State Songs
"You may have a special place where you feel at home…"
These dozen songs about the United States of America are as varied as the states themselves. From the rugged coast of Maine to the open prairies of Wyoming, and from swinging sounds of "Nothing Short of Texas" to the roots rock music of "Gotta Go to North Dakota," these songs celebrate the beauty and diversity of our nation. And they do so on a grand scale, using 22 different musical instruments, six singers, and eight studios in six states. Hopefully some of these songs will find their way into the ears and hearts of those in their respective states. At a time when Americans are sorely divided, perhaps music can offer us some much-needed common ground.
Click linked song titles for mp3 sample.
1. It's Maine for Me
2. Nothing Short of Texas
3. In My Dreams of Oregon
4. M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i
5. New Arizona Waltz
6. In Kentucky
7. Gotta Go to North Dakota
8. Back in Ohio
9. Roaming through Wyoming
10. Yvette, the Crawfish Queen
11. Goodbye to Idaho
12. West Virginia Hills
Song Credits
1. Maine for Me (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, acoustic guitar
Robert Shafer – electric guitar
Russ Hicks – pedal steel
Floyd Domino – piano
Gary Gregg - clarinet
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Gia Mora, Michael Ford, K.C. Armstrong, Jason Gottshall - background vocals
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer Tommy Detamore
Russ Hicks' Studio, Beckley, WV
Engineer, Russ Hicks
Cue Recording Studios, Fairfax, Virginia
Engineer, Ken Schubert
2. Nothing Short of Texas (J. Lilly, J. Hershey, D. Swander)
John Lilly – vocal, acoustic guitar
Tommy Detamore – pedal steel
Bobby Flores – fiddle
Floyd Domino – piano
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
"Deep in the Heart of Texas" ©1941 by Melody Lane Music, BMI
3. In My Dreams of Oregon (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, acoustic guitar
Brennen Leigh – vocal harmony
Tommy Detamore – baritone guitar
Russ Hicks – pedal steel
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
Russ Hicks' Studio, Beckley, WV
Engineer, Russ Hicks
4. M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal
Charlie Barnett – piano, guitar
Pete Ostle – bass
Tom Barrick - drums
Jeff Gray - saxophone
Vince McCool – trumpet solo
Tim Leahy - trumpet
Jen Krupa – trombone
K.C. Armstrong, Michael Ford, Jason Gottshall - background vocals
Recorded at Blue House Productions, Bethesda, MD
Engineer, Jeff Gruber
Cue Recording Studios, Fairfax, VA
Engineer, Ken Schubert
Orchestration by Charlie Barnett
5. New Arizona Waltz (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, guitar
Brennen Leigh – vocal harmony
Bobby Flores – fiddle
Tommy Detamore – pedal steel
Floyd Domino – piano
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
6. In Kentucky (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, guitar
Charlie Barnett – banjo
Floyd Domino – piano
Willie Clark - tuba
Vince McCool – trumpet
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
Cue Recording Studios, Fairfax, VA
Engineer, Ken Schubert
7. Gotta Go to North Dakota (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal
Sonny Landreth – electric guitar
Tommy Detamore – electric guitar
Floyd Domino – piano
Ric Ramirez – bass
Tom Lewis – drums
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
Electric Comoland, Lafayette, LA
Engineer, Tony Daigle
8. Back in Ohio (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, guitar, mandolin, bass
Kalia Yeagle – fiddle
Roy Andrade – banjo
Recorded at ETSU Studio, Johnson City, TN
Engineer, Will MacMorran
9. Roaming through Wyoming (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, guitar
Brennen Leigh – vocal harmony
Bobby Flores – fiddle
Ric Ramirez – bass
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
10. Yvette, the Crawfish Queen (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, acoustic guitar
Joel Savoy – fiddle, electric guitar
Chris Stafford – fiddle, accordion
Eric Moody – bass
Daniel Devillier – drums, triangle
Recorded at Studio SavoyFaire, Eunice, LA
Engineer, Joel Savoy
11. Goodbye to Idaho (J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal, guitar
Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Engineer, Tommy Detamore
12. West Virginia Hills (E. King, H.E. Engle; arranged by J. Lilly)
John Lilly – vocal
Charlie Barnett – guitar, banjo, piano, synthesizer
Pete Ostle – bass
Vince McCool – trumpet
Willie Clark - tuba
Jen Cox – euphonium
Jeff Pilkington – French horn
Gia Mora, Michael Ford, K.C. Armstrong, Jason Gottshall - background vocals
Recorded at Cue Recording Studios, Fairfax, VA
Engineer, Ken Schubert
Orchestration by Charlie Barnett
"West Virginia Hills" was recorded with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts
All songs written by John Lilly, © 2017 by Beverly Lane Publishing (BMI) except as noted.
Executive producer – John Lilly
Associate producers – Tommy Detamore, Charlie Barnett, Joel Savoy
Mixed by Tommy Detamore at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX
Mastered by Jim DeMain, Nashville, TN
Design by Pioneer House
Photography by Kalani Odum
Special thanks to George Lilly, Frank Lilly, and all those who generously contributed to this project through Indiegogo.com or other means.
© (p) 2017 by John Lilly