful [Judy] Thank you.

Beautiful.

When you write a song, this is.

I know people ask this, What?

What is the process?

[Judy] I'm a note keeper, so I keep all kinds of notes of phrases I hear, I listen.

I write down things that I've heard.

Sentence, paragraphs, one line, a word.

And from that raw material came all the songs on Spellbound.

And, Now I have a poetry book coming out.

It's called “Sometimes It's Heaven.” It has 100 poems in it.

[Radio Announcer] Time again for a song favorite style by the popular baritone of radio and the concert stage, Holden Bowler.

[Judy] Holden was the most wonderful singer.

[Holden Singing] Oh, let us come and dance with joy, since life and love are us.

[Narrator] Judy's musical roots extend beyond her father's connection to the state.

Her godfather, Holden Bowler from Gooding, was Chuck's lifelong friend.

[Belinda] In fact, he met Chuck Collins.

They were, fraternity brothers at the Phi Gamma Delta House at Moscow, Idaho.

And dad would sing.

Chuck would play the piano, who he always refers to as Charlie.

[Judy] Charlie.

[Belinda] It was always Charlie.

Dad talked about how he really, really pushed to allow Charlie to come into the the fraternity because they were they were, you know, a blind man?

[Judy] A blind man, no way.

[Belinda] And that he turned out to be, you know, the the thing [Holden] first of all, he thought I was great.

You know, if I said to you the other day, I didn't take that this is just straight flattery.

Because he knew something about music.

[Judy] He knew.

[Holden] Charlie's sensitivity of accompaniment You know, doing everything you can to enhance, but never enough to take away.

It was just automatic.

[Interviewer] And sensing your.

Yeah, I never sang with anybody during my whole life that could accompany like Charlie could, in the sense that he put you first.

[Judy] He put you first.

And that's what an accompanist is, you know.

[Belinda] When I was talking to dad about Charlie, dad said that he wrote this song called “Land of Make Believe.” Anyway, here is this is the song.

[Holden] You know, over the years we’ve talked a lot about this tune, “The Land of Make Believe,” which is probably the most, the best known song Charlie ever wrote, a real slusher.

And Judy's always bugging me to see if I can put it together again.

[Judy] Yeah.

[Holden] He wrote it, I would have to take a guess, In the early 30s.

He was in love with a gal from Wheaton, Illinois.

Dorothy, somebody.

And I think she was the one that triggered it.

Though it could have been anyone of 25 that could trigger.

It didn’t need to be Dorothy.

This is “The Land of Make Believe.” by Charles Collins.

[Holden Singing] ‘Do you grow a trifle weary of our lives just as they are?

Would you like to make believe awhile?

Then let us just imagine we have found our lucky star, and lingered on some lovely dreamer’s Isle.

All the things we do together, in that balmy summer weather, when we're living in the land of make believe.

Sweetheart, mine, I'm only dreaming.

But it's sweet for just the dreaming.

When we're living in our land of make believe.

That’s Charlie.

You should.

You should have heard him sing that with a couple of beers and, and the lights down and of course, the audience thinking, think of this guy.

He hasn't seen a thing since he was two years old.

[Judy] Yeah.

[Narrator] Holden's musical talents never brought him fame, but his love for song did bring about good fortune.

[Belinda] He had a radio show, and he always loved singing.

He sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale.

And he got a gig singing on a cruise line that sailed the coast of South America.

And that's where he met Jerry Salinger.

Dad did a couple of shows a night, and Jerry had to dance with the gals all night.

So, dad would sit at the bar and, and when he was off of his dancing shift, they would talk about being a writer, being a singer, their young lives.

[Judy] Of course they would do that.

[Belinda] Yeah.

He sent dad Catcher in the Rye when it was published.

And he said, Holden, I've used your name.

And take what you want of the character and leave the rest.

[Judy] I was at the, one of the museums in New York.

And the guy who was the head of the library brought out a letter from Salinger to your father.

I think he was writing about Timmy’s death.

[Actor’s Voice] Dear Holden, If an old shipmate were to be in this neighborhood early in November, I'd run up the old skull and crossbones with the greatest pleasure.

That's some marvelous looking family you've got.

Ann looks like what she must actually be.

She reflects lightness and strength together.

Oh, that combination.

I've read and re-read about the shooting accident.

I don't know what to say, and I certainly can't say anything that you haven't said yourself.

I can only imagine what grief it must be not to be seeing and being with that boy every day.

I mean, you say it all.

And you say there's no getting over it.

I send you an honest to God, heartfelt handshake.

I'm so glad you have Ann.

Her value reflects everywhere in your letter.

[Judy] Yeah.

Beautiful mother.

[Belinda] Yeah.

[Judy] She was amazing.

[Belinda] Yeah.

[Judy] Ann Bowler.

We adored your mom.

I mean, Ann was, you know, the dream mother of everybody.

And you had her as a mom.

And you tell us what she did.

[Belinda] That she worked at Bletchley, breaking the code.

Her parents never knew what she did.

And 50 years later, she got a certificate and, a medal, this little gold medal that says, I too served.

And daddy would come and visit with crates of oranges that he, you know, who knows how he'd gotten them?

And he'd say, Ann, the Yank’s here again.

[Laugh] Courting her through fruit.

[Judy] How wonderful.

Courting her through fruit.

[Gary Eller] All my life, since growing up in West Virginia, I've loved story songs about real people and real events.

[Narrator] Folklorist Gary Eller writes, researches and performs songs that reflect Idaho's past.

[Cheryl Oestriecher] It's really incredible the amount of material he’s been able to find about Idaho songs and songwriters, poets.

He digs and digs and digs, and it's wonderful.

[Gary] I found a wonderful song from the 19 tens called “I Want to Go to Idaho.” It was in the National Libary of Australia.

[Singer] I want to go to dear old Idaho and wed my Lindy Lou.

[Gary] It was performed all over Australia and New Zealand.

And they were playing off the wild misconceptions about what life was really like in Idaho.

But I'm more interested in songs that give a truer picture of life in early Idaho.

Enter Ione Love Thielke.

She was the wife of a timber boss in Cascade, Idaho.

And the locals that remember her tell me she always dressed to the nines, and always carried a parasol when she's walking around town.

[Cheryl] She was very unique.

Sometime in the 40s, she started a radio show.

[Ione Singing] Please keep Idaho green.

If a trip you desire, out among the sheltering pines, beside a campfire.

[Cheryl] And anyone could send her something.

And she would then play it and record it.

[Gary] She had a recording device where you could sing into a horn, and it would cut a record.

So she developed a relationship with the poets around Idaho, and turned it into a business.

Five dollars you get your song recorded.

Such a deal.

Then one of the songs we heard was called “Give Me an Idaho Trail.” And, it was written by a gal named Esther America Nevada Brubacher.

And she loved the life in the Owyhees.

And she became known as the poetess of the Owyhees.

And, this one was set to music by the musical poem recorder of Cascade, Idaho, Ione Love Thielke.

So, Miss Becky’s going to sing this one.

[Becky] Oh, yes.

[Guitar Strumming] [Becky Singing] Oh, give me a trail up the mountain, where the sweet Syringas bloom.

Give me a camp in the open beneath an Idaho moon.

[Gary] Oh, yeah.

Let me hear the wolf dog wailing unto the night.

Up on the old skarf banyard, when the moon is ghostly white.

Oh, give me a trail, an Idaho trail, where the first purple shadows lie.

And the big red flaming moon shines up in the Idaho sky.

Oh, give me a trail, an Idaho trail, a primitive trail and high.

Where the big snow capped mountains hold tryst with an Idaho sky, Dennis Cooper.

[Harmonica solo] [Gary] I happen to be one of these people that believe that there's value in knowing where you came from.

And the history of the world shows abundantly that we're capable of making the same stupid mistakes over and over and over again.

What I've learned is that other than nuclear weapons, there's almost nothing that's really new in the news today.

I mean, people in the Bible were complaining about politicians.

So, we're doomed to repeat some mistakes.

But I think, if you study those mistakes, perhaps we won't be so prone to making them.

[Yodelling] Oh, give me a trail, An Idaho trail, where the first purple shadows lie.

And the big red flaming moon slides up in the Idaho sky.

Oh, give me a trail, an Idaho trail, a primitive trail and high.

Where the big snow capped mountains hold tryst with an Idaho sky.

Where the big snow capped mountains hold tryst with an Idaho sky.

[Laugh and Applause] [Gary] Miss Becky B.

[Narrator] To share some of the treasures he digs up, Gary gathers monthly at the historic Crescent Brewery in Nampa with a group of musicians who refer to themselves as The Old Farthings.

[Gary] Now, why do we have that name?

Well, it’s because a Farthing is a British coin that's not worth a cent.

It seems to describe us.

[Gary] Well, this is a song that was written in the Idaho State Penitentiary in 1947, and became a local hit by a guy named Harry Silvey who could not stay out of jail.

And he and his two buddies in the State Pen somehow got a recording device, got some instruments together, and formed, as far as I know, the first recording studio in Idaho.

And, Harry got to get out of prison on day leave to come to the radio station in Caldwell and sing it.

And it became a smash local hit.

And until he made a jailbreak in a dump truck, got captured quickly.

And that was the end of his public performance for a while.

Goes like this.

[Guitar Picking] [Gary Singing] Well, card sharks and forgers and racketeers, come on, let's sit down over here.

I'll tell you my story of heartaches and woe, while away from whiskey, wild women and beer.

I was working for the governor down Nampa way, living with with my Bessy, dear.

We passed a few checks they said was no good.

while away from whiskey, wild women and beer.

Take it away, do-bro man.

[Dobro Solo] [Gary] I'm not a historian.

I’m a guitar and banjo slinger.

that likes old songs that tell stories.

And, there's just magic in telling history through music.

And, I just happen to think that telling these stories like the old bards did, going from town to town, spreading the news, it still has a place.

...and racketeers, come on and sit down over here.

I'll tell you my story of heartaches and woes, while away from whiskey, wild women and beer.

Away from whiskey, wild women and beer.

[Song Finale] [Narrator] With the inhumane living conditions at the old penitentiary where Harry Silvey served his time, it's not surprising that a conscientious songwriter like Curtis Stigers would help craft a tune that reflects on what may have ignited the 1973 riots that preempted its closure.

[Curtis Stigers] So they're sleeping on, you know, beds made of straw, which is a line from the song.

And, and they were being fed cold water biscuits, which is, you know, flour and water dried, you know, not cooked.

So I could sort of see why someone might want to burn down the dining hall if they're being fed that kind of stuff.

[Anthony Parry] You know, it stayed open for nine months after they burned these things down.

[Curtis] So, people were still living here when the place was had been, you know, at least half sacked.

[Anthony] Right.

Yeah.

[Curtis] Whoa.

This is a song I wrote with my brother Jake.

It's called “Burn It Down.” It comes from my album, “Songs from my Kitchen, Volume 1.” [Guitar Strumming] [Curtis Singing] I have a daughter but she don’t know my name.

Her mama left town when the gavel came down to spare her the shame.

Burned every bridge I ever had in this town.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

They put me in here, I was 19 years old.

Cadillac joyride, 25 inside, with no parole.

Now I'm just waiting for the fire bell to sound.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

Burn down the walls that keep me in here.

Burn down the walls that stole my pride.

Burned down the angry child that used to be me.

Burn down the walls to stay alive.

Cold water, biscuit and a bed made of straw.

Living like an animal in the name of the law.

I swear someday I'll bring this place to the ground.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

Whoa.

Ehhh.

Whoa.

I hear it started down in cell block 13.

Burn down the dining hall and the guard house between.

No turning back now, no peace where I'm bound.

Burn it down.

Burn it down.

Burn down.

Burn it down.

[Narrator] Curtis' repertoire spans a variety of genres.

In another tune, he pays tribute to his love for jazz, and the mentor who encouraged his musical pursuits.

All right.

We're going to do a song of some local interest.

This is a song I wrote for an old friend of mine.

A hero of mine, a mentor of mine, and someone I think a lot of you loved very much.

This is a song I wrote about my old friend Gene Harris.

[Music] [Saxophone Solo] [Curtis Singing] Now it’s a Tuesday night, the kids are sleeping tight.

But they're swinging down at 10th and Main.

The city streets are bare, nobody anywhere, but they’re swinging down at 10th and Main.

Now, when the big man sits down to play piano, ain't nobody feeling any pain.

I'm gonna grab my ax and I'll be making tracks, to where they’re swinging down at 10th and Main.

Swing it now, Matthew.

[Piano Solo] [Curtis] One Tuesday evening I went downtown and I walked into the lobby of the Idanha Hotel.

And then this big, smiling African American man with huge forearms sat down to the piano and my life was transformed.

[Gene Harris Playing Piano ] [Curtis] Mr. Gene Harris.

One of the greatest musicians in the world, one of the great jazz pianists, letting people, anyone come play music with him on a Tuesday night, you know, in Boise, Idaho.

You know, I’d play a solo.

And at the end of the night, he'd always say, “Yeah, baby, that sounds great.

Keep practicing.” [Laugh] [Bill Cope] He just gave himself over to the kids playing, you know, no ego at all involved.

[Paul Tillotson] Gene fueled my, my, my inspiration for music, and to continue to do it.

[Music] [Curtis] Paul had a little trio.

And Paul said, you should come sit in with us.

So I went over, and we started playing together.

And at some point we realized that we'd all sort of been brought up by Gene.

And he named us.

He said, oh, yeah.

You’re the Young Lions, the young jazz lions.

And boom, that was the name of our band.

Paul Tillotson was so gifted.

He was able to hear things and just play them.

He was really, a very naturally talented musician.

Always was.

[Billy Mitchell] And Paul was just a gas to play with.

He was just like playing with Gene.

[Laugh] [Gene Harris playing piano] [Curtis] When I moved to New York City, Gene Harris called me and he said, hey, I'm going to be playing in New York next week.

I'll put you on the list.

It's, this place.

Here's the address.

And he gave me the address on, on West Third Street.

It was the Blue Note, and he was playing with Ray Brown, another legend of jazz.

And it just dawned on me.

Oh, this is who Gene is.

Gene is a legend.

He's not just our pal from Boise who took us under his wing and helped us to play better music.

[Music] [Curtis Singing] That man could play the blues.

Yeah, you know he’s paid his dues, when you hear him swinging down at 10th and Main.

He's bound to make you cry, when he lets those fingers fly, swinging down at 10th and Main.

Now he's a good man.

Always kind and gracious.

And he’s glad to let you share his stage.

But you better hold on tight, cause the jam is hot tonight.

Swinging down at 10th and Main.

Oh, yeah.

Swinging down at 10th and Main.

Hey, baby.

Swinging down at 10th and Main.

[Song finale] [Curtis laughs] Oh, that's fun.

We get paid for that.

It doesn't really seem fair.

But that is fun, good Lord.

[Holden] Do you want to do a double on this?

[Belinda] You bet.

[Holden Singing] So here we have Idaho.

[Holden] Too low?

[Belinda] No.

[Holden & Belinda Singing] Winning her way to fame.

Silver and gold in sunlight blaze.

And romance lies in her name.

And we’ll go singing, singing of you, Alma mater our Idaho.

[Laughing] That’s gonna be a top 10.

[Announcer] Idaho Experience is made possible with funding from the James and Barbara Cimino Foundation, devoted to preserving the spirit of Idaho, from Anne Voillequé and Louise Nelson, from Judy and Steve Meyer, the Friends of Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Public Television Endowment and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.