THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF SERENDIPITY, I DON'T KNOW.

SOMETHING BROUGHT ME TO A PARTICULAR BOOKSTORE

ON THE SQUARE IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA.

I SAW THIS LITTLE --

IT LOOKED LIKE AN OLD BOOK, BUT IT WAS BRAND NEW.

THERE WERE TWO OR THREE OF THEM.

IT LOOKED LIKE AN OLD BOOK WITH A BROWN AND TAN COVER,

CALLED "WILDERNESS PLOTS."

[ MAN WHISTLES ]

I IMMEDIATELY READ A STORY, READ ANOTHER STORY.

PROBABLY THE SECOND STORY, I REALIZED -- THESE ARE SONGS.

THE PROJECT SURPRISED ALL OF US --

INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN, COLLECTIVELY.

WOW!

LOOK AT THIS. WHO CAME UP WITH THIS PLACE?

I WAS SKEPTICAL AT FIRST

ABOUT WRITING THESE KIND OF SHORT STORIES.

I FEEL LIKE

I'M ALONG FOR THE GREATEST FREE RIDE OF MY LIFE HERE.

Newcomer: THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY DELIGHTFUL

ABOUT GETTING TOGETHER WITH A GROUP

OF OTHER SONGWRITERS WHO HAVE THE SAME FASCINATION.

AS A SONGWRITER, WE WALK AROUND IN OUR OWN --

UNDER OUR OWN UMBRELLA, IN OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL SHELLS.

AND HERE WE ARE, HAVING TO... TO FIT TOGETHER SOMEHOW.

DOWN THIS WAY?

EACH OF THE STORIES AROSE AFTER I HAD READ ABOUT

SOME ACTUAL PERSON AND SOME ACTUAL EVENT

THAT OCCURRED TYPICALLY BETWEEN THE END

OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THE CIVIL WAR.

[ LAUGHS ]

Man: CAN WE HAVE AN "E" CHORD, PLEASE? "E."

[ ORGAN PLAYS CHORD ]

TIM TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF

TO CALL ME UP AND SAY

HE WANTED TO COME TALK WITH ME ABOUT SOMETHING.

HE TOLD ME THEN ABOUT THIS PROJECT

THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON,

AND HOW WOULD I FEEL IF THEY MADE AN ALBUM

OF SONGS OUT OF MY STORIES?

AND I SAID, "I'D BE THRILLED."

YEAH, ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.

OKAY, "MIRACLES HAPPEN." THEY DO.

Newcomer: ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WE STARTED A SONGWRITERS GROUP.

AND THE IDEA BEHIND IT WAS THAT,

UM, WE'D HAVE THIS COMMUNITY OF OTHER SONGWRITERS

TO CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER, TO HEAR OUR NEW MATERIAL.

AND THIS PARTICULAR SONGWRITING GROUP

IS A CHALLENGE-ORIENTED GROUP.

SO WE WILL GIVE EACH OTHER PROMPTS,

AND WE MEET ONCE A MONTH.

¶ I WANT TO KEEP MOVING

¶ I WANT TO BE STILL

¶ AND DRINK MY FILL

¶ FROM THE RIVER

¶ FEEL THE THRILL OF HEARING

¶ MY NAME CALLED OUT

¶ WHEN THE MONTHLY MAIL IS DELIVERED ¶

¶ THEY SAY MIRACLES HAPPEN

¶ 'ROUND HERE EVERY DAY

¶ THOUGH THERE'S NO TELLING

¶ WHERE THEY'LL BE FOUND

¶ LIKE A BABY BEING BORN AT THE BREAK OF DAWN ¶

¶ AND THE MOTHER OUT TO PLOW

¶ BEFORE SUNDOWN

I'D ONLY BEEN WITH THE WRITING GROUP

FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, WHEN TIM CAME TO A MEETING,

AND SUGGESTED AS A WRITING ASSIGNMENT

THAT WE EACH TAKE A STORY IN THIS BOOK HE HAD FOUND

THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN BY SCOTT.

THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD WRITERS IN THIS GROUP.

SO WHEN A CHALLENGE IS THROWN DOWN,

YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY,

AND YOU HAVE TO BRING THE BEST YOU CAN

TO THE GROUP MEETING THE NEXT MONTH.

THE NEXT MONTH THAT WE GOT TOGETHER,

EVERYBODY HAD A REALLY GOOD SONG,

WHICH ISN'T SURPRISING.

EVERYBODY IN THE GROUP

IS CAPABLE OF WRITING EXCELLENT SONGS.

BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAGIC SURROUNDING THIS PROJECT

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

¶ THE LAST TREE STANDING, THE FIRST SIGN OF SPRING ¶

¶ AND A SAD END TO SOMEONE

¶ NAMED RACHEL

¶ THEY SAY MIRACLES HAPPEN

¶ 'ROUND HERE EVERY DAY

¶ THOUGH THERE'S NO TELLING WHERE THEY'LL BE FOUND ¶

¶ LIKE A BABY BEING BORN AT THE BREAK OF DAWN ¶

¶ AND THE MOTHER OUT TO PLOW BEFORE SUNDOWN ¶

¶ LIKE A BABY BEING BORN AT THE BREAK OF DAWN ¶

¶ AND THE MOTHER OUT TO PLOW BEFORE SUNDOWN ¶

¶ AND THE MOTHER OUT TO PLOW BEFORE SUNDOWN ¶

HOT STUFF.

[ LAUGHTER ]

I WAS...

RESEARCHING A NOVEL, A HISTORICAL NOVEL,

CALLED "BAD MAN BALLAD,"

ABOUT A MURDER THAT OCCURRED IN OHIO IN 1813

IN THE COUNTY WHERE I GREW UP.

WELL, IN READING BACKGROUND

FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THIS NOVEL,

I KEPT COMING ACROSS REFERENCES

TO ODD OR INTERESTING CHARACTERS AND EVENTS.

SO I DECIDED I WOULD WRITE LITTLE, TINY TALES

TO STORE THEM, UNTIL I HAD TIME TO GO BACK

AND ELABORATE ON THEM.

AND AFTER I HAD WRITTEN SIX OR EIGHT

OF THESE LITTLE TINY TALES,

INSTEAD OF IMAGINING

ELABORATING THEM, I REALIZED THAT THEY WERE

VERY SATISFYING IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

SO I BEGAN WRITING MORE OF THEM.

AND EVENTUALLY, I COMPOSED 50 OF THEM,

AND THOSE BECAME THE 50 TALES IN "WILDERNESS PLOTS."

Roznowski: I THINK WE JUST DOVE INTO THE BOOK, INDIVIDUALLY.

NONE OF US DID THE SAME STORY.

I THINK THERE ARE 50 STORIES IN THE BOOK,

AND EVERYONE CHOSE A DIFFERENT STORY TO WRITE ABOUT.

SOMETIMES, THE SONG WAS TAKEN VERY DIRECTLY --

ALMOST DIRECT FROM TEXT,

USING LANGUAGE, USING THE STORY, ALMOST DIRECTLY FROM TEXT.

AND THEN, SOMETIMES, IT WAS JUST THE SEED OF A STORY,

THAT THERE WAS A LINE, OR THERE WAS AN IDEA.

I TOOK SEVERAL OF THESE SONGS AND A COUPLE OF THESE SONGS,

AND REALLY FOLLOWED HIS TALE.

SOMEONE ELSE WOULD COME IN WITH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANGLE

AND TAKE A LINE OR A PARAGRAPH OR JUST THE CHARACTER,

AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Man: ¶ I WANT TO KEEP MOVING

OH, OKAY.

WELL, UM...

"THEY SAY MIRACLES HAPPEN 'ROUND HERE EVERY DAY

"SO THERE'S NO TELLING WHERE THEY'LL BE FOUND.

"LIKE A BABY BEING BORN.

"I WANT TO KEEP MOVING, I WANT TO BE STILL,

AND DRINK MY FILL FROM THE RIVER."

Both: "FEEL THE THRILL OF,

FEEL THE THRILL OF HEARING MY NAME CALLED OUT..."

SONGWRITERS, UNLESS THEY COLLABORATE

IN NASHVILLE WITH OTHER WRITERS,

PRETTY MUCH WORK BY THEMSELVES.

AND, MYSELF, ESPECIALLY --

I'D NEVER DONE ANYTHING COLLABORATIVE BEFORE.

SO THE FIRST FEW TIMES

WHEN I PERFORMED MY SONGS FOR THE GROUP --

THESE ARE NEW SONGS.

YOU'VE NEVER PERFORMED THEM FOR ANYBODY.

AND THEN WHEN YOU CONSIDER WHO YOU'RE PERFORMING THEM FOR --

PEOPLE WHO KNOW A LOT ABOUT WRITING.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD PULL ANY FAST ONES.

SO I WAS VERY NERVOUS

THE FIRST FEW TIMES THAT I PERFORMED.

I MEAN, THERE IS THAT RISK,

WHEN YOU GO INTO A, LIKE A COLLECTIVE PROJECT,

AND EVERYONE HAS COMPLETE CREATIVE FREEDOM --

WHAT IF SOMEBODY BRINGS IN A REALLY LOUSY SONG?

AND IT COULD WELL BE MYSELF.

I WAS SKEPTICAL ABOUT IT AND,

YOU KNOW, NOT SURE HOW CREATIVE WE COULD GET,

HOW FAR WE COULD VEER AWAY FROM WHAT IT WAS THAT

HE WAS INTENDING TO SAY HIMSELF.

BUT, UH, THE SECOND BATCH OF SONGS THAT CAME IN

WERE EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST.

AND WE TOOK IT ONE MORE TIME,

AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE THIRD RUN OF SONGS

FROM THIS BOOK,

WE REALIZED THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD SOMETHING.

¶ DANIEL SAID TRAVELING'S RISKY ¶

¶ BUT THE MONEY'S AWFUL GOOD

¶ WHEN I GET BACK WE CAN FINALLY ¶

¶ GET AHEAD, SURE WE COULD

¶ LEFT THE 5th OF DECEMBER

¶ TOOK OUR OLDEST BOY BEN

¶ I PACKED THEM BISCUITS AND BUTTER ¶

¶ AND NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN

¶ HOW CAN I KEEP ON WALKING

¶ GOD ALMIGHTY, TELL ME THIS ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE NEXT ¶

"BISCUITS AND BUTTER" -- IT'S ACTUALLY

A PRETTY SAD SONG.

UM, THE STORY IS ABOUT A WOMAN

WHOSE HUSBAND COMES UP WITH A GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEME.

AND TAKES THE SON,

AND THEY GO OFF TO THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN SELL THEIR GOODS FOR MORE MONEY.

THEY GET CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM AND DON'T RETURN,

AND SHE SENDS ANOTHER SON WHO DOESN'T RETURN.

SO THE SONG IS REALLY A LOT ABOUT A WOMAN

BEING IN THAT MOMENT OF GRIEF.

THERE'S A LOT OF STAGES IN GRIEF.

AND ONE OF THEM IS JUST BEING ANGRY ABOUT IT.

¶ I SENT MY SECOND-OLDEST BABY

¶ OUT TO FIND HIS NEXT OF KIN ¶

¶ BUT FOUND THE WAGON IN THE SPRINGTIME ¶

¶ UP ON KILLBUCK RIVER EDGE

¶ HE WAS QUIETER THAN HIS BROTHER ¶

¶ AND HIS BROTHER'S CLOSEST FRIEND ¶

¶ I PACKED THEM BISCUITS AND BUTTER ¶

¶ AND NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN

¶ HOW CAN I KEEP ON WALKING

¶ GOD ALMIGHTY, TELL ME THIS ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE NEXT, MMM ¶

¶ THEY FOUND THE BONES OF A TEAM OF OXEN ¶

¶ THE SHIRT I'D SEWN WITH MY OWN HANDS ¶

¶ THEY FOUND THE BASKET

¶ I PACKED THE BISCUITS

¶ NOT A TRACE OF MY MEN

¶ I THINK I'LL GO DOWN TO THE RIVER ¶

¶ I THINK I'LL TAKE UP THROWING STONES ¶

¶ I THINK I'LL CRY UNTIL I'M FINISHED ¶

¶ AND I'LL LEARN TO SLEEP ALONE ¶

¶ HOW CAN I KEEP ON WALKING

¶ GOD ALMIGHTY, TELL ME THIS ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER ¶

¶ ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE NEXT ¶

¶ I THINK I'LL GO DOWN TO THE RIVER ¶

¶ I THINK I'LL TAKE UP THROWING STONES ¶

¶ I'LL NEVER BAKE ANOTHER BISCUIT ¶

SONGWRITING IS A VERY PARTICULAR ART FORM.

IT'S ALL ABOUT CONDENSING --

IT'S ALL ABOUT SAYING SOMETHING IN VERY FEW WORDS, ACTUALLY.

I JUST GRAB AHOLD OF A SONG HOWEVER I CAN.

SOMETIMES I'LL BE SITTING AT A PIANO,

SOMETIMES I'LL HAVE A GUITAR ON MY KNEE.

A LOT OF MY IDEAS COME WHEN I'M WASHING THE DISHES,

OR BRUSHING MY TEETH -- THOSE ARE GOOD INSTRUMENTS.

TOM IS AN ENIGMA WRAPPED IN A MYSTERY.

HE'S, UH, HE'S -- IT'S AS THOUGH HE HAS MAYBERRY

CREATED WITHIN HIS OWN PERSONA,

AND HE SORT OF TAKES THAT,

THAT CREATION OF SORT OF SMALL TOWN AMERICA,

AND HE MOVES WITH THAT THROUGH HIS LIFE.

WE ARE VERY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE,

AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF SONGWRITERS,

WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE JOYS OF BEING IN THIS GROUP,

IS THAT WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT ANGLE,

A DIFFERENT LENS THROUGH WHICH WE SEE THINGS.

IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS THE GROUP ITSELF IS SO STRONG,

BECAUSE WE CAN GET INSPIRATION FROM EACH OTHER

AS WE WRITE AND PRESENT THINGS TO EACH OTHER,

WITHOUT THE THREAT OF SOUNDING MUCH LIKE EACH OTHER.

BECAUSE THE STYLES ARE JUST SO DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT,

THAT THEY REALLY DON'T CROSS LINES MUCH.

¶ MUST HAVE BEEN ANGELS, THEY MUST HAVE COME 'ROUND ¶

¶ HOLY FIRE BURNED THROUGH IT ¶

¶ THIS HOLE IN THE GROUND

¶ MUST BE THE WORK OF HEAVEN

¶ LIKE STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY ¶

¶ ANGELS -- YES, THAT MUST BE WHY ¶

¶ NO SHOVEL COULD DIG, NO SHARPNESS WE KNOW ¶

¶ COULD CUT THROUGH THE ROCK AND MAKE THE GROUND SOW ¶

¶ MUST BE THE WORK OF HEAVEN

¶ LIKE STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY ¶

¶ ANGELS -- YES, THAT MUST BE WHY ¶

¶ All: MUST HAVE BEEN ANGELS

THE "ICE MOUNTAINS AND HAIRY ELEPHANT" SONG

IS A WONDERFUL ENSEMBLE PIECE THAT KRISTA WROTE,

REALLY, REALLY WITH THE PERSONALITIES IN MIND

FOR THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.

I WROTE IT IN THE WAY THAT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SING.

SO AND THE TYPES OF MELODY LINES THAT PEOPLE GRAVITATE TOWARD,

AND IN THE RANGES THAT I COULD HEAR THEM.

AND SO I WROTE IT AS THIS GROUP,

KIND OF MUSICAL THEATER PIECE.

¶ NOW, LISTEN HERE, FRIENDS

¶ I'M HERE TO SURVEY

¶ FOR GOOD UNCLE SAM, AND I'VE JUST GOT TO SAY ¶

¶ LONG AGO, THERE WAS ICE THAT COVERED THIS LAND ¶

¶ AND GOUGED GREAT, BIG HOLES

¶ AS IT SLID AND IT RAN

¶ WAS NO SIGN FROM HEAVEN

¶ NO STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY ¶

¶ GLACIERS -- YES

¶ THAT, FRIENDS, IS WHY

¶ BUT I SAW THEM MYSELF WHEN LATE I AWOKE ¶

¶ ANGELS AT MY WINDOW

¶ AND TO ME, THEY SPOKE

¶ THEY SAID, "THE HOLE IS FROM HEAVEN" ¶

¶ "FROM OUR HOME UP IN THE SKY" ¶

¶ ANGELS -- MY FRIENDS, THAT IS WHY ¶

¶ SO I'D LIKE TO SAY TO YOU, MR. GOVERNMENT MAN ¶

¶ THAT THIS HOLE IN THE GROUND WAS MADE BY GOD'S OWN HAND ¶

¶ AND YOUR MOUNTAINS OF ICE, HAIRY ELEPHANT STORIES ¶

¶ AREN'T FIT FOR THE EARS OF THOSE ¶

¶ VERSED IN GOD'S GLORIES

¶ WE KNOW WHAT WE SEE

¶ AND A MYSTERY'S PROMISED

¶ OUR TOWN HAS BEEN BLESSED

¶ NOW, HEAD BACK TO YOUR OFFICE ¶

¶ 'CAUSE IT MUST HAVE BEEN ANGELS ¶

¶ THEY MUST HAVE COME 'ROUND

¶ HOLY FIRE BURNED THROUGH IT ¶

¶ THIS HOLE IN THE GROUND

¶ MUST BE THE WORK OF HEAVEN

¶ LIKE STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY ¶

¶ ANGELS -- YES, THAT MUST BE WHY ¶

¶ ANGELS -- YES, THAT MUST BE WHY ¶

[ LAUGHTER ]

IT'S A FASCINATING TIME PERIOD, AND I DON'T THINK...

MOST PEOPLE HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING

OF WHAT WAS GOING ON THEN.

SCOTT SANDERS, WHEN HE WROTE THESE,

HE DIDN'T REALLY ROMANTICIZE THIS TIME PERIOD,

OF PEOPLE COMING OUT TO THE WILDERNESS.

SOME OF THE STORIES ARE SAD AND SOME ARE FUNNY,

AND SOME ARE BEWILDERING.

AND, UM, BUT THEY'RE VERY REAL.

THE LAST TALE IN THE BOOK IS REALLY A COLLECTION

OF LITTLE TINY TALES.

IT'S CALLED,

"THE MANNER OF THEIR DYING."

AND IT'S A COLLECTION OF SENTENCES.

EACH SENTENCE IS ABOUT A DEATH.

AND WHAT FASCINATED ME ABOUT THE ACCOUNTS OF THE FRONTIER

IS THE RANGE OF WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE DIED.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SEPARATES

THE PAST FROM OUR CURRENT EXPERIENCE.

PEOPLE DIED OF THINGS 200 YEARS AGO OR 80 YEARS AGO

THAT ARE NO LONGER FATAL.

WE DON'T FALL OFF HORSES SO MUCH ANYMORE.

WE DON'T GET BIT BY RATTLESNAKES SO MUCH ANYMORE.

WE DON'T FREEZE TO DEATH SO MUCH ANYMORE.

AND SCOTT TOUCHES UPON ALL OF THESE THINGS,

UM, IN AN ALMOST BIZARRELY JOYOUS WAY.

EACH OF THE MUSICIANS COMPOSED A SONG

FROM ONE SENTENCE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MICHAEL WHITE HAS ONE...

CALLED "ISRAEL COE,"

WHICH IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE --

"WHILE HIS BROTHER WAS STEALING HONEY FROM A HOLLOW TREE,

"ISRAEL COE DIVERTED A SWARM OF BEES,

"WHICH FLEW FASTER THAN HE HAD FIGURED

AND STUNG HIM TO DEATH."

AND SO THEN THE SONGWRITER -- ME, IN THIS CASE --

SO HERE'S YOUR CHALLENGE.

TURN THAT INTO A SONG ABOUT DEATH,

AND THEN MAKE IT FUNNY.

HERE WE GO.

¶ ISRAEL COE AND HIS BROTHER JOE ¶

¶ WANTED SOMETHING ON THEIR PANCAKES ¶

¶ SO THEY FOUND A DEAD TREE

¶ THAT WAS FULL OF BEES

¶ AND THREW ROCKS INTO THE HIVE ¶

¶ WELL, ISRAEL COE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW ¶

¶ HOW MAD AND FAST A SWARM OF BEES WAS ¶

¶ THOUGH HE DIVERTED THE HIVE ¶

¶ THEY STUNG HIM 'TIL HE DIED

¶ BUT THE PANCAKES SURE WERE GOOD ¶

OOH-WEE!

Roznowski: I CRAVE SOLITUDE.

AND IT'S HARD TO FIND SOLITUDE NOW.

I LIVE IN A VERY QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD,

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF NOISE

FROM TRAFFIC, AND PLANES FLYING OVERHEAD,

AND PHONES RINGING AND SUCH.

REAL SOLITUDE CAN ONLY REALLY BE FOUND IN NATURE.

¶ I CAN SEE THEM RISING

¶ STANDING ONE BY ONE

¶ LIKE SOME GREEN HORIZON

¶ BLOCKING OUT THE SUN

¶ I STEPPED BACK WITH MY AXE ¶

¶ AS I HACK AT THIS TRUNK

¶ AND IMAGINE JUST WHAT MIGHT BE ¶

WHAT STRUCK ME

ABOUT THE BOOK WAS HOW IT EVOKED

THE CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE FACED

LIVING ON THE FRONTIER,

AND TRYING TO CARVE A LIFE OUT OF THE WILDERNESS.

IT STRUCK ME THAT A LOT OF THE DECISIONS

YOU WOULD MAKE, IN TERMS OF SURVIVAL BACK THEN,

WOULD BE JUDGED HARSHLY BY US HERE,

BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO COPE WITH THOSE CHALLENGES.

AND THE REASON THAT I WROTE "WHENEVER I LOOK AT TREES"

WAS TO GET BACK TO THAT INITIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

OF WHY WOULD YOU LOOK AT A TREE

AND THINK IT COULD BE A RESOURCE

FOR YOUR LIFE,

AND ITS ABSENCE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE AN ADVANTAGE.

¶ WHENEVER I LOOK AT TREES

¶ I SEE CITIES

¶ I CAN SEE THAT BIG HAWK

¶ CIRCLING ABOVE

¶ AND HIS CALL BREAKS THE SILENCE ¶

¶ ON THIS SOLITARY ISLAND

¶ SURROUNDED BY AN OCEAN OF TREES ¶

I TOUR IN ALASKA SOMETIMES.

AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WENT UP THERE TO TOUR,

ONE OF THE PROMOTERS IN FAIRBANKS

TOOK ME OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS,

AND THEN UP TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN.

AND I REMEMBER HAVING THE SENSE OF LOOKING OUT, AND THINKING,

"FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES,

THERE WAS NOTHING BUT WILDERNESS."

IT WAS LIKE LOOKING AT THE OCEAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

¶ THE SUN

¶ LET THAT SUNSHINE THROUGH

¶ TO A TWO-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE

¶ BUILT FROM THE BEST OF THESE ¶

¶ WHENEVER I LOOK AT TREES

¶ I SEE CITIES

¶ WHENEVER

¶ I LOOK AT TREES

¶ I SEE CITIES

¶ CITIES

YEAH.

YOU LOOK SO CUTE.

[ LAUGHS ]

White: WHEN I THINK OF WILDERNESS,

I THINK OF WILDERNESS BEING SYNONYMOUS WITH NATURE.

I DON'T THINK OF IT AS -- I KNOW BACK IN THOSE DAYS,

IT WAS SOMETHING TO BE FEARED OR CONQUERED, IN A WAY.

BUT I THINK

EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF...

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALLOWED TO BE HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT THINK WE HAVE THE UPPER HAND,

BECAUSE WE CAN DIG GIANT HOLES IN THE STONE AND THINGS,

BUT IT'S, UH... WE DON'T.

PART OF MY INTEREST IN THIS BOOK IS THAT

I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT DIRECTION

SOCIETY WILL ULTIMATELY TAKE.

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE STORYTELLING FROM A LONG TIME AGO,

BUT IN A WAY, IT MIGHT JUST BE...

PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS.

Newcomer: MANY OF THESE STORIES STRUCK ME THAT WAY,

THAT THEY WERE A BIT LIKE MODERN PARABLES --

THAT SITUATIONS CHANGE, BUT PEOPLE ARE KIND OF THE SAME.

AND THE WOMEN'S STORIES, YOU KNOW,

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING.

THEY CAME OUT TO THE WILDERNESS WHERE, UM,

THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD CALL SAFE OR CALL HOME,

AND THEY MADE HOME HERE.

Sanders: I DON'T THINK

OF THESE HISTORICAL TALES

AS ABOUT SOMETHING DEAD AND GONE.

I SEE THEM

AS EXPLORATIONS OF THE SOURCES OF OUR PRESENT TIME.

"MIASMA LURKED UPON THE STILL WATERS.

"EVERY CITIZEN OF MERCER COUNTY WAS PERSUADED OF THAT.

"THEIR CHILDREN CAME DOWN WITH FEVER

"IN THE MUGGY DAYS OF AUGUST.

"THEIR CATTLE SLUMPED OVER AND THEIR SHEEP RAN MAD.

"THE GOVERNMENT ENGINEER HAD SAID NOTHING OF MALARIA

"WHEN HE CAJOLED THEM INTO SELLING LAND

"TO BUILD THE RESERVOIR.

"LAND ITSELF WAS CHEAP, HE HAD TOLD THEM.

"FARMS COULD BE BOUGHT FARTHER WEST.

"BUT WITHOUT THIS RESERVOIR, THERE COULD BE NO CANAL

"FROM LAKE ERIE TO THE OHIO RIVER.

"AND WITHOUT THE CANAL, THERE COULD BE NO PROGRESS.

"COULD THERE?

"DID THEY WANT THEIR STATE TO REMAIN A PATHLESS WILDERNESS,

"WHILE THE REST OF THE NATION WAS CARVED UP BY ROADS OF WATER

AND STONE AND STEEL?"

¶ MARTHA WALKED RIGHT DOWN TO THE DAM ¶

¶ HOE AND A SHOVEL IN EITHER HAND ¶

¶ SHE WAS BOUND TO DIG FOR EVERY WOMAN AND MAN ¶

¶ CHILD WHO LAY SICK WITH FEVER ¶

¶ THE GOVERNMENT MAN SAID BE A FAVORITE SON ¶

¶ BE A PLACE OF WORTH, BE SOMEWHERE, SOMEONE ¶

¶ IF YOU DROWN THIS VALLEY, THE CANAL BOATS COME ¶

¶ SO THEY DROWNED THE LOVELY VALLEY ¶

¶ THE WATERS GREW BLACK AND THE SICKNESS CAME ¶

¶ THEY HUNG THEIR HEADS WITH GRIEF AND SHAME ¶

¶ AND MARTHA SAID, "WE'VE ONLY OURSELVES TO BLAME" ¶

¶ AND TOOK UP THE SHOVEL AND HOE, GOOD LORD ¶

¶ TOOK UP THE SHOVEL AND HOE

¶ WHEN IT'S TIME TO SAY "ENOUGH" AND TO SET THINGS RIGHT ¶

¶ WHOLE WORLD'S WAIST-DEEP IN TROUBLE ¶

¶ NEVER DOUBT OR QUESTION THE POWER OF LOVE ¶

¶ OR ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

I LOVE THIS CHARACTER MARTHA

IN, UM, "ONE WOMAN AND A SHOVEL."

AT ONE POINT, IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY,

THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMERCE --

THAT WAS THE CANAL SYSTEM.

TO BE ANYWHERE, ANYBODY --

THEY NEEDED TO BE ON THE CANAL SYSTEM.

AND THEY NEEDED TO BASICALLY

DAM UP A VALLEY AND DO THIS, AND THEY DID --

ALL IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS.

BUT THE WATER WAS STAGNANT AND PEOPLE BEGAN TO GET SICK.

AND THE STORY GOES THAT ONE WOMAN

HAD HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF THIS.

AND WENT DOWN TO THE DAM WITH A SHOVEL,

AND STARTED TO TEAR IT DOWN.

WHEN HER NEIGHBORS

SAW WHAT SHE WAS DOING,

DECIDED THAT, THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA.

¶ ALONG CAME ELIZABETH, SARAH AND ROSE ¶

¶ EVA, CLARA, AND RUTH

¶ CAME WITH PICKS AND SHOVELS AND HOES ¶

¶ ALONG WITH THE RIGHTEOUS TRUTH ¶

¶ JOINED BY CALVIN, ELI, AND SCOTT ¶

¶ TIMOTHY, DAVID, AND PAUL

¶ AND TOGETHER BEFORE THE SUN CAME UP ¶

¶ THEY TORE DOWN THE CURSED WALL ¶

¶ YES, YES, THEY TORE DOWN THE CURSED WALL ¶

¶ WHEN IT'S TIME TO SAY "ENOUGH" AND TO SET THINGS RIGHT ¶

¶ WHOLE WORLD'S WAIST-DEEP IN TROUBLE ¶

¶ NEVER DOUBT OR QUESTION THE POWER OF LOVE ¶

¶ OR ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

¶ THE LAKE

¶ FINALLY BLED ITS BAD BLOOD SOUTH ¶

¶ AND THEY'D SAVED THEIR RAVAGED LAND ¶

¶ NOT A SINGLE SOUL, JURY, OR JUDGE ¶

¶ WOULD THINK TO FINE OR JAIL THEM, NO, NO ¶

¶ THINK TO FINE OR JAIL THEM

¶ MARTHA WALKED RIGHT DOWN TO THE DAM ¶

¶ HOE AND A SHOVEL IN EITHER HAND ¶

¶ SHE WAS BOUND TO DIG FOR EVERY WOMAN AND MAN ¶

¶ CHILD WHO LAY SICK WITH FEVER ¶

¶ WHEN IT'S TIME TO SAY "ENOUGH" AND TO SET THINGS RIGHT ¶

¶ WHOLE WORLD'S WAIST-DEEP IN TROUBLE ¶

¶ NEVER DOUBT OR QUESTION THE POWER OF LOVE ¶

¶ OR ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

¶ NEVER DOUBT OR QUESTION THE POWER OF LOVE ¶

¶ OR ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

¶ ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL ¶

¶ ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

¶ ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL ¶

¶ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL ¶

¶ ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

¶ ONE MORE TIME

¶ ONE WOMAN WITH A SHOVEL

[ LAUGHS ]

I LOVE SINGING THAT.

ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I BELIEVE THAT.

AND, UH, MARTHA BELIEVED THAT.

SEVERAL OF THOSE STORIES ARE VERY MOVING TO ME.

ONE OF THOSE IS "FRUIT," WHICH, UM,

I WROTE A SONG ABOUT.

UM, IT, UH, IT'S A KIND OF STORY I THINK THAT, UH,

CAN BREAK YOUR HEART.

"THE GRAVEST MISTAKE THE INDIANS MADE WAS ALLOWING

"ANY WHITE MAN WHO HAD ONCE VIEWED THEIR PLANTATION

"TO ESCAPE WITH HIS TONGUE IN HIS HEAD.

"THEY SET THE SPY FREE, THINKING THAT WORD

"OF THEIR MIGHT WOULD FRIGHTEN THE ARMY AWAY.

"BUT WHEN THE RAGGEDY SPY

"ARRIVED PANTING AT THE COMMANDER'S FEET

"TO DESCRIBE THE ACRES OF PEACHES

"AND APPLES AND BEANS AND MAIZE,

"GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE ROSE TO SADDLE HIS HORSE,

"KNOWING HE HAD FOUND, AT LAST, THE INDIAN'S SOFT BELLY.

"'STAB THEM THERE, HARD.

"'AND THEIR WILL TO RESIST THE ADVANCEMENT

OF THE WHITE MAN WILL BLEED AWAY.'"

¶ WATER

¶ GET MY HORSE SOME WATER

¶ I'M SURE THAT SHE'S BONE-DRY ¶

¶ JUST AS SURE AS I'VE EARNED YOUR FAVOR ¶

¶ AS YOUR FAITHFUL, RAGGED SPY ¶

¶ ACRES

¶ I SEEN ACRES OF PEACHES

¶ APPLES, BEANS, AND MAIZE

¶ THEY THOUGHT WITH THESE, THEY COULD FRIGHTEN YOU AWAY ¶

¶ THEY SET ME FREE

¶ TO TELL YOU OF THEIR MIGHT

¶ YOU WOULD NOT PUT UP A FIGHT AGAINST A PLACE ¶

¶ OF SUCH ORDER AND BOUNTY

¶ AND BEAUTY

¶ GENERAL WAYNE

¶ "SO TELL ME MORE, MY BOY"

¶ HE KNEW HE'D FOUND THEIR SOFT BELLY ¶

¶ STAB THEM THERE

¶ HARD AND FAST

¶ AND THEIR WILL TO RESIST THE WHITE MAN'S ADVANCE ¶

¶ WILL BLEED AWAY

I TOOK THE SONG FROM THE PERSPECTIVE

OF THE SPY.

SCOTT WAS VERY SURPRISED,

AND HE MENTIONS THE SPY EVER SO BRIEFLY.

IN OTHER WORDS, UM, SCOTT HAS WRITTEN THIS STORY,

UM, ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AREA OF LAND

THAT THE NATIVE AMERICANS HAD CULTIVATED.

AS HE DESCRIBED IT -- IT WAS THEIR "SOFT BELLY."

THEIR SOFT BELLY WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL LAND.

¶ GENERAL WAYNE STARED DOWN FROM AN OHIO HILL ¶

¶ THIRSTY, RESTLESS MEN BEHIND HIM ¶

¶ AND HE SAW FIELDS AND ROWS OF GREEN ¶

¶ ORCHARDS PRUNED

¶ AND BLACK EARTH AS RICH AS EVER SEEN ¶

Sanders: THE SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA BY DESCENDANTS

OF THE COLONISTS

WAS VERY VIOLENT.

DISPLACING OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE,

OR THE KILLING OF NATIVE PEOPLE,

THE KILLING OF HUGE NUMBERS OF ANIMALS,

THE CLEARING OF FORESTS, THE DAMMING OF RIVERS --

IT'S BEEN A LONG, VIOLENT HISTORY.

AND I THINK ALSO AGAIN, IF WE'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND

OUR CONTEMPORARY WARS AND OUR PENCHANT FOR WARS,

AND THE NUMBER OF MURDERS THAT THERE ARE

IN OUR COUNTRY EVERY YEAR --

IF WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT,

I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND FACE MORE SQUARELY

THE VIOLENCE OUT OF WHICH

OUR SOCIETY GREW.

SOME OF THE VIRTUES OF OUR CULTURE

CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE FRONTIER ERA,

AND SOME OF THE BLEMISHES,

SOME OF THE FLAWS OF OUR CULTURE

CAN BE TRACED BACK THERE.

¶ AND THERE HE SAT

¶ ASTRIDE HIS HORSE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD ¶

¶ FOR A MOMENT, HESITATING

¶ HE TURNED TO ME AND I COULD SEE ¶

¶ THE MARCH OF HISTORY

¶ IN THE SWEAT ACROSS HIS BROW ¶

¶ "NOW, NOW"

¶ HE SIGNALED THE ADVANCE

¶ AND THE MEN STARTED TO TRAMP THROUGH ROWS OF BEANS ¶

¶ TEAR LIMBS OFF OF APPLE TREES ¶

¶ FOOTSTEPS

¶ TRACKING BLOOD ON THE SOLES OF OUR SHOES ¶

¶ WE FELT THE GROUND A-TREMBLING ¶

¶ I SAW REGRET PASS BETWEEN OUR EYES ¶

¶ THE GENERAL

¶ AND HIS FAITHFUL

¶ RAGGED SPY

White: YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE TO WRITE FROM,

AND, SO FOR ANY OF THE PIECES I WAS WORKING ON,

I WOULD, UH, IMAGINE MYSELF

IN A PARTICULAR PLACE... IN INDIANA.

I'M VERY CLOSE TO THIS PLACE.

I KNOW FOR MOST FOLKS, THIS IS FLY-OVER COUNTRY.

BUT TO ME, IT IS SPECTACULAR AND MYSTERIOUS,

AND WELL WORTHY OF A LIFE WELL-SPENT.

¶ WELL, JEREMIAH NEEDHAM HAD TO TURN HIS PLOW ¶

¶ TO AVOID THESE GRASSY MOUNDS

¶ EACH BIGGER THAN A SLEEPING BUFFALO ¶

¶ AND LAID THAT FIRST SPADE INTO THE GROUND ¶

¶ PUSHED THE SHOE AGAINST THE SPADE ¶

¶ AND DUG THAT DEEP BROWN LOAM ¶

¶ BUT IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE SONG ¶

¶ OF HIS BLADE AGAINST THESE BONES ¶

¶ THESE BONES

¶ MMM, BONES

¶ BONES

FRANKLY, I DON'T REALLY PLAY THE BANJO.

BUT SOMEHOW TO ME THERE IS THAT SORT OF

PLUCKY THING ON THE BANJO THAT HAS ALMOST

A...IT CAN SOUND A LITTLE CREEPY SOMETIMES.

AND I'VE GOT THE BANJO KIND OF MUTED TO SORT OF BRING OUT THAT,

THAT SORT OF CREEPY THING.

AND I THINK IT SORT OF APPEALED TO THE KID IN ME.

AND JUST, THE KID IN ME, THINKING OF, YOU KNOW,

SEVEN- OR EIGHT-FOOT-TALL GIGANTOPITHECUS

THAT WAS MAYBE ROAMING THESE AREAS CENTURIES AGO --

I LIKE THAT.

AND, SO THE "BONES" TUNE, ABOUT THESE --

THE BONES OF THESE GIANTS THAT LIVED,

THAT DID ALL OF THESE THINGS,

I MEAN, IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY FASCINATING TO ME.

¶ WELL, NEEDHAM HAD UNEARTHED A SKULL ¶

¶ WITH THREE SHINING SILVER TEETH ¶

¶ COPPER BRACELETS AROUND ITS BONY WRISTS ¶

¶ AN ABALONE SHELL BENEATH

¶ SO HE LOADED UP HIS WAGON WITH THESE BONES ¶

¶ TOO BIG TO BE A MAN

¶ AND HE DROVE HIS TREASURE INTO TOWN ¶

¶ SEE IF THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND ¶

¶ THESE BONES

¶ MMM, BONES

¶ BONES

¶ WELL, THE TEACHER SAID HE HAD HEARD A TALE ¶

¶ ABOUT AN ANCIENT RACE OF GIANTS ¶

¶ WHO'D QUARRIED FROM THESE BEDS OF FLINT ¶

¶ AND MELTED METAL WITH BLACK SCIENCE ¶

¶ WELL, NOW, LEGEND SAYS THEY TRAVELED FAR ¶

¶ FROM SOUTH TO NORTHERN SEAS

¶ DESCENDED FROM THE STARS, THEY SAID ¶

¶ 'TIL SOME FAMINE OR DISEASE

¶ "SO WHAT'S A GIANT LIKE THIS WORTH?" ¶

¶ PROUD NEEDHAM ASKED THE DOC ¶

¶ "WELL, IT ISN'T YOURS," THE DOC REPLIED ¶

¶ NEEDHAM STOMPED, "THE HELL IT'S NOT" ¶

¶ "THEY'RE IN MY MOUNDS, THIS FORTUNE'S MINE" ¶

¶ THEN HE DROVE HIS GIANT HOME

¶ BUT HALF A HUNDRED WERE AHEAD OF HIM ¶

¶ THIEVES CLANKING SHOVELS INTO BONES ¶

¶ THESE BONES

¶ MMM, BONES

¶ BONES

¶ WELL, NEEDHAM FETCHED HIS RIFLE ¶

¶ BUT SOON THE DARKNESS FELL

¶ AS ONE BY ONE HIS GIANTS LEFT ¶

¶ LIKE THEY WERE WALKING OUT OF HELL ¶

¶ FOR 17 LONG NIGHTS HE CURSED

¶ AS HE'D FIND MORE EMPTY MOUNDS ¶

¶ AND FEAR THAT SLEEPLESS CLANK OF BONE AND SPADE ¶

¶ HE STILL HEARS THAT GODLESS SOUND ¶

¶ THESE BONES

¶ MMM, BONES

¶ BONES

¶ BONES

¶ OH, THESE BONES

¶ JUST BONES

Newcomer: COME ON, DOGS.

I LIVE OUT IN THE WOODS.

I CHOOSE TO LIVE IN SOUTHERN INDIANA.

I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME BEFORE,

"WELL, WHY DON'T YOU MOVE TO ONE OF THE MUSIC MECCAS?

"WHY AREN'T YOU IN, YOU KNOW, L.A.,

"OR NEW YORK OR DOWN IN NASHVILLE?

I MEAN, WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

AND I LOVE THIS PART OF SOUTHERN INDIANA.

UM, I'M VERY MIDWESTERN, AT HEART.

I LIKE THAT, EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN TOWN,

I CAN DRIVE 5 OR 10 MINUTES, AND I CAN SEE THE MILKY WAY.

I CAN HANG OUT BY THE LAKE OR SOMEPLACE.

AND...I CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU WHAT THAT'S WORTH,

OR WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.

I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT IT IS.

Detor: I WRITE BECAUSE IT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.

IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.

IT HELPS ME DEFINE THE EDGES MORE CLEARLY,

AND PAINT IN THE COLORS,

AND DECIPHER WHAT IT IS I'M LOOKING AT.

I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY,

AND I LIVED IN ASIA FOR A WHILE.

BUT I GREW UP ON THE WEST COAST,

AND I WENT TO COLLEGE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

AND MY SENSE OF CONNECTION TO MY OWN HISTORICAL PAST

IS VERY DIFFERENT SINCE I GOT TO INDIANA,

BECAUSE A LOT OF HISTORY IS STILL HERE.

WE'RE SITING IN THIS ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE,

AND HISTORY'S EVERYWHERE -- EVERYWHERE I LOOK.

AND MY PERSPECTIVE HAS CHANGED ON IT.

UM, NOW, I'M MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN,

IN THE ROOTS OF THINGS.

Sanders: I'M FASCINATED BY THE WAY

A MUSICIAN'S IMAGINATION

WILL PICK UP ON AN IMAGE OR A METAPHOR

OR A CHARACTER, A LITTLE GESTURE OF A CHARACTER,

AND GO SOMEWHERE COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

FOR EXAMPLE, KRISTA DETOR'S SONG "MORE THAN I DARE SAY"

IS A GORGEOUS SONG.

IT'S A REALLY MOVING SONG.

BUT IT STARTS FROM A STORY ABOUT A FORMER SLAVE WOMAN

WHO LEARNS TO MAKE QUILL PENS,

SO THAT SHE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SIT IN THE BACK

OF A WHITE SCHOOLROOM SO SHE CAN LEARN

TO READ AND WRITE, SO SHE CAN TEACH HER CHILDREN.

WELL, KRISTA'S SONG

ALLUDES TO READING, WRITING, AND NUMBERS.

BUT A LISTENER WOULD NOT KNOW FROM LISTENING TO THE SONG,

REALLY, THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH A FORMER SLAVE WOMAN.

¶ IN THE NORTHERN SKY, THERE IS A WINTER SWAN ¶

¶ MADE OF ENOUGH BRIGHT STARS TO WISH UPON ¶

¶ AND I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

¶ I AM SITTING WITH A BOOK UPON MY KNEES ¶

¶ SOMEWHERE ABOVE ME ARE SISTERS, THE PLEIADES ¶

¶ LYRA RISING, A WINTER TUNE TO PLAY ¶

¶ AND I AM

¶ WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

¶ I AM COUNTING THE NUMBERS 1 TO 10 ¶

¶ AND I'M TRACING LETTERS WHEN I LEARN THEM AND ¶

¶ I'LL READ EVERY TALE THAT YOU WILL WRITE FOR ME ¶

¶ THE SHAPES SO CURIOUS

¶ STILL YET A MYSTERY

¶ BUT I WILL LEARN THEM ALL NO MATTER, COME WHAT MAY ¶

¶ 'CAUSE I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

MY OWN CHILDREN SPARKED THAT IDEA IN ME.

I HAD READ THAT STORY AND I WAS...

WALKING THROUGH, UM, MY BACK YARD.

IT WAS NEAR CHRISTMAS.

THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND.

¶ PRINCESS SINGS

¶ AND I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

AND I THOUGHT OF THIS WOMAN AND I THOUGHT OF MYSELF,

AND ALL THE THINGS WE HOPE FOR, FOR OUR CHILDREN.

AND THE THINGS THAT

WE HOPE AGAINST HOPE FOR, YOU KNOW,

THAT SEEM UNLIKELY OR DIFFICULT.

AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE

AND FORTITUDE AND RESOLVE THAT THIS WOMAN HAD TO DO THIS,

AND I CORRELATED THAT WITH MY OWN HOPE

FOR MY OWN CHILDREN.

AND THEN IT WAS EASY TO WRITE.

¶ SO MANY THINGS THAT I WOULD TELL YOU IF I KNEW ¶

¶ SO I SIT QUIET AS A CHURCH MOUSE ¶

¶ WHILE I THINK OF YOU

¶ I SIT QUIET IN A SCHOOLROOM EVERY DAY ¶

¶ 'CAUSE I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

¶ I AM COUNTING

¶ THE NUMBERS, 1 TO 10

¶ AND I AM TRACING LETTERS

¶ WHEN I LEARN THEM AND

¶ I'LL READ EVERY TALE THAT YOU WILL WRITE FOR ME ¶

¶ THE SHAPES SO CURIOUS

¶ STILL YET, A MYSTERY

¶ BUT I WILL LEARN THEM ALL NO MATTER, COME WHAT MAY ¶

¶ 'CAUSE I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

¶ IN THE NORTHERN SKY, THERE IS A WINTER SWAN ¶

¶ MADE OF ENOUGH BRIGHT STARS TO WISH UPON ¶

¶ AND I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

¶ FOR EVERY SHOOTING STAR TONIGHT, PLEASE, LET IT BE ¶

¶ THAT WHEN THEY GO AWAY FOREVER, FLY AWAY FROM ME ¶

¶ THE WORDS I LEAVE TO THEM WILL HELP TO LIGHT THE WAY ¶

¶ THE WAY

¶ AND ON THIS CHRISTMAS, IT'S MORE THAN I CAN SAY ¶

¶ SO I AM WISHING FOR MORE THAN I DARE SAY ¶

I MADE THE MIDWEST

MY HOME REGION, BECAUSE IT'S WHERE I LIVE,

IT'S A REGION THAT HAS SHAPED MY CHARACTER,

AND MY VALUES AND MY IMAGINATION.

IT'S ALSO A REGION

THAT HAS NOT BEEN AS FULLY EXPLORED

AND DEEPLY THOUGHT ABOUT AS OTHER REGIONS.

SURE, THERE ARE

ROMANTIC, GLAMOROUS, EXCITING PLACES ELSEWHERE.

BUT THERE'S ALSO MEANING

AND BEAUTY AND DEPTH TO BE FOUND RIGHT WHERE WE ARE.

Grimm: I READ ONCE THAT EVERY ONE,

OR MOST PEOPLE, HAVE A PLACE OR A KIND OF TERRAIN

OR TOPOGRAPHY OR GEOGRAPHY IN WHICH THEY FEEL

MOST AT HOME OR MOST COMFORTABLE.

WELL,

MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WERE THE HILLS OF BROWN COUNTY.

I FEEL MORE AT EASE, MORE AT HOME,

IN THESE ROLLING HILLS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA

THAN I DO ANYWHERE ELSE.

BUT THIS IS THE PLACE I KNOW, AND THIS IS THE PLACE,

BECAUSE I KNOW IT, I CAN WRITE ABOUT IT,

AND I CAN FEEL IT,

AND CAN CONVEY IT, I HOPE.

¶ REVEREND SHADRICK BOSTWICK DOCTORED SOULS AND BOOTS ¶

¶ HOW COULD YOU WALK UPON THIS EARTH ¶

¶ WITH DEVILS IN YOUR SHOES?

¶ HE'D RISE AT 3:00 ON SUNDAY AND RIDE FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH ¶

¶ THROUGH THE WEEK HE'D RUMINATE ¶

¶ AND DO THE COBBLER'S WORK

¶ FAITH WAS SPREAD THIN

¶ THERE IN THAT PLACE AND TIME

¶ HE'D PREACH TO CONGREGATIONS

¶ OF 7, 8, OR 9

¶ RIDE HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT

¶ LIMP AS FROSTBIT GRASS

¶ THE SOULS OF HIS LISTENERS WERE INFINITELY BLESSED ¶

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS LOVED ABOUT...

TRUE RURAL PEOPLE --

YOU HAD TO BE A JACK OF ALL TRADES.

YOU HAD TO HAVE MANY SKILLS.

YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS IF IT BROKE OVER HERE,

YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO MEND THAT, COBBLE THAT.

AND THESE ARE ALL PARTS OF BEING HUMAN,

AND SKILLS THAT WE HAVE LOST AS A SOCIETY, NOW.

AND REVEREND SHADRICK BOSTWICK

COULD GO AND PREACH THE HIGH WORD,

AND THEN HE COULD GO AND WORK WITH HIS HANDS.

¶ HE'D TAKE TWO STRIPS OF LEATHER ¶

¶ MOLD THEM AROUND A LAST

¶ STITCH IT ALL TOGETHER 'TIL SURELY IT HELD FAST ¶

¶ HE'D HOLD AN EMPTY SHOE, STICK HIS FOOT DEEP INSIDE ¶

¶ HE'D SAY THE SHOE'S THE BODY

¶ AND THE SOUL'S THE FOOT INSIDE ¶

¶ FOLKS COULD TELL THE DIFFERENCE ¶

¶ BETWEEN LEATHER AND FLESH AND THE WORD ¶

¶ IT WAS SOWED ALL THROUGH THE WILDERNESS ¶

¶ FAITH WAS SPREAD THIN

¶ THERE IN THAT PLACE AND TIME

¶ HE'D PREACH TO CONGREGATIONS OF 7, 8, OR 9 ¶

¶ RIDE HOME

¶ AFTER MIDNIGHT LIMP AS FROSTBIT GRASS ¶

¶ SOULS OF HIS LISTENERS WERE INFINITELY BLESSED ¶

¶ JANUARY SUNDAY

¶ HIS MARE BROKE HER LEG

¶ STUMBLED IN A WOODCHUCK HOLE ¶

¶ TOO FAR GONE TO SAVE

¶ THROUGH THE SNOW A-FALLIN', HIS BIBLE IN HIS SHIRT ¶

¶ HE WALKED EIGHT MILES OF SNOWDRIFTS ¶

¶ TO HIS NEXT CHURCH

¶ HIS FEET WERE NUMB WITH FROSTBITE ¶

¶ THE FIRE COULD NOT ERASE

¶ AND NO AMOUNT OF STAMPING

¶ COULD PUT FEELING IN THEIR PLACE ¶

¶ FAITH WAS SPREAD THIN THERE IN THAT PLACE AND TIME ¶

¶ HE'D PREACH TO CONGREGATIONS

¶ OF 7, 8, OR 9

¶ RIDE HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT, LIMP AS FROSTBIT GRASS ¶

¶ THE SOULS OF HIS LISTENERS

¶ WERE INFINITELY BLESSED

¶ FROM THAT MORNING ONWARD, BOSTWICK NEVER SPOKE ¶

¶ OF THE FOOT INSIDE THE BOOT AS THE IMAGE OF THE SOUL ¶

¶ INSIDE HIS EARTHLY BODY

¶ THAT ONCE HAD BEEN SO WARM

¶ BOSTWICK FELT THE TERROR OF THE FLESH FOREVER NUMB ¶

¶ FAITH WAS SPREAD THIN THERE IN THAT PLACE AND TIME ¶

¶ HE'D PREACH TO CONGREGATIONS OF 7, 8, OR 9 ¶

¶ RIDE HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT, LIMP AS FROSTBIT GRASS ¶

¶ SOULS OF HIS LISTENERS WERE INFINITELY BLESSED ¶

¶ AND THE SOULS OF HIS LISTENERS WERE INFINITELY BLESSED ¶

A LITTLE DIFFERENT ENDING.

WE'LL JUST DO IT THAT WAY EVERY TIME.

Newcomer: I LIKE THAT.

Roznowski: CERTAINLY, THE SETTLEMENT OF THE FRONTIER

IS THE STORY OF AMERICA.

I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT.

BUT,

IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ALWAYS GLAMOROUS,

EXCITING, OR REALLY EVEN INFORMATIVE.

YOU'RE REALLY JUST DEALING

WITH EVERYDAY SURVIVAL OF PEOPLE,

VERY OFTEN ANONYMOUS, WHO ARE WORKING

DAY TO DAY IN A STRUGGLE TO SIMPLY GET TO TOMORROW.

WE GO BACK HISTORICALLY AND WE LOOK,

AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A HARD PLACE TO BE.

THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HARD PLACE TO BE -- THE WORLD.

BUT WITHIN IN IT, THERE IS SO MUCH BEAUTY.

Newcomer: THERE'S NOTHING AS POWERFUL

AS AN AUTHENTIC STATEMENT.

WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING TRUE,

WHEN THEY PUT THEIR FINGER RIGHT ON IT,

UH, IT HITS YOU ABOUT CHEST LEVEL.

IT REALLY...IT SHAKES THE WORLD A LITTLE BIT.

IT PLEASES ME, IT DELIGHTS ME

THAT SOMETHING I WROTE ALL THESE YEARS AGO

HAS BEEN STIMULATING TO THESE VERY TALENTED MUSICIANS,

AND HAS GIVEN RISE TO MUSIC

THAT NOW HAS A SEPARATE LIFE OF ITS OWN.

¶ OOH-OOH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH

¶ WHEN TOM TESTIFIED OVER HERE ¶

¶ WHERE WE'RE DOING THE SONG

OH, OKAY, NO.

[ LAUGHTER ]

THE STORIES AND THE SONGS ARE WOVEN TOGETHER

IN THIS FABRIC THAT REALLY --

I THINK REALLY ACCENTUATES BOTH THE MEDIUMS.

White: ALL OF THESE FOLKS, EVERY TIME WE GET TOGETHER,

I, UH, I GET KIND OF QUIET ACTUALLY.

BECAUSE I TEND TO LEARN

SOMETHING NEW FROM THEM EVERY TIME.

NOT JUST ABOUT SONGWRITING, BUT JUST ABOUT LIFE.

WHEN I'M ON STAGE,

AND I LOOK THIS WAY AND I SEE CARRIE NEWCOMER

AND KRISTA DETOR AND OVER HERE,

THERE'S TIM GRIMM AND TOM ROZNOWSKI --

I JUST SMILE.

Grimm: PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT,

WE DIDN'T EVER HAVE TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER,

AND REALLY COLLABORATE

IN A SIDE-BY-SIDE KIND OF WAY.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY,

BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LITTLE OPINIONS

ABOUT HOW A STAGE SHOW SHOULD LOOK OR WORK.

BUT WE FOUND A COMMON GROUND AND A COMMON LANGUAGE

TO, UH, TO REALIZE THAT THE WHOLE

IS GREATER THAN ITS INDIVIDUAL PARTS

IN "WILDERNESS PLOTS."

A DVD OF "WILDERNESS PLOTS"

WITH COMPLETE PERFORMANCES

AND A CD WITH ADDITIONAL SONGS

ARE AVAILABLE BY PHONE AND ONLINE.