Music of America: Idaho

Hey guys, ready to head to the next stop on our American Musical Tour? Today, we're visiting the northwestern state of Idaho. Nicknamed The Gem State and the Potato State, Idaho became America's 43rd state by joining the Union in July 1890. I didn't know much about this state aside from its abundance of potatoes before this post, so I was interested to learn more. Let's see what's in our fact dump this week:

-Capital City: Boise

-Area: 83,569 square miles (America's 11th largest state)

-Population: 2,001,619 as of 2024 (America's 38th most populated state)

-Big 4 Major League Professional Sports Teams (Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey): 0/4

-Named College: University of Idaho (est. 1889, Moscow, ID)

-State Bird: Mountain Bluebird

-State Flower: Syringa

-State Butterfly: Monarch Butterfly

-State Tree: Western White Pine

-State Gemstone: Star Garnet

-State Dog: Idaho Shag (unofficially)

-State Quarter: Released June 2007 (includes the peregrine falcon, brought back from endagerment through Idahoan conservation efforts, along with the state's outline and state motto)

As before, we'll be looking at artists that were born and bands that were established in Idaho. This is of course not all of them, but it's a great group to explore and learn more about.

Let's get started!

Carry the Zero by Built to Spill (written by D. Martsch, B. Nelson, S. Plouf)

Built to Spill are an Idahoan indie rock band. Formed in Boise in 1992 by Doug Martsch, they are known for genres like indie rock, alt rock, lofi, slacker rock, and power pop. The band's lineup was designed to change with each album, and their current one includes Doug Martsch (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Melanie Radford (bass guitar), and Teresa Esguerra (drums). The band has released 9 studio albums since 1993. Carry the Zero was originally featured on the 1999 album Keep It Like a Secret. This era of their music was a very familiar sound in terms of 90s rock, a little indie and a tiny bit grungy. They're very popular in the indie scene and have been for a while, and I honestly get it after listening to this.

I’m not knocking your want to cry at home/Took it with you when you moved and got it broke/Found the pieces, we counted them all alone/Didn’t add up, forgot to carry a zero/I can’t be your apologist very long/I’m surprised that you’d want to carry that on/Count your blemishes, you can’t, they’re all gone/I can’t see your response putting them back on

Here We Have Idaho by Rick Pickren (written by M. Helm, A. Tompkins, S. Hume-Douglas)

Here We Have Idaho is the official state song of Idaho. With lyrics written in 1917 by University of Idaho student McKinley Helm & Boise Public Schools Director of Music Albert Tompkins and music composed by Sallie Hume-Douglas, the song served as the alma mater for the university of Idaho before being adopted as state song in 1931.

You've heard of the wonders our land does possess/Its beautiful valleys and hills/The majestic forests where nature abounds/We love every nook and rill/And here we have Idaho, winning her way to fame/Silver and gold in the sunlight blaze and romance lies in her name/Singing, we're singing of you, ah, proudly too/All our lives through, we'll go, singing, singing of you/Singing of Idaho

I Think of You by Rosalie Sorrels (written by R. Sorrels)

Rosalie Sorrels was born in Boise, Idaho in June 1933. The Idahoan singer/songwriter was a prominent and influential figure in folk music and storytelling prior to her death in 2017 at age 87. A vocalist and acoustic guitarist, Sorrels was a gifted songwriter, story collector, and a strong social activist. Over her six decade career, she released twenty solo studio albums. Her song I Think of You was originally featured on her 1964 album I Think of You. A lot of things about what I heard here reminded me a bit of Joni Mitchell's style. It's peaceful, powerful, calm, and lovely.

I look to see the wildflowers blooming/And wonder why they seem so plain/The springtime rides all the brown hills over/The young bird sings of a silver rain/I think of you as the night rolls by/You’re on my mind the whole day through/Far away in a lonesome city/All the time you’re gone, I think of you

Safe by Shook Twins (written by K. Shook, L. Shook)

The Shook Twins are an Idahoan folk band. Formed in Sandpoint in 2004 by twin sisters Katelyn and Laurie, they perform genres such as folk, pop, and indie rock. The band's current lineup includes Katelyn Shook (vocals, guitar), Laurie Shook (vocals, banjo), Niko Daoussis (mandolin, guitar, vocals), and Aber Miller (keyboard, key bass). They have released 5 studio albums since 2007. Safe was originally featured on the 2019 album Some Good Lives. I really enjoyed their sound and their vibe. They've been characterized as "quirky folk music," but to me it felt more indie folk and was chill and enjoyable to listen to.

All I want, all I want, all I want, all I want is a love that feels safe/It’s not gonna move from me or change shape/All I want, all I want, all I want, all I want is for you to stay/Right here with me in this plce/Well, it isn’t the dream if it only looks like the dream/How come you keep thinking you can fool me with your holographic prety things/I’m following your finger when you ask me, I’m addicted to your yes or no/And I can’t let this go

Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) by The Raiders (written by J. Loudermilk)

Paul Revere & The Raiders, known also simply as The Raiders, were an Idahoan rock band. Formed in Boise in 1958 and again in 1978 after a two year hiatus, they're known for genres like garage rock, frat rock, proto punk, psychedelic pop, and rock & roll. Fronted by Paul Dick (Paul Revere was his stage name) until his passing in 2014, the band had a huge rotating lineup throughout its iterations and active years. The group released 18 studio albums. Their cover of Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) was originally featured on the 1969 album Indian Reservation, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. This is a pretty standard sound for a 60's-70's era group, but that definitely doesn't mean it's bad. It's a good bit of nostalgia at the very least.

They took the whole Cherokee nation/Put us on this reservation/Took away our ways of life/The tomahawk and the bow and knife/Took away our native tongue/And taught their English to our young/And all the beads we made by hand/Are nowadays made in Japan/Cherokee people/Cherokee tribe/So proud to live/So proud to die

The Lesson by Victor Wooten (written by V. Wooten)

Victor Wooten was born in Mountain Home, Idaho in September 1964. The Idahoan musician/songwriter/music producer has been recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the Top 10 bassists of all time. Proficient on the bass guitar, double bass, and cello, Wooten typically plays in genres such as jazz fusion, jazz funk, bluegrass, pop, and progressive rock. Over his forty-six year career, he has won 5 Grammys, was the first musician to win Bass Player of the Year more than once (3 times total) from Bass Player Magazine, and released ten solo studio albums. His song The Lesson was originally featured on the 2008 album Palmystery. My husband, a bassist himself, is a huge Victor Wooten fan, and he's gotten me to be one as well. He has such a unique style that leaves no doubt that he's the one playing, and he has a lot of really great YouTube videos talking about technique and all sorts of things that are super helpful to other players.

I hope you found some great new music from this corner of the country. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!